On sublime. Legacy: Not only did West Coast rockers Sublime establish a tight-knit group of fans with their unconventional blend of reggae, surf rock, and psychedelia, they also brought punk into the mainstream. Not to mention, they went six times platinum on their self-titled album and became one of the most popular ska-punk bands of all time. The tragic loss of lead singer Brad Nowell to heroin made their identity even more distinct by publicly revealing how tightly drug culture was intertwined with alternative rock in the ‘90s. How It Was Destroyed: Even though their manager declared that the band had no intention of recording and performing under the Sublime name, that “Sublime died when Brad died,” they still regrouped in 2009 with a new vocalist: a self-admitted Sublime fan, Rome Ramirez. Instead of delivering the edgy hardcore/reggae/psychedelic jams that fans highly anticipated, Rome’s 2011 Yours Truly gave them commercial fluff that sounded more like Jack Johnson than Brad Nowell. Can It Be Restored? Possibly. Although the additional “with Rome” at the end of the band’s name leaves a bad taste in many fans’ mouths; most jabs at the new singer relate to his sugary lyrics and overall poppy sound–both of which are changeable. Nowell left shoes that can never be filled, but if Rome can nix the smiles and add some raunch, he could easily regain some respect from Sublime’s original fans. –Danielle Janota
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 14:00:10 +0000
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