Expert: GMan - 9/21/2009

Question
alright, so i'm a huge sublime fan (obviously not as much as you are), but i was wondering if april 29 1992 (leary) and garbage grove were recorded during the robbin' the hood sessions.  i know it says something about that in the album liner notes, but i forget exactly what.  also, was superstar punani written by brad, cuz i remember it says something about that in SHS's ablum liner notes too.  and now that i think about it, who sings during the chorus of that song?  and during new thrash at about :43 into the song, is that eric singing?  also also, did eric come up with the sick basslines in 4/29/92 and chica me tipo?  i know he did a lot of improv and came up with a ton of great basslines, but those two are so sick, i just gotta know.  okay so i know this turned into a long-ass question, but if i could get an answer, it'd be greatly appreciated.  thanks.

Answer
Hey Dan,

Sorry for the slight delay, I have been out of town.

Anyway, where should I start? OK, "April 29, 1992" was done at Total Access in 1995. That song was obviously about the riots in L.A. & Bradley dicked around with the lyrics to that for years up until 1995 when it was recorded. However, it is said that he started writing those lyrics (and eventually, the song) AS the riots were happening. It was all over the news out here, it was a BIG deal, & the riots eventually came all the way down here to Long Beach.

Here's a video with news footage & pictures to show you how bad it was:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-LB94Kwlws

And, "Garbage Grove" is a song that was around for years as well, but that song came earlier. That song was started really early; like 1991-1992 & was then originally recorded when they were doing "Robbin The Hood" but it started out as just Bradley. He was all strung out and high on meth around that time. He was living where ever he could, abandoned houses & shit. He lived in this abandoned store front in Long Beach for a while & that's where he did a lot of the 4 track stuff that was on "Robbin" & he also started "Garbage Grove". It was completed around the same time as like "STP" but the rest of the band (from what I've heard) didn't really consider it a "song" cause it's more like a "freestyle" than anything else & persuaded Brad to leave it off of "Robbin" cause they didn't really like it and said that it was just a "rehash" of the song "Get Out".

"Superstar Punani"... Yes, that was written by Brad. Everything was except "Lincoln Highway Dub" (Wilson) was but that too eventually became "Santeria" and Brad wrote that as well. If you listen to the lyrics to "Superstar Punani", it was Brad's take on the high price of fame & wanting to be a star. It's not all that it's cracked up to be & Bradley; after starting to get a taste of it, hated it. He thought it was stupid that it was almost impossible to become famous and just be yourself. Also, he fought his own demons (as we all know) & he thought that the devil essentially controlled the 'machine' of "fame" & that one way or the other (sooner or later) you sell your soul when you become famous because you no longer make your own decisions; they are all made for you & in turn, you are no longer in control of your own life. Essentially, that song is his personal feelings (and experiences) on the high price of fame.

Brad sings the entire song,.. no one else is singing the chorus.

On "New Thrash", in the middle, that's Miguel singing & he says THIS to some effect:

"So don't tell me about a fake drug war,
Cut education programs more,
So the people will one day learn and rise (or "let it ride")
Cause not everyone is out to score"

Lastly,... Both bass lines for "April 29th, 1992" & "Chica Mi Tipo" were created by the God of Thunder himself, Eric Wilson. I don't know if he had any particular influences when writing them. As far as I know, they are all "OG" Eric Wilson; meaning, he made them up or created them himself. I haven't heard anything even similar in all of my years listening to music.

Sometimes, as in "Caress Me Down", sublime (or Eric) used a riddim that was already established... like right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zobAdFLmjw&feature=related

but not with "April 29th, 1992" & "Chica Mi Tipo".

I hope this helps.

"All Sublime All The Time"

Peace,
GMan