Rancid

Composition of the group

Tim Armstrong: guitar, song
Lars Frederiksen: guitar, song (since 1994)
Matt Freeman: low, song
Branden Steineckert: battery (since November 2006)

Biography

Tim and Matt, originating in Berkeley, in California, are both former members of the worship group of Ska-punk, Operation Ivy. After the separation of the group in 1989, they have both played in various formations such as Downfall, Dance Hall Crashers, or Generator. But none of these formations perduré, with share Dance Hall Crashers after the departure of Tim and Matt.

During one time when Tim had become alcoholic, towards 1991 - 1992, Matt had the idea to form Rancid, to find another occupation with Tim that of drinking. To play of the battery, they recruited the joint tenant of Tim, Brett Reed, a highly skilled skater but which did not have great experience of the battery.

They left a first demonstration 5 titles, in 1992, vinyl on the independent label Lookout Records which was never republished out of CD. The album Rancid left the following year, always in the vein of the first: Punk rock'n'roll violate but melody with raucous voices with wish and basic solos with any Peter.

But the event was, for Rancid, the arrival of the ex-guitarist of the U.K. Subs, Lars Frederiksen, in 1994. This one brought to the group a voice much more in the “tradition” Punk and a rich play of guitar. The confirmation of this talent was done with the album Let' S Go , left the same year, and which constitutes a Punk basic but easier to listen.

In 1995, the group left … And Out Like The Wolves , always sweeping an increasingly broad panel of musical genres, with in particular the introduction of the Ska, with pieces like Old Friend , Daly City Train and especially Time Bomb and its success on MTV. This album is very successful, some even compared it with London Calling , of The Clash. It is also their commercial real success, selling individual Ruby Soho to several million specimens. This album is regarded by much as their the best.

In 1998, it is with Kingston, in Jamaica, that the group went, to record Life Won' T Wait , an album which constitutes a material change for the group, with the appearance of Reggae, Jazz, of Ska and pieces much more Punk old school , translating the influence of groups like The Clash, whose group always acknowledged fan.

In 2000, the four of Rancid return and they are in anger. After the failure of Life Won' T Wait , regarded by the musical majors and media American general practitioners as obsolete and has-been at one time when the ska-punk old school does not sell any more vis-a-vis fusion and with the beginnings of néo-metal, the members of the group, depities and not digesting the failure after not having known to manage success, record a new album éponyme, commonly called Rancid V , Rancid 2000 or Rancid 5 , to avoid confusion with the first album. This one constitutes a very clear cut with its predecessor: it is an album of very violent Hardware-core. There is no more trace of Ska, the basic solos made their return, the singers spend their time howling and one can even intend Matt to sing on certain songs (thing which it had not made since Let' S Go in 1994). This album one of best, although its authors, always in anger, did not give any interview for the occasion, nor is however turned any clip. Joe Strummer of the legendary group of punk The Clash will declare has its matter: “When I listened to this album, I shit in my froc like an old man. ” (sic).

In 2002, the group left a Split-CD with NOFX: each group takes again six songs of the other. According to the will of the two interested groups, the list of the pieces was mutually known by the two parts only at the time of the mixing. Before that, the members of Rancid did not have information on those which NOFX took again, and conversely.

In 2003, the group delivers Indestructible , album which is a kind of digest of all the preceding albums, with Ska, Hardware-core, Punk old school (“David Courtney”) and songs more pop, like Fall Back Down . One returns more to the style of … And Out Like The Wolves , but in more enjoué (“Ghost Band”), Rancid is burst and that feels. Undoubtedly one of the best albums. At the origin, this album was not to be also varied, but following the rupture of Tim with his wife Brody Armstrong, singer of The Distillers, and to other tragic family events (the death of the brother of Lars), environments melancholic persons were added to the titles more " méchants". On a wafer entitled Rancid Fap! , one finds with the 20th title a succulent resumption of No Woman No Cry.

A new album is announced for spring 2007. At a few months of the recording of the album and in full round, the beater Brett Reed announces its departure of the group. It is replaced by Branden Steineckert, old beater of The Used

One could see the group in an episode of South Park, with the song Brad Logan , at the time of the episode " Aid" chief; , the name in the concert organized by the kids by calling artists groups as various as Rancid, Joe Strummer, Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John or Primus (which signed the credits of the cartoon besides). There exists a video in which one sees certain members of the groups having taken part in the Aid Chief. Rancid made there not appearance, but one can listen to Joe Strummer, Flea (bass player of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and others to speak about " Chef" , cook and legendary ex-musician swindled by his recording company.

Parallel projects

Several members of the group have projects parallel in Rancid:

Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards : a group with Lars with the song/guitar, and others punks for the other instruments. An album éponyme left in 2001, written by Tim and Lars, where Lars explores its childhood. Musicalement, this group is very close to Rancid, with the voice of Tim and the solos of Matt in less. A second album, Viking , left in 2004, with a gift for the fans of Rancid: the song My Life To Live , on which one can intend Tim to push the ditty with Lars.
The Transplants: group made up of Tim to the guitar, low and the song, of Rob Aston, roadie of Rancid, with the song and of Travis Barker, Blink-182, with the battery. This group left an album éponyme, in 2002, very varied: one there finds Punk of course, but also of the Rap, Drum “low, Jungle, Dub, Hardware-core, pop muscular and different one. Their second album, Haunted Cities , left in 2005, always in the vein of the first; Matt and Brett took part in a few pieces. The recording of a third album is announced for 2007 on the myspace page of Rancid.
Devil' S Brigade: group with Matt with the double bass and the song, and other musicians. No the album left for the moment.
has poet' S life: In 2006 Tim amstrong reveals a solo project, recorded with the musicians of the group The Aggrolites. According to Tim amstrong the songs should be legally available on Internet progressively.

Discography

Old Members

Brett Reed : battery (leaves the in November 2006 group)

See too

Resources

Official site
Roots Radicals Forum of French fans (Videos clip, lives…)
www.PunkFiction.com (bio + chronic of the albums of the group)

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