Sublime – Badfish

Song

"Badfish" is a song by the ska-punk group Sublime from their 1992 debut album, 40oz. to Freedom.

The single was released in 1993, and again in 1997. The song was written by Bradley Nowell and originally recorded in 1989, reportedly influenced by The Ziggens song "All the fun that we missed" and Nowell's love of reggae. First released on the band's 1991 demo tape, Jah Won't Pay the Bills, "Badfish" appeared again on most of the band's compilation albums. An extended play (EP) was released in 1995 named after the track.

The song resonated with the band's hometown of Long Beach, California (LBC), with familiar lyrics about the struggle of being in the working class, and utilizing local landmarks in the audio and video recordings. The track serves as an after-the-fact reminder of Nowell's struggle with heroin, and was reportedly informed by the slang term "Badfish" and his struggle to resist trying the drug.

MTV and radio stations refused to play the song prior to Nowell's tragic overdose in 1996, but "Badfish" later became one of the band's most popular songs, and is one of the few beloved by Sublime's critics.

A tribute band, Badfish, is named after the song.

Album

40oz. to Freedom is the 1992 debut album by the Southern California ska-punk band Sublime released by Skunk Records and again by MCA.

40oz. to Freedom received mixed critical reviews upon its first release but has earned an improved public perception since. Sublime would not achieve any mainstream success until the release of their eponymous album in 1996, two months after the death of their lead singer and guitarist, Bradley Nowell.

As of 2011, the album has certified sales of two million copies in the US and is Sublime's second best-selling studio album there (the self-titled album leads with six million). Along with The Offspring's 1994 album Smash, 40oz. to Freedom is one of the highest-selling independently released albums of all time.

40oz. to Freedom's sound blended various forms of Jamaican music, including ska ("Date Rape"), rocksteady ("54-46 That's My Number"), roots reggae ("Smoke Two Joints"), and dub ("Let's Go Get Stoned", "D.J.s") along with hardcore punk ("New Thrash", "Hope") and hip hop (as in "Live at E's").

40oz. to Freedom è il primo album discografico in studio del gruppo musicale ska punk statunitense Sublime, pubblicato nel 1992.

Artist

I Sublime furono un gruppo musicale ska punk proveniente da Long Beach, in California. Il loro stile fu caratterizzato da un mix di ska, punk, rap, dub ed altre correnti musicali. Il gruppo era composto da tre membri: Bradley Nowell (voce e chitarra), Bud Gaugh (batteria), e Eric Wilson (basso).

Storia

A partire dal 1988, attraversando la metà degli anni '90, i Sublime girarono il sud California ottenendo un grande seguito di fan. Il gruppo mise in vendita le sue prime registrazioni dei concerti - incluso anche il loro primo album 40 Oz. To Freedom.

Il loro secondo album, Robbin' the Hood , venne registrato nel 1994, e grazie al suo stile li consacrò al successo, soprattutto grazie alla canzone Date Rape che venne inserita nelle playlist della radio di Los Angeles KROQ: ciò attirò l'attenzione della casa discografica MCA che firmò immediatamente un contratto con loro.

Il 25 maggio del 1996, solo due mesi prima dell'uscita del loro terzo album Sublime, il cantante Bradley Nowell morì per overdose di eroina il giorno dopo un'esibizione a Petaluma, in California.

Successivamente alla sua morte, il resto dei componenti della band, Bud Gaugh e Eric Wilson continuarono a suonare insieme nei Long Beach Dub Allstars fino al 2002. Dopo, Gaugh si unì agli Eyes Adrift e Wilson ora suona il basso nella seconda generazione degli Allstars, i Long Beach Shortbus.

Nonostante che solo tre album siano stati messi in vendita, esistono moltissime canzoni contenenti la maggior parte dei loro spettacoli dal vivo insieme ad alcune performance soliste di Brad Nowell.