Look at all the Love we've Exploited

I got an email the other day that said that Sublime had scheduled a show at the Electric Factory in May. Say what?? I thought that maybe I was delusional and that Bradley Nowell didn't die of a heroin overdose fifteen years ago. A quick trip to Wikipedia proved to me that, no, I hadn't been mistaken, he really was worm food at this point, but that the other two guys had a new singer/guitarist (Rome) and were going on tour, re-dubbed, Sublime with Rome. Wow. I consider myself a respectable Sublime fan, but before I visited their website, I couldn't even name the other two guys. In fact, I'll bet if you asked most Sublime fans, more of them could tell you the name of their mascot dalmatian than the other two thirds of the band.

It's sad. Obviously, both Bud and Eric (drummer and bassist, respectively) need to make a living, and I'm not saying that Sublime didn't have some great beats and bass lines, but really Sublime was Brad. He wrote the melodies and words, he was the face of the band and when he died, the group ceased to exist immediately. After the overdose, Bud and Eric went on to form the Long Beach Dub All Stars with other members of the extended Sublime family. It was a great tribute to their fallen brother and they played the hell out of both their originals and the many Sublime covers in their live sets. But this, using the name that is so closely associated with the frontman, just drips of pandering on the fans sense of nostalgia.

Last Thursday night, Henry Rollins went on at length about the mental breakdown of Bad Brains singer HR. Henry recalled how HR went from being one of the toughest, punkest dudes ever to almost being an embarrassment, both to himself and the band as an organization. In many senses, the HR that fronted the legendary hardcore outfit is dead, and in his place is an imitation of the original. Same with Sublime. With the new dude, Rome (who, though I am being critical, I have to admit sounds almost dead on for Brad and has the advantage of not performing like a junkie), Sublime is putting themselves out there as a tribute to the greatness that they once were, instead of embracing the greatness that they could be. Like the new version of Alice in Chains, Sublime with Rome is really just a really, really good cover band.

I guess I just can't understand how this wouldn't be better as the new version of Long Beach Dub All Stars. Sublime with Rome has been sued by Brad's widow over the use of the Sublime name. She has no issue with them playing the music, just the moniker, and I can't blame her. While I wish nothing but the best and much success for Eric and Bud, I wish that they would reconsider touring as Sublime. It just comes across as desperate that a decade and a half later they still need to cling to Brad's reputation. Let the music stand for itself, don't burden it with nostalgia.

Still, a bunch of people are going to show up for this. Sublime's music continues to be popular with the kiddies and is still in regular rotation on rock radio stations. I'm sure that this show will sell out as the actual Sublime tribute band, Badfish, plays the same venue with regularity. (And, coincidentally has a show two weeks earlier for only five bucks cheaper.) Wednesday, May 5th, $25, The Electric Factory, 7th and Willow.