Brad Nowell
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Bradley James Nowell (born February 22, 1968 - died May 25, 1996), from Long Beach, CA, was the lead singer and guitar player in the musical group, Sublime (1988-1996). At age 28, Nowell was found dead on the floor of his motel room in San Francisco, following a fatal heroin overdose.
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Early Years
Brad was born with attention deficit disorder. His parents divorced when he was ten and lived with his mother for four years. In 1981, he moved in with his father, Jim Nowell. At the age of eleven, Brad took a trip with his father to the Virgin Islands that would spark his passion for reggae music.
Inspired by the style and sounds of the Virgin Islands, Brad began teaching himself to play the guitar. At the age of 12, he received his first guitar and at 13 would start he first group called Hogans Heroes. Living in Long Beach helped expose him to different genres in the music world. Styles such as rock, jazz, and rap were all around him.
In 1986, Brad, an honor roll student, graduated from Wilson High School. He then went on to college at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Brad was one semester away from receiving a degree in business, but dropped out to pursue his music career. He teamed up with Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, who he met in Santa Cruz; they would end up creating the band Sublime.
Sublime's Formation
Sublime quickly became one of the most popular bands in Southern California. They were the most popular band on the campus of California State University, Long Beach and would play at parties and bars in exchange for alcohol. Sublime became, “the garage band that nobody liked, but everybody wanted to play at their party.”
In the fall of 1988, two band members from a band called Ziggens created a fictional label that signed Sublime. Brad and Michael Happoldt created Skunk Records and distributed the band's demo tapes at shows and local record stores. A few years later, Sublime recorded for the first time in the studio and created the popular song called Jah Won't Pay the Bills.
Excited and confident, Brad was ready to take this new material and go out on tour. However, their drummer Bud Gaugh was battling a drug problem and decided to check himself into a drug rehabilitation. Instead of touring and leaving their faithful drummer behind, Sublime decided to stay and create their first recording album.
Sublime's Rise
In 1992, 40 Oz. to Freedom was born. Kelly Vargas temporarily covered for Bud. They sold over 60,000 copies right from the trunk of Brad’s car. Sublime was absolutely exploding in popularity in Southern California. Thanks to their CD, their music was spreading; but despite Sublime’s success, the band still had not landed a record deal.
Frustrated by rejection from record companies, Brad did not know what to do. He got anxious and started a two year heroin "experiment," where he would shoot up so it would boost his creativity and land them a record deal.
About a year later, a man named Tazy Phillipz took a copy of 40 Oz. To Freedom to Los Angeles radio station KROQ and requested to have the single Date Rape be added to the playlist. Soon after, MCA records picked up their album for nationwide distribution and it would sneak onto the Music Billboard chart.
Brad was now thrilled to be doing what he loved to be doing for a living. But by this time, not only did he start smoking more marijuana, but he was shooting more heroin. Brad was aware of his addiction and expressed his weakness to heroin in a song called Pool Shark, where he says, "Take it away but I want more and more/One day I’m going to lose the war."
During this time, the band was on tour when Brad met a girl named Troy Dendekker. They started dating and fell in love. In September of 1994, Troy became pregnant. Brad tried to clean up from the drugs for his girlfriend and his child on the way. In June of 1995, Jakob James Nowell was born and it seemed life reached its peak for Bradley Nowell.
In 1996, Sublime went back into the studio to record their self-titled album. The pressure to produce this record got to Brad, causing him to increase his use of heroin. He checked himself in rehab trying to clean up his life for Troy and Jakob. After six months, Brad came home clean and ready to finish his album.
Bradley's Battle with Heroin
With his life back on track, Brad was happy and asked Troy to marry him.
As the new year rolled in, Brad celebrated with his friends and family. He brought in the new year by shooting up heroin. Reunited with his family, Brad married Troy on May 18, 1996. Two days later, Sublime left to go on tour. Five days later, Brad talked to his new wife for the last time.
Bradley Nowell played his last show at The Phoenix theater in Petaluma.
On May 25, 1996, around 8 AM, Sublime was ready to leave the hotel. They knocked on Bradley’s door. After not receiving an answer, the door was opened. His dog, "Louie Dog," ran over and licked his face to no response. Bradley Nowell had died on a heroin overdose, just a few hours after talking to his wife, Troy. Sadly he left behind fans, a wife, and a child.
The self-entitled album was released after Brad’s death. It sold over 3.5 million copies.
"Brad will always live for me in his son, Jake, and we can all seek relief from our grief by loving and nurturing the son he gave to us. Brad touched many people with his caring personality and musical genius and we are all lucky to have had him in our lives. Men who have lived longer have achieved less and I am content that he is now at peace." - Bradley's father, Jim Nowell - May 27, 1996de:Bradley Nowell