Epic Sublime Frontman Bradley Nowell

Bradley James Nowell
​February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996)
Bradley James Nowell was the founder and the lead singer for the band Sublime. At a young age, Nowell developed a passion for music after a trip with his father, to the Virgin Islands. There, he was introduced to reggae and dancehall music. Later on, he found love for rock after he had learned to play guitar. Nowell played in a host of bands before forming the band that made him famous. Throughout the years with the band, he struggled with a bad heroin addiction.
 
​While on tour in 1990, he met Troy Dendekkar. In 1995, Troy gave birth to Nowell’s son, Jakob James. After his son was born, Bradley got sober but he relapsed and on the morning of May 25, 1996, just one week after he married Dendekkar, in Las Vegas, he was found dead in his hotel room.  The band’s drummer, Bud Gaugh, found Nowell on the floor, next to the bed. Nowell’s dalmation, “Lou Dog” was curled up on the bed whimpering. Gaugh noticed a yellow film around his mouth, then he had realized it was a heroin overdose. Nowell was only 36 yrs old.

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