Sublime collaborating with Travis Barker on new album
Sublime has exciting news for fans as they are currently in the process of crafting a new album with the son of their late frontman, Bradley Nowell. The beloved ska-punk trio from Long Beach, whose lead singer passed away in 1996, recently announced that they are in the midst of writing and recording new songs with Nowell’s 29-year-old son, Jakob. Jakob, who stepped into his father’s shoes with Sublime in late 2023, is collaborating with producers Travis Barker from Blink-182 and John Feldmann on this project. The band plans to drop the first single from the upcoming album this summer.
Travis Barker, a big fan of Sublime, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration by stating, “I grew up on Sublime, and their 1992 album ’40 Oz. to Freedom’ changed the way I listened to music.” John Feldmann, known for his work with popular pop-punk acts such as Good Charlotte and 5 Seconds of Summer, also shared his excitement, mentioning that working with Sublime has been a highlight of his career.
Having played with Sublime for the first time at a charity event for H.R. of Bad Brains, Jakob Nowell amazed audiences at Coachella last year. Subsequently, he embarked on a festival tour with Sublime’s original members, drummer Bud Gaugh, and bassist Eric Wilson, who founded the band alongside Bradley Nowell in the late 1980s. Bradley Nowell’s tragic passing occurred only two months prior to the launch of the band’s debut major-label album. Despite this loss, the self-titled record became a massive success, attaining quintuple-platinum status and delivering hit tracks like “What I Got,” “Santeria,” and “Wrong Way.”
Following Bradley Nowell’s death, Gaugh and Wilson pursued music together in Long Beach Dub Allstars. In 2009, they recruited the talented singer and guitarist Rome Ramirez to perform Sublime’s music under the moniker Sublime with Rome. Jakob Nowell’s journey with Sublime has seen him grappling with pressure to play with his father’s former bandmates for years but hesitating due to his distinct musical interests and complex relationship with his father’s memory. Eventually, after what he describes as a “spiritual pilgrimage” to the venue in Petaluma where his father played his final show, Jakob embraced the opportunity to collaborate with Sublime.
Fans can catch Sublime live this summer as they have tour dates lined up, including a performance on May 3 at the BeachLife festival in Redondo Beach. This exciting new chapter for Sublime, with Jakob Nowell taking the lead, promises to bring fresh energy and creativity, continuing the band’s legacy and reaching out to old and new fans alike.