9/7/2010 By Xander:
The Bandwagon Roadshow that happened last Saturday outiside of the Citrus Bowl was probably the most diverse mixing of artists i’ve personally been a part of in an outdoor festival in the past few years. Seriously. I don’t just say stuff like that in the hopes of being interesting. There were bands that were rich in Irish theme playing a flute and accordion, bands playing a stand-up bass, even an act claiming to be a band that travels with girls wearing practically nothing, twirling around scarves, performing magic acts to total strangers and singing about how they’re sluts. I’m not making this shit up.
The crowd was slow to come in; the idea of combining a car show with the event never really seeming to be a big draw. But, as all of us had the suspicion, when it came time for Snoop Dogg and headliners Sublime with Rome to hit the stage, there was barely room to get away from the smoke and mosh pit(and perhaps a lady who looked to be in her mid-50s, kicking around a blowup helmet and dancing sexy-ish with someone who looked young enough to be her grandson. I was not the only one trying to pretend I didn’t see this).
Leading up to the grand finale of the night, I couldn’t help but hear the topic of Sublime with Rome coming up over and over (and over) again. There seemed to be an intense debate going on throughout the night about whether or not Sublime, in any form, should even be attempted to be resurrected.
Now, let me just say this: I write with passion while attempting to maintain a sense of honesty and integrity to every topic I encounter. This topic – is it really Sublime without Bradley Nowell – has done all but turn internet message boards into a flaming trail of e-embers at the side-taking, bias, ignorance, lack of involvement and caring that people seem to attack this with. I’ve heard it debated on national talk shows, heard it in coffeeshops, caught it at the beach, even participated in it long before Rome Ramirez ever joined this band.
I have been a musician for many years now. I’ve never had the misfortune of losing a band member before, thankfully. I do, however get labeled as a lot of things for my reasoning behind some of my decisions. I’ve been called a primadonna, a dick, tough to work with, too picky, irrational, a dreamer…. I could go on for a while. My point is this, though: I know what I hear, I know what I want and I do not settle for less than what i’m after. If it’s less than what i’m going for, what the hell is the point of even doing it?

Bare with me, here. I swear i’m about to make a point.

The remaining members of Sublime – Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson – have spent the past 15 years of their lives in the shadow of both their greatest accomplishment AND biggest tragedy of their lives. The mere notion of attempting to reform any band with the moniker of Sublime (the band was in a legal battle with Nowell’s widow for naming rights) was just absurd to them. Both Gaugh and Wilson have been in several musical collaborations, none of which ever came close to the now 15 million albums they’ve sold through the songs they wrote nearly two decades ago.
But reform Sublime?? And who the hell is Rome?

“Nobody can replace Brad. Nobody.”

I’ve read that statement probably literally 2,000 times over the past year since Ramirez joined the newly-formed band, and I heard it probably at least two dozen times on Saturday.

Here’s the thing, though: Rome isn’t trying to.

Ramirez, 22, grew up idolizing Sublime and Nowell. He had a solo project, working with many artists in Northern California before recently relocating to SoCal, the stomping grounds of his heroes. He had a plaque with Sublime’s record on it, the picture posted on his Myspace site with the caption “inspiration”.

He’s a kid. Just a kid.

But he’s a kid who truly loves the music he now plays for a living, and has for years.

He’s a fan and a frontman.

Honestly, I couldn’t tell how many people – who were probably in elementary school when “40 Oz to Freedom” was written – really cared much about who was up there singing those songs, but if the thousands of people who were there specifically to see Sublime with Rome weren’t valid in their love for that music, I just can’t understand why.

Nobody could say they were listening to a guy trying to reanimate someone that isn’t coming back.

Nobody could say that the songs weren’t played spot-on via guitar.

Nobody could say that saying “Rest in peace, Bradley” right before ending “What I Got” was a self-righteous move.

And nobody could say that the two people joining him on that stage weren’t the only two people on the planet that deserved to play in a band with the word “Sublime” anywhere in the name.

Nope, he’s not Brad. Never will be. But they’re not Sublime, either – they’re Sublime with Rome.

I took this show as a celebration of the music that is in the process of crossing the bridge into the hands of another generation. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the music of Sublime is living on, and so are it’s remaining members.

Now stop with the flip-flop-wearing fratboy jokes and i’ll get you a review of their new album. From the sound of the new material, sounds like Bud, Eric and Rome will be Killin’ It in the studio.