It’s been 30 years since the Long Beach-born iconic band Sublime released its groundbreaking self-titled album shortly after the passing of founding lead vocalist Bradley Nowell.
Now the band, known for blending reggae, punk, ska and alternative rock, is being honored by the The Grammy Museum with a new exhibition dubbed “Sublime: Straight From Long Beach.”
“It celebrates their history, the community they come from in Long Beach and also the next next chapter in their history,” said Kelsey Goelz, curator at the Grammy Museum.
(L-R) Eric Wilson, Nate Jackson and Jakob Nowell attend Sublime Press Preview at GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live on March 25, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
The exhibition features items from the band’s history and comes just before the June release of the new album “Until the Sun Explodes,” which marks the band’s first full-length record with Nowell’s son Jakob as lead singer and guitarist.
Jakob Nowell and Eric Wilson attend Sublime Press Preview at GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live on March 25, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
“The exhibit also involves Bradley’s son Jakob taking over as frontman of the band,” Goelz said.
The band was founded in 1988 by Bradley Nowell on vocals and guitar, Bud Gaugh on drums and Eric Wilson on bass. Their first self-produced album, “40oz. To Freedom,” and follow-up “Robbin’ the Hood,” preceded their 1996 breakout self-titled third album.
“The last Sublime record that will ever be made is Self-Titled. There’s no replacing history, period. ‘Until the Sun Explodes’ the album is an epilogue, and ‘Until the Sun Explodes’ the single is the epilogue to the epilogue. It is a tribute to the expansive works of Sublime, it is an acknowledgment for all that my father has done for me my entire life, and most importantly it is a thank you. I love you dad, and I owe you my life,” Jakob Nowell said in a statement.
In the exhibition, which runs through Sept. 7, people will be able to see handwritten lyrics to Sublime hits such as “Wrong Way” and “Garden Grove,” early flyers, promotional materials, the white bucket hat Bradley Nowell wore in the music video for “Badfish,” video footage of the band plus Instruments and equipment used by the original Sublime lineup and photos. One item of note on display is a blue electric guitar that Bradley Nowell smashed during a live performance.
“He smashed it and you get to see it all broken up,” Goelz said.
‘Sublime: Straight From Long Beach’
When: Through Sept. 7
Where: Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles
Tickets: $22.50
Information: grammymuseum.org