Indo-China Redux

Oldies but very goodies.... When you can, go to Thailand and Cambodia. Life changing places.

Brad Nowell

Ever since about 1997, shit, when I was fourteen, I’ve been in love with Sublime. I remember paddling down the Sand River in Lake Superior Provincial Park, bobbing my head to the killer sound of Wrong Way and April 29, 1992 (Miami), in a canoe and on my Sony Discman… Wow, those were the days. There was just something perfect about the ska/punk sound, the lyrics, which were so easy to pick up, and Brad Nowell’s voice rivals any of the greats, living or dead and you all know it. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a party or a cottage or the beach without someone righteously demanding and playing Sublime, it just goes without saying. Sublime means summer and is essential to it, like one cannot be without the other. But, like I think most of us feel, I’ve always been intrigued by what really happened to Nowell, so I figured you guys would too.

Of course Brad Nowell was taken from us way too early, as Sublime only released 3 major albums, and I think that’s what I want to talk about; just what the hell happened to such an amazing guitarist and the lead vocalist of still one of the greatest bands to come out of the 90’s?

Nowell died of a heroin overdose on May 25, 1996 at the Ocean View Motel in San Francisco, two months prior to the release of Sublime. The album clearly kicked ass, and included the single What I Got, which made it to #1 at the Modern Rock Chart and has since gone six-times platinum. Besides What I Got, the album included Santeria, Doin Time, Wrong Way and probably my personal favourite Jailhouse.

The downward spiral began in 1993, as Nowell, frustrated by rejection of the major record companies, descended into a two-year heroin "experiment". Brad claimed that his heroin use was justified and that it aided his artistic creativity, fuelling his lyric writing and brainstorming, thus increasing the likelihood that his material would attract the attention of a major label. It reeks of hubris, the tragic flaw; it’s strait out of Shakespeare.

Attention from a major label did not curb Nowell's drug use, which sometimes led him to pawn his instruments, as reflected in Pawn Shop. It’s funny how looking into these things reveals a lot about the actual songs he writes, like in The Ballad of Johnny Butt where he talks about shooting up and killing cops… Or the song Pool Shark is another song that reflects his struggle with addiction. In February 1996, Sublime returned to the studio to record the bulk of their self-titled major label debut, in Texas. Brad's addiction became increasingly unmanageable and he was flown home early from the sessions.

Brad got married on May 21^st, 1996 to his long time sweetheart Troy Dendekker, and the next day Sublime embarked on a five-day tour through some California cities in preparation for a summer tour of Europe. The European tour was intended to promote their upcoming major label debut. Nowell's last performance took place at the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma, California. On May 25, 1996, after the show in Petaluma, the band was scheduled to head up north. That morning, drummer Bud Gaugh woke up to see Nowell half in bed, with his feet on the floor. At first, Gaugh assumed Nowell had been too drunk the night before to get into bed properly. Unfortunately, on further inspection Bud noticed a green film around Brad’s mouth, and it became obvious that he had overdosed on heroin. He called for the paramedics, but Nowell had past away hours before, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Nowell was cremated and his ashes were spread over his favourite surf spot, Surfside, California. A headstone was placed at Westminster Memorial in Westminster, California in his memory.

Brad was 28 when he died, damn. I’m almost 27 years old and a lot of my fiends are around that same age and older, it kind of puts things into perspective, and when you think about it, his life goes to show how fleeting and fast good things can come to be and pass away. Not to worry though, Sublime will never go away and Nowell’s tale is a cautionary one, you can live life in the fast lane, but Jesus, stay away from the smack. It’s stories like these that showcase the importance of living life to its fullest, because it can end so damn quickly. So in conclusion, play more Sublime and ska/punk in the future, it kicks ass. Hopefully when you’re listening to some right after you read this, it reminds you of the super, wicked, awesome, rad, tubular Spring and Summer that is to come. The beach, the sand, the lake, the ocean and the crazy fun times that we’re reminded of when we pop in that CD, plug in that iPod and jam out to Nowell and Sublime.

If you only knew all the love that I found, it's hard to keep my soul on the ground.
-Sublime