Pre '88
February 22nd, 1968: Bradley James Nowell is born to parents James and Nancy Nowell in Long Beach, California.
1970-1975: Bradley’s musical talents begin with his parents. His father is a folk guitarist, and his mother is a singer (in high school she received "Best in California") and later a professional musician (flute) who has been described as having a "perfect pitch.", as well as being the daughter of a music teacher.
1975-1979: Bradley begins to learn to play the guitar from his father.
1978: Bradley’s parents, James and Nancy get divorced. Bradley lives with his mother until 1981.
Summer 1979: During a vacation to Jamaica with his father, Bradley discovers reggae music. A local guitarist teaches Bradley how to play a reggae rhythm on his guitar. The experience changes Bradley forever.
1979: Two future Sublime members, 10-year-old Eric Wilson (bass) and 12-year-old Floyd I. "Bud" Gaugh (drums) meet in Lowell Elementary School in Long Beach
1982: Bud moves away to Lakewood, and Eric starts the punk sister-band to Sublime, Juice Bros.
1982: Bud starts the Lakewood punk band, Resistance. Around the same time, Bud meets Jack Maness who later performs Rivers Of Babylon
1983-1984: Around this time, Eric and Brad meet in school. They perform together in their first band together called Hogan's Heroes.
1985: Bradley, Eric Wilson, Tom Spruengli, Eric Ward, the late Ruth Goodman, and the late Ted Lee perform in a band called "Sloppy Seconds" during Brad's senior year at High School. Also, Tom Spruengli occasionally sits in with the band, Agent Orange. Around this time, Eric Wilson meets Marshall Goodman in band class. They are both friends to the artist, Opie Ortiz. Bud moves back to Long Beach and begins drumming with Juice Bros.
1986: Bradley graduates from Wilson High School and attends U.C. Santa Cruz where he continues to develop musically.
Spring Break 1987 or 1988: (There is debate as to which year but this current editor has decided to go with 1988 for many reasons, the principal one being that Bud cited that year in Italic textCrazy Fool" Brad comes home for spring break, and Eric Wilson introduces him to Bud Gaugh, and Sublime is born. Sublime’s first recording, two years before (maybe) the official creation of Sublime is a 4-track demo titled Fighting Blindly. It later shows up on Sublime’s bootleg record Sinsemilla ’86 - ’96.
05.25.1986 Seal Beach, CA - Brad's Seal Beach House, Sloppy 2nds garage house party.
1987: Brad writes Date Rape while not in a band, it will later be his claim to fame.
1987: While at school at UC Santa Cruz, Brad plays a minor gig at an on campus coffee shop. He plays an acoustic set consisting of a decent amount of X covers. This "show" was probably not recorded. Still one year before the official creation of Sublime, more demos are made. Some of these songs, such as Romeo, New Realization, and Roots Of Creation have shown up on various Sublime releases as B-sides and demos. Others will never see the light of day. If Ebin was on these tapes, then that song was absolutely made in 1988 or later because Brad did not encounter the real Eben until around February 1988.
