PHOTO BY ALAN SNODGRASS
COMPILATION FOR A CAUSE:
THE HOUSE THAT BRADLEY BUILT K
INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR ADAM DUBI BY GEN HANDLEY
ellie Nowell remembers the last time she spoke to her older brother well.
“It was the night of the reception, and he thanked me for helping with the wedding—he was clean and really happy,” she says. “The next morning, when I brought his son back who had stayed with us that night, I just waved to him across the room. And six days later, he was gone.”
Along with LAW Records, the foun- One of these artists is Milo Auker- pilation are California ska-punk dation are releasing The House man, lead singer of punk rock pillars heavyweights Mad Caddies, who That Bradley Built, an eclectic, 24- Descendents. Aukerman contrib- were heavily influenced by Sublime song compilation made up of a uted a ukulele version of the song back in the day. Mad Caddies covnumber of talented and notable “Hope,” interestingly, a Descendents er “New Song,” a lesser-known track artists performing acoustic rendi- song that Sublime covered on their also off the first album. tions of Sublime songs. The profits 1992 debut album 40 Oz. to Freedom. “We’re just really proud to be a part from this album will go towards the construction of Bradley’s House, a “When the self-titled Sublime record of this,” says Mad Caddies lead vosix-bed, opioid recovery center came out, posthumously, I thought calist and guitarist Chuck Robertson. for struggling musicians provid- it was such an utter tragedy that he “There are so many great artists on ing potentially life-saving services was taken from us before they could this album; it’s a great tribute and free of charge. play that record live—it's such a it’s also for an amazing cause.” masterpiece,” Aukerman says. “It’s Kellie, who is the executive direc- just a great, great record, and the Robertson says he shares the Nowell Foundation’s passion of helping tor of the foundation, says she was band was cut short in their time.” “blown away” by the enthusiasm of Another noteworthy act on the com- musician struggling with addiction— artists to contribute to the record.
The sibling whom Kellie remembers so happily was Bradley Nowell, the late singer of legendary Long Beach ska band Sublime. On May 25, 1996, Bradley tragically died of an overdose just months before his band released the album that would make “I was really touched by all of the them a household name. In his people and artists who wanted to honor and memory, Bradley’s kin participate and contribute their created The Nowell Family Founda- voices to the album,” she says. “A lot tion, which provides a wide range of of these people are artists I love and addiction recovery services for the listen to, and it’s really a trip to hear them singing my brother’s songs.” music industry.
28 NEW NOISE
“A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ARTISTS I LOVE AND LISTEN TO, AND IT’S REALLY A TRIP TO HEAR THEM SINGING MY BROTHER’S SONGS.”
