For the next several years, the group focused primarily on playing at parties and small clubs throughout Southern California with local ska bands such as Smokestacks, No Doubt and Skeletones. In response, the band created their own music label, Skunk Records, and told venues that they were "Skunk Records recording artists", which helped the band seem more accomplished and subsequently book more shows. Music venues were skeptical of the band's eclectic musical fusion and many refused to book the band. Sublime played its first gig on the 4th of July, 1988 in a small club. Nowell helped introduce Gaugh and Wilson (who at the time listened exclusively to punk rock) to reggae and ska. About this time, Bradley Nowell, who had recently dropped out of University of California, Santa Cruz, joined the band. Gaugh and Wilson, together with future Sublime manager Michael Happoldt, formed a three-piece punk band called The Juice Bros during their high school years.
Having grown up in the same Long Beach neighborhood, Eric's father, Billy Wilson taught Gaugh how to read music and play the drums.
History Early career (1988–1991) Įric Wilson and Bud Gaugh were childhood friends.
1 hit single (on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart) in their musical career. 13 on the Billboard 200, and spawned the single " What I Got", which remains the band's only No. to Freedom (1992) and Robbin' the Hood (1994)-were quite popular in the United States, Sublime did not experience major commercial success until 1996 with their self-titled third album, released two months after Nowell's death, which peaked at No. Sublime released three studio albums, one live album, five compilation albums ( one of which also contains never-before released material), three EPs, and one box set. In 1997, songs such as " What I Got", " Santeria", " Wrong Way", " Doin' Time", and " Ap(Miami)" were released to U.S. Nowell died of a heroin overdose in 1996, resulting in Sublime's breakup. Lou Dog, Nowell's dalmatian, was the mascot of the band. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell (vocals and guitar), Eric Wilson (bass), and Bud Gaugh (drums). Sublime was an American reggae rock and ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988.