Exclusive First Listen & Look: Live Sublime
It is with great honor that we share with you an exclusive first listen and viewing from Sublime’s forthcoming live album/DVD package 3 Ring Circus: Live at The Palace October 21, 1995.
We could blather on about how cool this 1 CD/2 DVD set is, what an amazing band Sublime was (warts and all), how this is their only full live show that’s ever been officially released and so on and so forth.
The videos of “Ebin,” “Badfish” and “Falling Idols” are from the Palace show and are part of the full show included on the first DVD. A second DVD is included with 23 songs taken from a separate show on February 17, 1995 at the Las Palmas Theater in Hollywood.
We’re equally excited to share the liner notes written by Sublime’s manager Jon Phillips. As you’ll find, they’re both candid and endearing in providing a lucid snapshot of the time.
As his reflections—and the music and video prove—there was no other band quite like Sublime.
Without further ado, we let Mr. Phillips take it away:
In October of 1995 Sublime cruised into L.A.‘s world famous Palace Theatre up the corner from Hollywood and Vine surrounded by the bright lights and alluring stars of Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame.” The Long Beach trio from down the coast pulled up in their signature white Ford Econoline riding the momentum of a tremendous year. In June of 1994, Sublime had just inked a record deal with MCA Records’ subsidiary Gasoline Alley. Six months later in January 1995, “Date Rape,” from Sublime’s quintessential 1992 LP 40 oz. to Freedom on Skunk Records, began its heavy rotation run (and is still going…) on Los Angeles commercial-radio pioneer KROQ.
A few months later, the band accepted a headlining slot on that summer’s inaugural Warped Tour, halfway through to be booted home from the East Coast leg by the tour organizers citing drug usage, dog biting incidents, theft of other artists’ meal tickets and the otherwise riotous chaos that ensued around Sublime, a trait that would become a synonymous part of their reputation.
Ebin. Sublime: Live at the Palace from UMe Music on Vimeo.
As the surprise (and accidental) radio success of the controversial “Date Rape” single merged with the foundation the band had built on touring and word-of-mouth, Sublime had begun to permeate the mainstream. While Skunk Records moguls including founder/producer Michael “Miguel” Happoldt who not only produced 40 oz. and founded the Skunk label, but also ran the soundboard for Sublime’s live shows (including the Palace show here) had been pawning their indie titles for a few years the old fashioned way, straight from their garage and from the trunks of their cars directly to eager fans at shows, as well as regional mom ‘n’ pop record stores (prior to the age of iTunes and digital file sharing) demand for the band’s homegrown music ignited… Long Beach California’s Sublime, with their undeniable musical fusion, had begun to cement themselves as underground cult anti-heroes, creating their own vernacular and subcultural voice, en route to becoming a full-fledged pop-culture phenomenon.
On this October 1995 evening, the little band that could, Long Beach’s favorite backyard party outfit and its slew of hangers-on and merry pranksters, came prepared to unleash their unique style and do-it-yourself “punk rock this-ain’t-no-funky-reggae party” mayhem live, to a sold-out, mosh pit room only, Southern California core. About 850 crossed the turnstiles into the red carpet of the classic Hollywood venue to witness what was the first performance in a run of winter shows dubbed “Sublime’s 3 Ring Circus Tour,” featuring the hand-selected support of Chicago’s legendary chronic-schizophrenic street artist, the late Wesley Willis and his heavy metal outfit The Fiasco Band, as well as Brooklyn, N.Y.‘s Irish/Italian graffiti hip-hop ensemble Lordz of Brooklyn, both of whom had recently signed to Rick Rubin’s American Recordings.
Historical footnote: The lineup at The Palace 10/21/95 also included, at the request of local promoter Goldenvoice, the last minute addition of a group of unknown adolescents from the San Fernando Valley called… Incubus!
As loyal fans filed their way past the ropes, Bradley walked around to the front of the theatre from the alley alongside the backstage entrance. With his longboard skateboard and spotted Lou Dog in tow, Brad cruised the parking lot before the show and waded through the crowd of tailgaters and fans looking for tickets, amongst rumors of a sold-out box office. Nowell surveyed a crowded scene beneath the marquee out front, at one point attracting the attention of a few familiar scalpers to whom Bradley curiously inquired, “How much?” It was 1995 and legendary concerts like this were still being put on by independent promoters, tickets were cheap and fans weren’t yet victims of inflated corporate “service fees,” and on this night “miracles” were going for 50 bucks straight from the scalper who congratulated Bradley on the “sell-out,” the band’s first in Hollywood at a venue of this size!
After colorful opening sets from Incubus, Lordz of Brooklyn, and Wesley Willis & The Fiasco Band pre-heated the crowd, Sublime, led by Bradley Nowell, Eric Wilson, and the man they call Floyd I, were the obvious headliner and this was their party! Stepping up to their three-piece, power trio backline, two amps and a drum kit (including some electronic Roland TD7 drum patches of whose “subs” are more than evident in this recording), and amongst a crowd of their closest homies and girlfriends adorning the stage behind them like a backyard LBC throw down, Sublime appear prepared to play. The band was amped and customarily loose, adventurously improvisational and a little rough around the edges— a characteristic of what made them an endearing and sometime offensive anomaly. (The band had a reputation of being too fucked up to play, or, occasionally, simply just not showing up, both true at times). But tonight it was ON.
With Lou Dog flanking Bradley’s Triple Rectifier, the three members of Sublime unfold a signature one-drop rhythm, and all of a sudden it seems like the good ol’ days of the mid-‘90s again…nearly two decades ago! Sublime still seem fresh and timeless with a performance that is quintessentially Sublime, just like they were, warts and all, sometimes a glorious stumble, other times a cathartic anthem of hope. No Hollywood special effects, no LED walls, no HD cameras, and perfectly imperfect. Sublime’s 3 Ring Circus: Live at the Palace is the real deal, a rare performance and raw recording that captures the now infamous revelers and their genre-busting “Sublime style” straight from Long Beach…100% original and 100% live!As the smell of fine grade A California cannabis wafts amongst an anxious Palace floor, Sublime rambles out to center stage. Eric Wilson plucks a few random bass notes and his classic SVT 8×10 cabinets rumble, drummer Bud Gaugh’s classic tomahawk chop is loaded, as Sublime’s leader and irreplaceable front man Bradley Nowell saunters towards the mic and reveals Jamaican songsmith Horace Ferguson’s “Great Stone” as an intro to the history lesson about to ensue within the earthshaking walls of the stoic Hollywood Palace.
under that great stone
got to move
under that great stone
got to move
from under the great stone
the stone I’m down below
from under that great stone
got to remove
sing it again
real feel real
that’s how real to me
I love them
because them give out the victory
oh many people doubt it
but I can’t live without
just because I love it so
it’s so real to me
it soon be done
all of my troubles and triumphs
when I get over
over on the other side
“Great Stone” is followed by a segue into what became known on setlists and inner circles as the “Triple Threat,” the lethal combo of “Don’t Push” > “Garden Grove” > “Right Back” (a term which would also allude to junkie slang for a cocktail of speed, cocaine and heroin).
we took this trip to garden grove
it smelt like lou dog in the van — o yeah
this ain’t no funky reggae party $5 at the door
it gets so real sometimes who wrote my rhymes
I got the microwave, got the VCR,
I got the deuce deuce in the trunk of my car
if you only knew that all the love that I found
it’s hard to keep my soul on the ground
Covering all the bases with a repertoire that included Sublime classics from their first album, 40 oz. to Freedom, the frenetic methamphetamine-fueled anthems “STP,” “All You Need,” and “Saw Red,” as well as the haunting “Pool Shark” and “Work That We Do,” from the subversive 1994 masterpiece Robin’ the Hood, and a history lesson in punk rock (The Descendants’ “Hope,” Bad Religion’s “Were Only Gonna Die…,” Bad Brains’ “House of Suffering,” Tenor Saw’s “Ring The Alarm,” Toots and the Maytals’ “5446 Was My Number” and The Toys’ “Smoke Two Joints” ). Sublime reveals a nostalgic nod to the past and not so distant future with an early attempt of the obscure cover “Foolish Fool” (originally penned by Ed Townsend and recorded in 1969 by Dee Dee Warwick and a Jamaican version the same year by Cynthia Richards) made one of its first live appearances, rarely captured right here at the Palace……
“Alright let’s play this one…it’s called ‘Crazy Fool,’” bandleader Nowell calls out to his bandmates and fans. A croony, Motown-leaning ballad transpires and unfolds as Sublime struggle with and stumble into a choppy groove, eventually yielding a vibe-y and soulful “paid rehearsal” version of “Foolish Fool,” perhaps foreshadowing where the trio might have gone had tragedy not have taken Nowell’s life less than a year later. “Alright, thanks for bearing with us,” Bradley lightheartedly thanking the fans for their forgiveness, “we’ll see you here next year…we’ll have it right by then.” Unfortunately Sublime didn’t make it back…fortunately their music lives on!
In 1995 we gonna lie some more,
in 1995 we gonna die some more…
Is it ever going to be the last show…
Technical Notes
At certain junctures of the show, most apparently on “Date Rape” and “Greatest Hits,” there are coverage gaps which exist in the original video, and it’s evident as you view this performance that additional alternate footage was utilized in the final version. This includes b-roll footage from the original “Date Rape” video, directed by Greg Abramson with help from porn star Ron Jeremy, and filmed at local punk rock grotto Fern’s in Long Beach also in 1995. In the latter case, “Greatest Hits” is loaded with b-roll footage from the original “What I Got” video, shot at the band’s “surf camp” in Baja, Mexico as well as landmark Signal Hill in the LBC. Additional Warp Tour video footage shot by Josh Fishsmell. The footage of Sublime in the car is from director Kevin McVey’s “All You Need” video. “What I Got” eventually took home a “Moonman” for “Best Alternative Video” in 1997 at the MTV Music Video Awards. That video and the b-roll were shot by Clark Eddy, who also edited this very DVD in your hands now.
This recording and priceless memory would not have been possible nor preserved without the presence and passion of Gary Davis whose Rock-Steadi-Cam provides the majority of the visual magic contained within! This Hi8 footage is supplemented by the fragmented remains of Super 8mm and 16mm film salvaged by our good friend John Quinlen who had shot various shows for Sublime in ‘95. Fortunately, for us, these fellas had their cameras rolling and are responsible for the small but tasty slice of authentic Sublime contained within. The audio showcased is a combination of three audio sources to provide the best possible, full-sounding mix for Sublime’s first-ever, official full-length concert release. The core audio bed source is the original DAT soundboard mono recording by Michael “Miguel” Happoldt mixed together with the Hi-8 camera mic recording and a back-of-room mic set-up by Gary Davis, all of which when mixed together provides the feel and sounds of being right in the middle of the mosh pit. During “Ring The Alarm” you will hear a change in sound quality, this is due to the band playing longer than the soundboard DAT had tape so the Hi-8 camera mic audio is mixed in to complete the show. Thank you, gentlemen, for helping to preserve a priceless piece of rock ‘n’ roll history and giving the world a glimpse of what a good night with our favorite band was like under the Southern California moon circa 1995.
Jon Phillips
Sublime Manager and A&R Gasoline Alley, 1994-96
