Sublime in the UK?

Cranky · August 2023

Just a casual curiosity.

I was a Southern California kid in the 90s. Loved Sublime. But I think their audience and influence was always pretty regional, for whatever reason.

How did Sublime land in the UK?

Especially for mid-late 90s, I feel like Sublime (and some pop punk) is about all the States had to offer. The rest was shit grunting music and “rap rock.” The best stuff was all British until The Strokes came along.

roberty · August 2023

I saw them at Boomtown a few years back. Obviously without the main guy. Was a high billing, lots of people. Not sure about the 90s though, I was in NZ, where they made a bug splish, as they might say

EricTheWeary · August 2023

They’ve had a few mentions here and I saw someone in a Sublime T shirt the other day but I don’t think they ever had any major presence in the U.K. Although the late 90s were quite heavy on new country in the Weary household following MrsTheWeary’s time in Arkansas.

MagicPigDetective · August 2023

90s was my era... Sublime didn't make a big dent in the UK from my experience. I think I only heard about them from a Canadian friend. The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones had more of a UK impact it seemed to me, and eventually had quite a big hit song (Impression that I get), with more of a ska thing than reggae.... I don't think grungy, ravey, brit poppy 90's UK youth were receptive to the laid-back California beach thing in the early/mid 90's

GoFish · August 2023

Sublime (and a bit of NOFX) had a bit of a cult stake punk following in the mid part of the decade. There was a bit of a post Nirvana pop punk marketing push before Britpop took over everything. Green Day and the Offspring etc. Sublime kind of rode the undercurrent of that wave. Twas a small thing really, a year to 18 months maybe, and Oasis were already starting to get national attention...

Reverend · August 2023

They best America had to offer in the 90s was Kyuss and Monster Magnet.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

I don't think I've ever heard of them!

EricTheWeary · August 2023

roberty said:

I saw them at Boomtown a few years back. Obviously without the main guy. Was a high billing, lots of people. Not sure about the 90s though, I was in NZ, where they made a bug splish, as they might say

Just looking at their discography and their sales seem to have been the USA and New Zealand and nowhere else.

stickyfiddle said:

I don't think I've ever heard of them!

Very roughly speaking if The Red Hot Chilli Peppers had discovered reggae rather than funk and their singer (singer-guitarist in this case) had died of a heroin overdose in 1996. They were contemporaries of No Doubt so you’ll find Gwen Stefani on some of the live stuff chirruping away.

Cranky · August 2023

EricTheWeary said:
stickyfiddle said:

I don't think I've ever heard of them!

Very roughly speaking if The Red Hot Chilli Peppers had discovered reggae rather than funk and their singer (singer-guitarist in this case) had died of a heroin overdose in 1996. They were contemporaries of No Doubt so you’ll find Gwen Stefani on some of the live stuff chirruping away.

And if Anthony Kiedis could sing anything like Bradly Nowell.

Something, too, about the way Sublime was rooted in that LBC culture, like a garage ska punk band rooted in the working class hood scene of Southern California. Whether they’re thrashing or it’s just Bradly on acoustic, it feels like home to me.

Cranky · August 2023

Reverend said:

They best America had to offer in the 90s was Kyuss and Monster Magnet.

Ok, so I have that as Sublime in solid 3rd place. Sounds good.

I don’t know those other bands, will check them out.

Howdy, Stranger!

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Sublime in the UK?

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