Feature • Badfish
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------------------------- Feature • Badfish ----------------------- Keeping the Vibe Alive By Ryan Smith How many tribute bands re- ceive the opportunity to warm up for – or even tour with some of their heroes? The answer may be “not many,” but Badfish, a Rhode Island-based tribute to the So- Cal ska-punk 90s heroes Sublime have done exactly that. The band formed in 2001 at the University of Rhode Island where drummer Scott Begin and bass player Joel Hanks decided to form a band that would pay tribute to some of their heroes while differentiating themselves from other bands in the area at the time. “[Sublime] was just one of those bands that we all really liked a lot, and people in college that we were with and we knew growing up even before then, everyone really liked them,” says Begin. “It spanned differ- ent genres, and we really enjoyed their music, and there really were not any bands around [us] doing that type of thing. There were a few tribute bands here and there covering some classic rock stuff and whatnot, but we figured it might be something that BADFISH people would be interested in.” Saturday, November 17 • 8 p.m. Mainstream music fans Piere’s Entertainment Center will likely recognize Sub- effects that they used on the lime from their hit singles 5629 St. Joe Rd., Fort Wayne record we try to replicate “What I Got,” “Santeria,” Tix: $15 adv., $18 d.o.s. thru live,” says Begin. “Some- and “Wrong Way” from their Ticketmaster or Piere’s box office, times it’s a matter of replicat- eponymous third album, re- ing it ourselves. Sometimes leased in 1996, but the band 260-486-1979 it’ll be someone on the mic had already developed a loy- replicating it. But sometimes al fan base amongst punk and college radio listeners we’ll actually trigger the sample itself. Dorian, our in the early 90s. Tragically, that album proved to be keyboard player, actually went back and found a lot of simultaneously the band’s mainstream breakthrough the old hip-hop records that had the source samples.” and its swan song, as lead singer Bradley Howell While Badfish don’t attempt to recreate Sublime’s died of a heroin overdose two months before it was look or personalities on stage, they do strive to repli- released, leading to the band’s dissolution and an end cate their sound as closely as possible to the original to its output. recordings. While they do introduce some of their own Unlike other California punkers such as Green elements to the music – such as a quick and pumped- Day and Offspring who broke into the mainstream up, 30-second version of the song “Pool Shark” – they in the 90s, Sublime incorporated ska, reggae and surf don’t deviate too far from the originals. elements into a cut-and-paste, dub-oriented collage “Musically, we try pretty hard to present the songs aesthetic that could just as easily be likened to post- in a way that people are used to hearing them,” says modern artists like Beck and the Beastie Boys. Case in Begin. “We’ve definitely taken liberties with some of point: their second album, 1994’s Robbin’ the Hood, the songs that lend themselves to improvisation, but featured not just guest vocals by a pre-fame Gwen I think for the most part we stay true to the arrange- Stefani, but also a field recording of the psychotic ments that people are used to hearing on the records.” ramblings of a mentally disturbed man named Raleigh Their loyalty to the source material has even won Theodore Sakers. the band approbation from surviving members of the Given the breadth of the materials, samples and Sublime camp. The band has had the opportunity to drum loops the original Sublime utilized to create meet, open for and even tour with some of the indi- their unique sound, replicating it live can be a chal- viduals who were involved with the original lineup of lenge for Badfish. Sublime. “On a lot of the samples we will play an actual “We’ve played a couple shows with the Sublime sample live. On a lot of the drum loops, we’ll actu- drummer’s Bud. He had a band called Del Mar, and ally use drum loops and I [won’t] play the kit during that song. Some of the sound effects and spoken word Continued on page 19 November 8, ’12 ----------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 -------------------- Calendar • Karaoke & DJs ------------------- BADFISH - From Page 5 Thursday, Nov. 8 Sunday, Nov. 11 we played a few shows with them, so we met him. He sat in with the ANGOL A FORT WA YNE band and did a few songs, and that was really great,” says Begin. “[He Skip’s Party Place — Rock Star Karaoke, 8 p.m. After Dark — Dance videos & karaoke, 9:30 p.m. was] really down with how we interpret the music and how we perform AUBURN Crooners Karaoke Bar — House KJ, 9 p.m. 4 Crowns — Shotgun Prod. Karaoke, 10 p.m. Dicky’s Wild Hare — American Idol Karaoke, 8 p.m. it, so that’s good. We’ve also played with some of the horn players that FORT WA YNE Foster’s Sports Pub — Shooting Star Prod. w/Stu, 9:30 p.m. Sublime played with. Those guys have done little stints on the road with Arena Bar & Grill — American Idol Karaoke w/Jay, 8 p.m. us, and they play with us when we’re out west. So it’s been pretty good Club V — House DJ, 9 p.m. Columbia Street West — Dance Party w/DJ Rich, 10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12 vibes all around from people in the Sublime camp that we’ve come into Crooners Karaoke Bar — House KJ, 9 p.m. contact with.” Deer Park Irish Pub — Bucca Karaoke w/Bucca, 10 p.m. FORT WA YNE While the remaining members of Sublime have remained active in Foster’s Sports Pub — Shooting Star Prod. w/Stu, 9:30 p.m. After Dark — Karaoke, 10:30 p.m. musical circles (and the band did briefly re-form and tour with new lead Latch String Bar & Grill — Ambitious Blondes Ent., 10 p.m. Canal Tap Haus — Flashback Karaoke, 8 p.m. North Star Bar & Grill — Karaoke w/Mike Campbell, 8 p.m. Crooners Karaoke Bar — House KJ, 9 p.m. singer Rome Ramirez from 2009-2011 under the moniker Sublime with O’Sullivan’s Pub — Tronic, 10 p.m. Latch String Bar & Grill — Ambitious Blondes Ent., 10 p.m. Rome), many lament the initial disbanding of the band just as it was be- Piere’s— House DJ, 9 p.m. Office Tavern — Swing Time Karaoke, 7 p.m. ginning to reach its prime. While they had recorded three full albums of Rusty Spur Saloon — American Idol Karaoke 9 p.m. increasingly sophisticated music by the time of their dissolution, many NE W HA VEN Rack & Helen’s — American Idol Karaoke w/Eric, 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13 feel the band’s best days were ahead of them, cut short by Howell’s pass- ing. AUBURN Friday, Nov. 9 Mimi’s Retreat — Shotgun Prod. Karaoke w/Shawn, 9 p.m. When asked what he thinks the band might have achieved had How- FORT WA YNE ell not passed away, Begin says, “I’d like to think that they would have AUBURN 4D’s Bar & Grill — Karaoke w/Brian, 9 p.m. kept writing great music and just been able to ride the major success 4 Crowns — Shotgun Prod. Karaoke, 10 p.m. Crooners Karaoke Bar — House KJ, 9 p.m. O’Sullivan’s Pub — Ambitious Blondes Karaoke, 10 p.m. [that had begun to kick in] after Howell passed away. I would hope they Meteor Bar & Grill — Classic City Karaoke, 9 p.m. would have continued to perform and put out more great albums. How CH URUBUS C O GA RRETT DW Bar & Grill — Karaoke w/DJ Chuck, 10 p.m. CJ’s Canteena — Classic City Karaoke, 9 p.m. long it would have gone on, it’s hard to say, but I think that their music Lucky Lady — Karaoke w/Shane, 9:30 p.m NE W HA VEN has proven that they’re a pretty important band in rock music and reggae FORT WA YNE Rack & Helen’s — American Idol Karaoke w/TJ, 9:30 p.m. music.” 4D’s Bar & Grill — DJ Trend, 10 p.m. Alley Sports Bar — On Key Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fans contemplating a trip to the upcoming Badfish show can expect a Babylon — DJ Tabatha, 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 mix of both the band’s hit singles and lesser-known album tracks, mean- Babylon, Bears Den — DJ TAB & karaoke w/Steve Jones, 10:30 FORT WA YNE ing that it’s worthwhile for not just hardcore fans but casual fans and p.m. After Dark — Karaoke, 10:30 p.m. newbies as well. Club V — House DJ, 9 p.m. A.J.’s Bar & Grill — Karaoke w/Wendy KQ, 8 p.m. “It’s close to two hours of fun, high-energy rock and reggae. People Columbia Street West — Dance Party w/DJ Rich, 10 p.m. Berlin Music Pub — Shooting Star Prod. w/Barbie, 10 p.m. Crooners Karaoke Bar — KJ Jessica, 9 p.m. Chevvy’s Pizza & Sports Bar — American Idol Karaoke w/TJ, 10 p.m. have a blast, you know. We’ve heard many times from many people that Early Bird’s — House DJ, 9 p.m.