Underrated Talents Week: Sublime Music Band Special (with Good Times Great Movies! host Douglas McCambridge)

[00:00:06] It's a Jacked Up Review Show It's a Jacked Up Review Show It's a Jacked Up Review Show It's a Jacked Up Review Show Jacked Up Review Show That was too cool, too cool for school, but not as cool as Doug McCambridge. Now, don't say that. Don't say that.

[00:00:54] I don't want to build up your audience, you know, you know, you are killing you are doing an awesome job. Oh, OK, great. We're talking about the reggae ska punk rock band sublime. Yeah, I all right.

[00:01:09] So you you did a you did a curtain pullback last time and you were like, all right, so we're doing both these episodes at the same time. We're not VH1 behind the music.

[00:01:17] All we're doing is this something that's why I know I'll give you some trivia from all music. And you asked me, you were like, hey, do you want to talk about a band? What type of music are you into? Things like that. I'm not a music guy.

[00:01:31] I mean, you know, I mean, hopefully you know that by the fact that I chose a band whose lead singer died in what? 96.

[00:01:41] This was fun to prep for because I had no idea about it because I was also familiar with Sublime with Rome, where the head drummer of that Joe Tumino's teamed up with singer guitarist Rome Ramirez.

[00:01:54] And I and what's funny is I was asking other people like, are they related? I don't know. They sound similar. It's like it's yeah, it's kind of 2.0. It's yeah, it's kind of 2.0.

[00:02:04] It's but they're an interesting band because you either know them from just select singles or you kind of know a bit of everything, I guess. Yeah, they're they're a band that I mean, I don't know whatever in middle school or bad fish.

[00:02:22] April 29th, boss DJ Santoria gets overplayed and there's what I got was that was what really made me a fan. But I think I mainly knew him because Smoke Two Joints and Wrong Way was on so many music party playlists growing up for me.

[00:02:38] And it was kind of to me in that same vein. I'm not saying they're the same. Just disclaimer. It was kind of to me, kind of like but whole surfers meets kind of like those other tenacious D and Primus kind of bands.

[00:02:52] It's like these are guys who you can only watch on MTV after, you know, free am. It's that kind of weirdness. And knowing the history of it, it's so weird how kind of every other song that's gone platinum is about some really fucked up shit. Yeah.

[00:03:09] Yeah, I just it's like Tarantino. If you are blind, this is what a rock band. This is what it sounds like. Yeah, they were they were at the time where most of my friends were into Nirvana and Pearl Jam and stuff like that. Yeah.

[00:03:27] And while I can I can appreciate that music for what it is and for setting a trend and the fashion, the flannel shirt over a T-shirt open kind of dig it. Like if I if people still dress like that, I probably still would.

[00:03:44] But I was never into that style of music. I was more. Did you know that they didn't even realize they were big until I could do not weird out. Perry didn't smells like teen spirit. Oh, wait, weird out parody sublime. I had no idea. Oh, if he did.

[00:04:05] Weird out. No, I know. I didn't. I didn't really know that about Nirvana. Like I said, their music was totally fine, but it was nothing that I listened to or paid attention to. Well, it's not mostly. So yes, I enjoyed them.

[00:04:22] I always enjoyed sort of the sound of reggae music. I was a I was a fan of ska music. I was a fan of punk music, and it's just this goofy mashup that kind of shouldn't work. But I really dug it. I was totally into it.

[00:04:39] And I was as an everybody else freaked out and lost their shit when Kurt Cobain died. I was super sad and Bradley Odeed like I was really, really, really young. Yeah, I was.

[00:04:52] I was and it's so weird because I was just listening to the podcast 60 Songs that Define the 90s. That's by the new Spotify original, and they were talking about how the head singer of Jen Blossoms was a pain in the ass to work with.

[00:05:09] And he killed himself before their single came out. It's the same kind of deal as it's like, man, it has to be a rough environment just getting all these animals together and to record something coherently,

[00:05:20] because it just seems like. Yeah, I mean, you know, if it seems to be a trend for certain bands that, you know, if you get if you get any sort of success or sometimes people that are into music, sometimes people that play music.

[00:05:35] I don't know what it is about their personality that can sort of take them down paths of addiction and things like that. And it's really sad and it's a shame. It's very sad.

[00:05:49] You know, I mean, but, you know, and I'm not saying that him dying was a good thing, but, you know, after that they they went off on their own as bandmates and they made. This was really cool to learn about this is just a terrible. They made a.

[00:06:05] God was the name of the band they formed after this that guy. I'm just kidding. No, I forget what they were called, but it was it was kind of like Sublime Light and it was like, OK, this is fine.

[00:06:18] This is OK. But you understood who was behind Sublime and without him, it just didn't work. And then Sublime with Rome. Yeah. How I tried to listen to that was unlistening. Now, now was the guy who was the front man and then Eric Wilson, but God formed off.

[00:06:38] The doubt I had no idea the blue dog, the Dalmatian was the mascot. I always thought there was just a random dog off the street. They were taking videos of no, no, no. That was Bradley's dog.

[00:06:48] And what's funny, if you look at Bradley and Lowe and some stuff, you swear for a minute is like, is that flee from red hot chili peppers?

[00:06:54] Oh, yeah. No, he's he's got that. He's got too much hair, but he almost looks like even just some other person on you'd see on MTV like Steve. Oh, yeah. Like, who the fuck is that? Long Beach Dub All Stars was the name of the next band.

[00:07:08] Well, they had a couple stars. Yeah. Long Beach Dub All Stars. The name is way too long. They had a. That's why it was hard. Yeah. They had a song or two on some movie soundtracks, things like that. They released a couple. Oh, my God. I have.

[00:07:24] I if I've heard their songs, I don't remember it, so I'm going to take your word for it. But I have definitely seen some of these covers on some pricey. Yep. Yep. Yeah. What movie? Yeah. Were they on? They were. I don't maybe maybe it was a soundtrack.

[00:07:40] Maybe it was I don't know, maybe it was some radio play. Not 100 percent sure. This is all that is all the fun dead air. So you get first thing that comes in. Whatever. I've definitely heard of them.

[00:07:53] OK, so they were in life or something like all these other local L.A. movies. Oh, my God. They did music for Joey the French Sparrow. And so, you know what? That might actually be it. That might be Sunny Hours is the song. Yep. Yep. Yep. Wow. 100 percent.

[00:08:13] There's a radio a little bit. I've never seen that show, but it's terrible. Don't say it sounds totally familiar. Well, you know what? I will promise you I'm not going to go and watch a friend spin off in the year 2024. Stuff telling people no sometimes.

[00:08:31] But yeah, they were just a band that connected with me, just my personal music taste. I I was kind of surprised then in their self-titled album when stuff was starting to be played on the radios. I was really kind of surprised by that.

[00:08:48] It was nothing that I kind of saw coming. And then I had a friend that lived out in California. I went out to visit her and I'm on the East Coast. So out there, this is what they play. This is the kind of music that's just playing.

[00:09:05] You know, you're going to like a McDonald's and this is the kind of thing they play out there. I had no idea. Like I had no idea the type of music that I really like was just available anywhere you went on the West Coast.

[00:09:18] Basically, yeah, I was really surprised by that. How different on air? Yeah, I just I just kind of assumed. OK, this is the garbage shit they play on the radio. Here must be the same thing they play everywhere else in the United States, but apparently not the case.

[00:09:33] Yeah, it's you never know what's going on in here, but it is kind of. It's just the way their lyrics are going.

[00:09:42] You just feel like they're hopping around in the room with you doing some crazy show and somehow their childish nature kind of makes it more amusing and charming.

[00:09:51] It's like the uncles that didn't grow up that are taking up space on your couch and they put on a show. I do have to say I did. I saw them live. I was able to see them live in 90. How was that? It was well, that's the thing.

[00:10:07] It wasn't very good. It wasn't very good at all. They weren't great live. You know, they do so much mixing. So much dubbing and so much. Dubbing and stuff like that. And it's just it's basically just a three man group.

[00:10:25] But you listen to some of the songs, you're like, no, no, no, there's a lot of stuff layered in here. So when they were live, it's not like they brought a full orchestra with them. They didn't even have horn players when I saw them.

[00:10:37] So it was a little bit limiting. I mean, yeah, I was a little bit let down, but whatever I got to see them, you know, he's dead. It was it was a you know, they had they had a brief moment and I kind of appreciate that.

[00:10:52] Would I have liked to have bought another three or five albums from them? Sure. Yeah, that would have been great. But they might have just ended up sucking. I don't know. You know, there's a good. So it's very laid back. Then describe as mellow carefree drug music.

[00:11:10] Yes. Some of the songs I think that's what I think that's what works. I think that's what works. And that's what I like is it swings wildly between things. I'm not getting as much of a punk though, that they say they're trying to establish.

[00:11:23] I mean, they're garage, definitely. But I see other people say garage punk and I'm like, I don't know. Yeah, they're kind of more they're half and half. I feel like they're definitely great at being garage L.A. music. But as a punk band, they're trying to more.

[00:11:38] I don't feel like they quite cut the mustard because of the again, just so in their moment. Right. I think it depends what album you're listening to. But given how they played this at college radios and that kind of gave them some extra stuff,

[00:11:53] I do feel like they are a good example of in the 90s on the do it yourself kind of thing. Oh, yeah. No, they they. And they formed their own record company called Skunk. Yeah, no. Yeah, they they released an album. God, this is how unprepared I am.

[00:12:12] It's very good. Oh, oh, they released an album. It's called Robin the Hood. And it's just it's just a four track. We'll return after these messages. If you like small town mystery, crazy news and wild history, then the Florida Men on Florida Man podcast is for you.

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[00:12:50] That's Florida Men plural on Florida Man podcast. Hey, it's Brent Pope, the host of Brent this with Brent Pope. You've seen me on some of your favorite TV shows saying things like give it up, Jimmy. You got to sink this put to win on Brent with Brent Pope.

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[00:13:35] There's something enlightening for everyone with this crowd of cool cats. Check them out. Like it's just a fortress. I think that's what they started carrying less as they went. Well, well, I think that stuff was recorded before. Like that was that was recorded prior.

[00:13:58] Universal picked them up for that one. Yeah, right. But to put that out, like as a as a full album and to just say this is going to be as punk and as base as it can possibly be.

[00:14:14] And then editing in like this was a big thing, as you know, in the 90s and things when you had CDs and you had, you know, hidden tracks and you had other tracks where it's just people talking for 20 minutes.

[00:14:25] Like, you know, they lean into that. It's not a great album. But I appreciate that they did that. I see comparisons to Mighty, Mighty Bass, Bustone, Smash Mouth. I can see that. Yeah, no, I think they're only rancid.

[00:14:38] Yeah, they did a remix of a No Doubt song, which wasn't that great. Also early on. But yeah, yeah, they they had I mean, I think it was their song and Gwen Stefani sang with him. If that's the one you're referring to saw red.

[00:14:54] Yeah, yeah. It's like it was like it was a half and half thing. But yeah, right, right. Yeah. I'm seeing 311 and real big fish being compared to them. And I'm like, kind of this is I feel like they just came out at the same time.

[00:15:07] They just came out at the same time. And that's why I really enjoy them is I don't think you can pigeonhole them. I think I am not sitting on them, but there's plenty to sit on. No, no, no, no.

[00:15:19] No, and I'm not saying you are, but I'm just saying like the 11. I do disclaimers here. Right. Right. 311 has a style like 311 has a sound. All 311 music kind of sounds the same or 311. Basically, to be fair, they play two types of songs that are very different

[00:15:36] and they just do those again and again and again for 311. Sublime. And especially if you listen to 40 ounces of freedom, that thing veers wildly between reggae, punk and rock. And it's all over the place. There's a lot of notes of ska in that album.

[00:15:58] That's easily their best album hands down by far. By the time they get their self-titled album, I think it's a bit redundant. I think it's still effective. But in 40 ounces to freedom, they just show what they can do. It's just them showing off.

[00:16:13] It almost sounds like a demo just saying, OK, can we get played on every type of radio station because here's our album. I think they kind of were angling for some of that back in the day. Yeah. Well, yeah. Who wasn't?

[00:16:30] And I mean, he you know, and he died before he died right around the time that they started to become really big and probably could have cashed in. Like, I mean, you know, I don't think anybody in that band is hurting for money or anything like that.

[00:16:47] I'm sure the licenses and, you know, everything is paying out really well. But I think they were just about to take off because that album came out right around the time he died. And that was a huge album.

[00:17:02] I mean, that was that was really, really big when it came out. Like you said, the college scene at that time, it was all any stupid fucking frat loser could do. Sing those dumb songs. We admire you for it.

[00:17:17] Wow. How would you describe the college rock scene nowadays? It seems like the frat boy stuff, you don't really see too much of you kind of see more people doing covers or like. Yeah. I mean, you'll see sarcastic covers of stuff

[00:17:35] like that otherwise serious songs, but you see less of the dread and evil kind of stuff. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I feel like and I mentioned on the previous episode the previous time we talked that I do teach college.

[00:17:49] So I I kind of see some of it, but I can't connect with it. Like, I just don't I don't know. Like, it feels strange enough. It kind of feels as diverse as it was when I was in college and probably as it ever was.

[00:18:06] You know, there are these hillbillies that just listen to country music and then there's people that listen to rap and R&B. And so I honestly I wouldn't I couldn't even tell you what type of music is out today, but I also feel

[00:18:23] and I never want to be the person who just like is like, well, kids today, they don't blah, blah, blah. I hate that so much. I never want to be that person because my parents said that about me and their parents said that about them.

[00:18:38] And it's just like like back in the day was good or we think it was good because we were young and being young is good. Like, that's why that's why when I was 18 to 25, like that seemed to be the time because being 18 to 25 is pretty fucking great.

[00:18:58] Oh, it's a lot of fun. Yeah. So I'm not going to look at kids today and be like kids today, kids today, that that's stupid. That's short sighted. I hate it. So I don't know what they listen to, but I'm sure they enjoy it enough to do that.

[00:19:13] Yeah. Yeah. Well, this has been great. Just kind of just going back and forth. I feel like they're very easy to discover. But like to say, it's kind of like, you know, it doesn't have to be this. They're problematic, but they're also kind of a thing

[00:19:32] of their time. And I think that's why somehow people let them go. They're just kind of, yeah, they're kind of party animal music. Yeah. Right. Exactly. I mean, you know, to say problematic is accurate, certainly by today's standards.

[00:19:48] And there's a lot of songs and a lot of lyrics that I'll sing along to now. And I'm like, well, that's pretty shitty. But, you know, I think, you know, and that's the thing. It was fun at the time. Right. Yeah.

[00:20:02] And you can say that about almost everything. And I'm not saying that anyone deserves a pass because, you know, it was back then or it unfortunately does have a lot of toxicness to our. Yeah, these kinds of sports, these are arguments that happen all the time.

[00:20:18] And I think that they're certainly worth happening at times. But also, what are you going to say? Who are you going to complain to? The lead singer is dead. I mean, it's not like he's going to be a good singer. He paid for it already.

[00:20:32] It doesn't matter at this point. And there's also a little bit. This is something I also try not to do. I feel like this is just a big therapy session for me. We can watch. We.

[00:20:48] The other thing I try not to do is to get angry and to be like, well, you know what? I'm like, what? I'm like, well, you know, I don't want to be a bad singer. I don't want to be a bad singer.

[00:21:00] I don't want to be a bad singer. And that's why I was like, you know, I don't know if anybody else was in my because I have friends that do that with like R.E.M. They'll be like, you know, when I listen,

[00:21:11] I knew before they were called. Exactly. And I understand that. And there's part of me that kind of feels the same way. But there's also that really nice thing, there was a time when I heard this thing called The Boss Tones. And then I was like,

[00:21:24] I'm in the studio with the Boss Tones and everything like that. And boy did they hit their height of height when they appeared and clueless for five minutes. That was it. Like, that was it. That's. They're done now they're gone. Like that's.

[00:21:39] That was the best they ever did. on the radio or Sirius XM or whatever you're listening to. But you still hear sublime. You'll hear them 28 times to that one Boston. So you will hear them practically every day. Oh, my God. The radio is so uninspired.

[00:21:56] So I don't know. I think they did the best they could. Yeah, sure. No, they they wanted to do. They knew that I don't think they're a classic, but they are definitely a classic crazy L.A. I think they did a great job of creating a classic

[00:22:11] with a faith based Ska group in that. Yeah, I'd say maybe a classic in that again, independent do them do it themselves. Yeah. Crazy, stupid luck and then death. And then that type of genre, that type of genre. I don't think they created it. It's not info.

[00:22:33] It was a mashup. But not for the right reasons, like Milly Vanilli and freaking how what's the other? I mean, there's the Rico Suave guy, you know, so it's like I wouldn't put it as that kind of unintentional camp that now. Oh, no, no, no, no.

[00:22:51] And different genres. What was that guy's name? Gerardo was a yeah, I was like, what? OK, no, but there. But that's the thing is, listen, who who who listened to Milly Vanilli and said, that's what I'm going to do. I want to be like, oh, my God.

[00:23:13] But there are a lot of bands right now. You know, they're still doing this. Just just a couple come to mind. Like there's a band called Pepper and there's a band called Slightly Stupid, but they just they just do sublime stuff. Like it's the same thing.

[00:23:29] And there's a bunch of like there's a there's a band called the Dirty Heads. Like they have on the heads. Yeah, they kind of spawned a genre of music and it's all you know, it's all it's all that Long Beach.

[00:23:42] It's all that Hawaii, you know, stuff like that. But I don't think there's a lot of bands out there, and that's why I do compare them to stuff like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Like they've I mean, you know, I I don't know, not to that degree.

[00:23:59] They didn't have to be fair. All these groups kind of ruined everything for us because I feel like the record companies, much like the ones who just kind of just said you got to all sound like these guys. They didn't know why it worked.

[00:24:11] They were just like, you know, free Internet. They're like, God, who do this is dominating the Internet or not the Internet, the radio, and I don't know why it's taking off, but it is. And well, I'm going to keep producing this even though I think it's shit.

[00:24:27] It is it is kind of amazing because I am so disconnected from music now. And I guess the answer, it might be tick tock. I don't know if that's the answer, but how do bands make it big now? Like I don't. Yeah.

[00:24:41] Spotify is really killing a lot of stuff. Feel free to drop a Spotify. Fuck you. And it's interesting how everyone. How do you get noticed if you got to give it away practically for free? Right. Yeah, because you you mentioned record

[00:24:55] producers and things like that, and I know they're still around. Of course, they're in Dallas. The only metal station left is a college radio one. Oh, OK. Our biggest one, the eagle folded and became a sports station. Now, now the guy who does the syndicated show, the ticket.

[00:25:12] If you asked for that, if you do and talk radio already a sports station, why did we need a nut? I mean, the but what are you going to do? Like radio's dead, man. Like totally except to the guys who want to hear way too long.

[00:25:26] The only ones who listen to it are the angry uncles who just want to hear political rants and religion. Right. Yes. If you if you want to listen to sports, I'm very interested in politics. Yeah, that's it. Like that. That's all there is.

[00:25:40] But and but because of that, like, I don't know how I don't know how new music is being heard. I don't know where it's being heard. It's definitely Spotify and people sharing it on those TikTok sites. But it's also one of those.

[00:25:55] I mean, it's like but half the time it's in a negative instance. Like people are like, what's that awesome song in that shitty person's video? And it's just like, yeah, yeah. So it's still connected to some kind of infamy, if you will.

[00:26:07] And I'm like, well, but these guys were kind of. Infamously getting off the ground, but they were somehow able to convey their shitty lifestyle into a fun narrative. So that's more than I can save all these other guys who the more you hear them,

[00:26:22] you're like, man, you really are a piece of work. I don't even want to be bothered with you. Yeah. Yeah. No, no. Everybody's got their everyone's got their story to tell whether it's true or you're just making it up for your music.

[00:26:35] Yeah. I mean, I'm sure if you got them, they would be I wouldn't I don't think they'd be like Prince where you don't know what you're going to get. But I do feel like they would have been incoherent

[00:26:43] and just to even get them to sit down for a minute and talk about how they got into this. I mean, I've seen interviews with them and I think it's like anyone else. I mean, okay. Kurt Cobain was a Kurt Cobain was a heroin addict,

[00:26:56] but you can prop him up in front of a camera. You can sound you can get something. Yeah, right. Exactly. Like they can most musicians can keep it together to play a song or two. You know what I mean?

[00:27:10] So I feel like, you know, I don't care what kind of addict you are. And you could probably dig up footage of. Bradley fucking up at a show or. Yeah, but it's it's one of those things where you can't be worse than Rob Zombie

[00:27:25] who has his voice go out after the first. Well, right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's all. Yeah, I think that's for different reasons. So burn to the witches. Oh, I'm just doing a. Rob Zombie. That was that was music I never I never really got into, although strangely enough,

[00:27:46] I never mostly got into movies. Yeah, I never I never really listen to his music. But at this point, I think I'd rather listen to his music than watch his movies. Oh, yeah. Don't know how popular that is. But yeah, I know. No, I think you're good.

[00:28:01] I think even people who like bad movies don't like his. Yeah. Yeah. Although I like that was that which is one he made kind of dug that. Was that the. Now, I think the lords of Salem. Yeah, lords of Salem. Yes.

[00:28:17] I kind of I and I enjoyed it because it was it was weird. It was really weird. It was better than his other stuff. Yeah, it was it was more creepy and bizarre and atmospheric. And I enjoyed that way more than, I don't know, some some stupid gore

[00:28:32] fast or learning the history of, you know, Michael Myers like. Oh, no, no. I can't. I don't need to know that you tortured animals. Thanks, Rob Zombie. Thanks for making that up. Yeah, I don't need to know. So Doug, yeah. Can we find you all the other way?

[00:28:51] You can find me anywhere. You can type in the words good times, great movies, and that's any search engine, I assume. If you type that in those. Yeah, we're the only thing that comes up. So, yeah, check out the podcast. It's an 80s movie.

[00:29:07] Good movies, bad movies, everything in between. I don't know when this is coming out, but we. Are you sure? We had to shed the horror that was our December of Bo Derek. And I said we talk about movies that are off of our radar. Most people's radar.

[00:29:27] We needed a palate cleanser. So we recently talked about Beetlejuice because it's an absolute delight. We just we need to talk about it. It's an absolute delight. We just we needed something that would be enjoyable. Uncle, uncle, uncle. Yeah, yeah.

[00:29:42] Before we get back into it, who knows what we'll cover next for some other piece of video garbage that we dug up some shit. Well, there's always plenty of that here. This is so we might have a rescue. We might ask you to do some lowbrow movie friend.

[00:29:58] I will have only seen the first one and you got nothing else to say. That'd be a funny. I think we're like, I haven't seen the others. We've seen the trailers and I laughed my ass off. And that's what you're going to get.

[00:30:10] I told you, if you want me to simply be your horror movie puppet expert, I'll come on to talk about ghoulies. I'll do the whole critters thing. I watch munchies for you. It doesn't matter. We'll do it. I'll do that.

[00:30:26] I think I saw just about all of those. I'm not in a hurry to revisit them, but I will. Perfect. So you got your word cut out for you and you're having a fun time. Yeah, it's going to be awesome. No, no, I appreciate you having me on.

[00:30:47] Thank you. Thank you very much. Now this is this has been an absolute blast. I've enjoyed it. Follow us on the web on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The podcast is available on Podbean, Spotify, I Heart Radio, Anchor, Apple and anywhere else. Podcasts are available.

[00:31:10] Feel free to review our show and leave comments on any of those sites. Thanks a million for listening.