Consisting of musicians like Eric Wilson, Bud Gaugh, and Bradley Nowell, the ska punk band Sublime rose to fame thanks to hits like “Wrong Way”, “Doin’ Time”, and “What I Got.” While gaining momentum in the music industry, in 1996, Nowell sadly passed away due to a drug overdose. The following years featured the band breaking up and being surrounded by legal disputes over the Sublime name. But with Wilson and Gaugh reforming the band with Nowell’s son Jakob last year, it appears that new music might be in the works.
For the original band Sublime, it has been nearly 30 years since they released an album. Their last album to hit shelves back in July 1996. However, according to Gaugh, fans might receive some new music from the band in the near future. Speaking with SPIN about the band, the bass player explained, “We’ll see how it goes from the rehearsals, but I’m pretty certain we’re gonna see some music coming out with this project.”
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Adding his voice to the conversation, Jakob shared his excitement to carry on his father’s legacy. He said, “I’m sorry, but without one of the original members of the band, that’s not Sublime. It’s something totally different. And if Eric wants to do Sublime with Bud, and they want me to sing in the band, I felt like I had this custodial duty to pay my respect and homage.”
Sublime Surrounded In Legal Issues
While hoping to create a new era for Sublime, this doesn’t mark the first time the remaining members tried to reform the band. Back in 2009, the surviving members reunited with guitarist Rome Ramirez. After playing at the Cypress Hill’s Smokeout Festival, the band found themselves facing legal trouble. Although Nowell passed away in 1996, his estate still held the rights to the band’s name. With that knowledge, a judge banned the group from using the original name. They eventually reworked the name, labeling themselves as Sublime with Rome.
With Jakob joining the lineup and Sublime hinting at new music, it appears that those legal troubles may be behind them as they look to bring the band back into the spotlight using the original name.
(Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Audacy’s Riptide Music Festival)
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