Jakob Nowell, son of the late vocalist Bradley Nowell, detailed work to remain legacy of the band without disrespecting history
Article published on March 26, 2025 at Rolling Stone. To read the original in English, click here.
Jakob Nowellson of the late vocalist of Sublime, Bradley Nowellhe made his official debut as a lead singer of the Coachella Revived Band last year, and now he is working with the original members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh in a possible new album – which would be the first of the band since the iconic Sublime (1996), launched shortly after the death of Bradley.
“It’s the epilogue,” he said Jakob the Rolling Stone. “Something that explores my life relationship with this amazing body of work of a figure I really never got to know, a figure that inspired so many music listeners and musicians around the world.”
At 29, Nowell spent a week in the studio with the drummer of BLINK-182, Travis Barkerand the producer John Feldmann To write songs for the project. “These guys are too much. Travis is a fan of the old guard and scholar of the catalog of Sublime… They also look like family members now, man. There was that feeling of everyone that what we are doing here is something special at an emotional, spiritual and familiar level, “he said Nowell. Barker He added in a statement: “This will be very special. Bradley Come through your son Jakob… relax every day in the studio when he sings and plays guitar. “
Nowellwhich also records alternative pop as Jakobs Castleis not interested in modernizing the sound of Sublime. “The goal is not to create something like: ‘This is what Sublime It would be today in 2025 ‘”, he says.“ No, just another solid respect and tribute to the group’s works. ”
In addition to new compositions, the musician is also digging up studio files from his father’s unfinished ideas. THE Sublime was already successful on radio with alternative rock last year with “Feel Like That”who has father and son on vocals.
We are scouring and trying to distill what makes a song from the Sublime A song from Sublime. It has been a fun learning process to approach and know my lost family member in a spiritual sense. I think we left a lot of ourselves, like this project of our DNA, in the work we created and publicized. So it has really been a fact discovery mission. ”
Among the dates of the tour with the band, Jakob also plunged into its various influences, including Minute, Bad brains“very old blues”, the artists of reggae Johnny Osbourne and Jacob Miller, EAZY-E and Buttlele Surfers. He is also working on music for the project with a longtime collaborator, the producer Jon Josephwhich has been tracking technical details of previous releases of the Sublime in a notebook.
“We all take turns adding to him,” says Nowell. “And he is the true scholar, he knows, examining not only each release, but every bootleg, every tape, every thing Sublime Already did. He is tracking every chord progression, vocal melody, lyrical content and themes and compiling a list. It’s like a spell book … We try to use this great Venn diagram that has all the elements of each different multigeneral thing. And we try to stay in the center to maintain a certain authenticity. ”
He expects to start with a single or two, and continue towards the full album as long as the reception is positive. “If it seems threatening and bland and simply not something to do, we probably won’t continue. But if there is a little interest and seem that we are doing our work right and respecting this legacy, then, of course, doing music is what we want. Bud and Ericman. That’s what they know how to do. ”
Meanwhile, a biography of the Sublime long planned seems to be advancing, with the star of Riverdale, KJ APA“practically confirmed” to interpret Bradley Nowellaccording to Jakob. “It seems that there is some interest and some financing and it seems to happen,” he says, who is in contact with APA and is reviewing the script for authenticity. “You don’t want your biography to be very embarrassing. It’s easy to follow this way. But I think we have the right minds working on the play.”
While working on new songs Sublime, Jakob It is deeply aware of the weight of history. “When a dear band of the nineties comes back after 30 years and releases a new album, you will never win,” he says. “You can’t compete with mythology. Myth will win every time. So all we can do is try to create a tax for this figure that we have seen before.… Many times, the biggest challenge for me is that you have this ever-present feeling that you are sneaking into the kingdom of gods and stealing your statues. We don’t want to desecrate the works of God here.
+++ Read more: what made Jakob Nowell accept to enter the sublime in his father’s vacancy
+++ Read more: Sublime in Brazil: Jakob Nowell talks to RS about shows, Banda and Futuro’s return
+++ Read more: Sublime delivers everything to show in SP, but in a chaotic way
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
