|
Story and photos by Richard Van Heertum
Many of you have probably never heard of the Long Beach Dub All Stars Rich Van Heertum: How was it working with one of the most popular Southern Californian bands in history? Miguel: Well . . . I mean, it was incredible. Brad was f***ing bad as f***, we miss him every f***ing single day, sometimes twice a day. Rich : How would you personally, hope that Brad would be remembered? Miguel: I think he will always be remembered how he wanted to be remembered, for being an incredible musician. And that will be the legacy that he left. Rich: Robbin the Hood was described as an experiment by Brad and you. How did that process play out? Miguel: Well, at the time, we made our money by playing shows and making albums, and we felt like we needed to release an album, so we put (it out). We didn't have the money to make a formal album anymore, but we kind of were like . . . we had been working on a bunch of different projects together and we thought that if we, through the process of editing and whatever, put all these different masters from different places together, we could put out a solid album, and that would be the experiment. 
Rich : Whose idea was the Jacob James Nowell Scholarship fund, and how is the fund doing to
date?Miguel: Incredible, really well, and we've gotten donations from even international sources. We're still accepting donations now. Rich: I wanted to ask you about a section of a quote I read from Sublime Management, "The issue is the appearance of exploitation of Bradley's death in conjunction with the release, promotion, and sales of . . . (the new album)" Can you explain? Miguel: I have no idea who said that, I don't know what to say about that. It kind of sounds like someone who doesn't know what the f*** they're talking about trying to write about something they don't know anything about. F*** that, that's my quote to that. Do you know how to spell that? Rich: Yup. Miguel: Okay . . . cool. Rich: Now on to the current efforts . . . how did the Dub All Stars form as a band? Miguel: It was kind of a natural thing. We have our own studio where we jam and we were going down there and recording stuff and doing some re-mixes and trying to get busy again, and then at the after hours we just started jamming. It's just a large group of people who love to play reggae music . . . and it grew from that, then solidified when we played the Enough Already benefit for Jacob. We wanted to kind of have a little show there and just sort of chill out and do some sh**. Rich: You guys have developed a really unique sound. How would you describe it? Miguel: Eclectic Rich: Cool . . . I've heard about a CD release this summer but haven't been able to find out a date. Is a CD in the near future? Miguel: You're trippin . . . we're not releasing anything for awhile. Rich: I know Sublime supported a lot of causes including Surfriders Foundation, Aids research, and Marijuana legalization. Are you guys involved in any of these efforts? Miguel: Always! Rich: Anything specific? Miguel: Surfriders Normal, An initiative the DMR (?) is doing to help protect artists work, sh**, I forget the name of it now, and we do work for a company called M.A.P. (Musicians Assistance Program), and we're doing a benefit to help that organization. That was one of the last rehabilitation situations that Brad tried to make work for him. Rich: Opie, who did the artwork for the Sublime albums is now your lead singer. How did he move in to this spot? Miguel: He had no choice. Like I said, it's just a bunch of friends popping back some beers and jamming. It's just like we would be doing this sh** anyway. It just for fun, you know what I'm saying. We're just a bunch of home boys, man. That's what happens, the one's who have talent get to get on the stage. That's how the one's without talent get to get on stage. Rich: I heard the band is breaking up. Why? Miguel: Yeah, well, it's because there are so many different things going on and it wasn't something that we really set up to do for an extended period of time. So, I think we got a pretty good run out of it, we got to play everywhere we wanted to. (We) played in Mexico, played all the way up the coast to Seattle, and in Hawaii. And now we're going to move on to do some different things, do some studio work, you know what I mean. Produce some records and tapes, sh** like that, and (I plan on) doing some stuff with Marshall too. Rich: How many shows are left, and when (if you know) is the last show? Miguel: One show left . . . in San Diego, and then a benefit for M.A.P., which will be the actual formal last show. Rich: And where will that be? Miguel: At the Galaxy Theater, but the date is in late October, and I don't think it has been determined yet. Rich: I'd like to just finish with a couple personal questions . . . What have been the major influences on your musical philosophy? Miguel: Everything . . . I mean in the modern day, like now, basically like late sixties and early seventies jazz sh**, and like hip hop really defining what it would be and funk, and then like some of your newer vanguard people in hip hop like the Rizzo(?), Prodigy, and Havic from IB. And then people like NoFX who f***ing make money head over foot and do everything they want. Rich: What are you future plans? Miguel: Do what I always do, make records, play gigs, and go all over. 
As Friday night arrived I was extremely excited to get in early and take some photos of
the band before the show. As usual, I had dressed appropriately for the show, in corduroys and
two shirts in the 90 degree weather, while paying fifteen dollars to park in a lot famous for
detailing your car . . . with key marks and graffiti. Upon arriving at the press gate, I was
informed that two members of the band had missed their flight from New York, and they were
trying to switch the times with another band to allow them to play.They also did not have the band guest list yet and as I sat outside with several bands, who for some reason could not get through the gate themselves, the sweat began to collect in all the right places. We entered about forty five minutes later, after which I spent the next hour running from one empty face to another trying to find out when and where the band would play. Finally I found out they were scheduled for 7:45 p.m. on a different stage. After catching a couple great shows by Common Sense and the Cherry Poppin Daddies, another swing band, I headed toward the stage in anticipation of hearing the echoes of Sublime. Instead I found a group of dazzled teenagers and skateboarders staring blankly at the stage as a chorus of 30 kids sang southern Baptist gospel renditions. Twenty minutes later the band finally came out and started the slow, methodical process of setting up with Brad's Dalmatian Louie pacing the stage intermittently. As this process dragged on toward thirty minutes, it became clear that they were still awaiting the arrival of Ras1 and Eric, and that the stage manager and security guards were becoming increasingly agitated, as was the crowd of over 3,000 anticipating fans. The two finally arrived as the clock moved past 8:30 p.m. and the crowd cheered frantically as final tuning was done. Then, right as the band began to play their first song, the sound went dead and the security guards all climbed onto the stage. Everyone froze in amazement for a moment, including the members of LBDAS, then Eric spoke briefly with the stage manager, informing the crowd moments later that they would not be allowed to play. As the band headed back stage, melee quickly ensued in the crowd, with plastic water bottles and full beers flying skyward toward the stage, hitting a few security guards square in the head, and soaking me and all those unlucky enough to be toward the front. The white gates separating the crowd from the stage were thrust forward and two large garbage cans made their way on to the stage, through the air. Screams and jeers followed from the crowd as security spread to quash the near riotous scene, and I headed backstage to catch the more interesting action. As I arrived, the band was beginning the process of packing up and making their way out of the venue, with the kind assistance of security and some local police officers. I caught up briefly with Ras1, who gave me the following statement: Sorry San Diego, because you didn't get to witness our last show. We tried as hard as we could to get here and security shut us down as soon as me and Eric got on stage. We would have loved to play . . . Keep the Sublime sound alive. Over the next week I spoke with the person behind Street Scene, Rob Hagey, and the band's manager at The Tahoe Agency, Rick Bonde, to try and get the story behind the unfortunate scene. They both agreed on the major cause, which was that the band wasn't really appropriate for the tight scheduling of a show of this sort. Rick relayed that he should have known this would happen and took much of the blame, though also noting that the officials did seem somewhat unorganized, in giving Ras1 and Eric incorrect directions and not letting them in when they first arrived. Rob and his assistant Audra Boettcher, had worked hard to get the band, making changes throughout the process, to cater to the bands needs, and were somewhat unhappy with the behavior of LBDAS after being kicked off stage, as they apparently decided to commandeer a few souvenirs for the effort. Of course the group most upset was the fans who missed the opportunity to see this short lived tribute to the memory of Brad. I'm sure we'll see these fine musicians again, in one form or another. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.
A rockazine.com f*cking disclaimer: |
