Legendary US band splits with frontman as original singer’s son steps up to replace them
LEGENDARY US rock band Sublime have had a huge shake-up with its latest frontman departing and the original singer’s son in the frame to replace him.
Sublime originally formed in 1988 and the first line-up consisted of Bradley Nowell on vocals and guitar, bass player Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh on drums.
They are best known for such hits as What I Got and Santeria.
The band first split in 1996 after Nowell tragically died of a heroin overdose.
They then reformed with a new lead singer, Rome Ramirez, in 2009, but had to change their name to Sublime with Rome as Nowell’s estate had the rights to the original name.
But in late December, Ramirez confirmed he has left the band – and in a surprising twist, Nowell’s son Jakob, is in line to replace him.
Ramirez will leave after the band’s 2024 tour dates.
“This is definitely something that’s been kind of cooking for a while,” Ramirez told The Big Takeover about his departure.
“A move like that is not done on a whim or it is. It’s one or the other. It’s like either a drunken decision you announce on Twitter or it’s something that’s been cooking for a while.”
He cited wanting to pursue some new creative challenges as his reason for leaving.
Ramirez explained: “For me, creatively, there’s always that thing that every creative person goes through where it’s comfortable with the life you know doing this, but then there’s this other side of you that, as you grow and change and evolve, there’s another side of you that you really have to put energy into, or you start to feel different.”
Recently, Jakob Nowell took to the stage with Sublime for a special gig, which also saw the return of Bud Gaugh, who left in 2011.
The band said on their instagram: “Bud and Eric hadn’t shared the stage together in over a decade, and it was the first time Jake shared the stage with both of them. The feedback, messages, and response has been appreciated and overwhelming. Everyone had a blast, and that is what it’s all about.”
Now fans of the group are demanding Jakob replaces Ramirez as the full time frontman.
One fan commented: “How is this lineup not a tour? There should never be another sublime song performed ever again without Jakob on the mic.”
A second added: “Jakob sounds so much like his dad. It’s beautiful and inspiring… this is the Sublime we want and deserve.”
And a third weighed in: This is the meaning of sublime, f****** incredible moment for so many of us…”