Singer and guitarist Jakob Nowell filled in some pretty big shoes when he became the frontman of reggae punk pioneers Sublime – his father’s. The late, great Bradley Nowell was one of the most influential singers of the ’90s, known for his California-bred stylings and distinct vocals.
Talking with SPIN and Bose as part of our Decades of Sound collaboration series, Jakob says, in his “humble” opinion, that the most impactful decade of sound and music was none other than the ’90s.
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Back in July, Jakob sat down with Scott Lipps, host of the SPIN Presents Lipps Service podcast, where Jakob discussed his unconventional upbringing in the ’90s, having been surrounded by musicians and their rock ‘n’ roll lifestyles. While Jakob was a child during the decade, it shaped his being and inspired his passion for music-making. When he first started out making his own music, Jakob formed his first band, LAW, ahead of his current touring act outside of Sublime, Jakobs Castle.
In good timing with the recent news of Oasis’ return, Jakob says that the Gallagher-fronted band was the most influential group of the decade: “You gotta admit, they were just omnipresent.”
Acknowledging that an artist’s freedom to live in obscurity is now a relic of the past, Jakob says that that secrecy is what he simultaneously would’ve liked and disliked if he were to have been a musician during the ’90s.
Join us through the Decades of Sound, hearing from impactful artists about their favorite eras of music in celebration of Bose’s 60th anniversary.
To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
