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Rancid Information
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'Rancid' was formed in 1991 in Berkeley, California, by former members of Operation Ivy, Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong. Rancid inlcudes four members Tim Armstrong on guitar and vocals, with Matt Freeman as backing vocalist and bassist, and Brett Reed as drummer. After searching for a second guitar player in 1993, Matt met Lars Frederiksen and he was added to the band on guitar and vocals, to round out the line up.
History
Rancid's musical style blends punk and hardcore with ska, reggae, rocksteady, and minor elements of dub and funk. Among mainstream audiences, Rancid are best-known for "Ruby Soho" and "Time Bomb" from the 1995 recording ...And Out Come the Wolves.
Rancid was very popular throughout the 1990s, with the band touring constantly from 1993 through 1998. They have released 6 full-length albums, the first 4 through the independent label, Epitaph Records, along with numerous 7" vinyls and singles. Following the success of Let's Go, which garnered gold status in the U.S. with 500,000 copies sold, the band was pursued by several major labels, including Madonna's Maverick Records; Rancid chose to stick with Epitaph despite these offers.
Rancid's self-titled 2000 album was released on Hellcat Records, and their 2003 record, Indestructible, was released by Hellcat Records with Warner Brothers distrubuting the record.
Their songs and albums are based on hard times ("7 Years Down," "Hyena"), world issues ("Rigged On A Fix," "Brixton"), old friends ("Old Friend," "GGF"), and love ("She's Automatic", "Corazon de Oro").
References in their music
Some of their songs are about or allude to famous people or events.
*Travis Bickle - Robert De Niro's character, Travis Bickle, from the 1976 Scorsese film Taxi Driver.
*David Courtney - Dave Courtney is a famous ex-mobster from London who is now crime-free and an author.
*Harry Bridges - Harry was an American labor leader along the westcoast.
*Don Giovanni - Don Giovanni is the title and lead character of an opera composed by Mozart in 1787, based on the legend of Don Juan.
*Rwanda - The song Rwanda is about the (Rwandan) genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994.
*"I always end up back on the hill, looking down at the landfill" from the song "As Wicked"-refers to Albany Hill, in Albany, CA where Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman grew up.
*"Journey to the End of East Bay" is a reflective song about Operation Ivy, one of the bands before Rancid that Tim and Matt played in, and includes a line proclaiming that "too much attention unavoidably destroyed us."
*Loki - According to Lars in the liner notes for Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards' first album, Loki is a god in Norse mythology who he compares his to old friend Ben (who can talk you into anything while still looking out for your best interests).
Post-Hiatus
In 2004 and 2005, Rancid has been "on hold", due to its members being involved in side projects. The group did not completely become inactive.
*Tim Armstrong plays with Travis Barker and Rob Aston (a.k.a. Skinhead Rob) in the Transplants. In late 2005, rumours abounded that Tim Armstrong would replace the late Joe Strummer in a reunion of the British Punk band The Clash. These, however, have since been dismissed as untrue. Mick Jones, lead guitarist of The Clash, has said that he has always been opposed to a reunion and these claims are simply wrong. The rumors stemmed from a news site that posted an April Fool's joke that was then perpetuated by people unaware of the posting date.
*Lars Frederiksen has a side band named Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards (currently released their second LP Viking in 2004).
*Matt Freeman joined Social Distortion in 2004, replacing previous bassist John Maurer. Brent Harding replaced Freeman as bassist for Social Distortion in early 2005, after Freeman was diagnosed with lung cancer. Freeman is also bassist and lead vocalist in the psychobilly band, Devil's Brigade, in which Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed also play.
*Brett Reed plays drums for Devil's Brigade.
In February 2005, it was announced by Lars Frederiksen on British radio show "The Lock Up" on BBC Radio 1 that Rancid would begin recording again at the end of 2005, with a release scheduled for early 2006. More on this is expected once the Rancid website overhaul is finished.
Discography
Studio albums
Rancid, 1993 (Gun Cover)
Let's Go, 1994
...And Out Come the Wolves, 1995
Life Won't Wait, 1998
Rancid, 2000 (Skull Cover)
BYO Split Series, Vol. 3, 2002 (split with NOFX)
Indestructible, 2003
EPs
* Rancid (Fire Cover), 1992
* Radio Radio Radio, 1994
Singles
| 'Year' | 'Title' | 'Chart positions' | 'Album' | | US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | UK | | 1992 | "I'm Not the Only One" | - | - | - | - | Rancid (1992) | | 1994 | "Hyena" | - | - | - | - | Rancid (1993) | | 1994 | "Nihilism" | - | - | - | - | Let's Go | | 1994 | "Salvation" | - | - | - | - | Let's Go | | 1995 | "Roots Radicals" | - | - | - | - | ...And Out Come the Wolves | | 1995 | "Time Bomb" | - | - | - | - | ...And Out Come the Wolves | | 1996 | "Ruby Soho" | - | - | - | - | ...And Out Come the Wolves | | 1998 | "Bloodclot" | - | - | - | - | Life Won't Wait | | 1998 | "Hooligans" | - | - | - | - | Life Won't Wait | | 2000 | "Let Me Go" | - | - | - | - | Rancid (2000) | | 2003 | "Fall Back Down" | - | - | - | - | Indestructible | | 2004 | "Red Hot Moon" | - | - | - | - | Indestructible |
Collaborations
*Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day joined the band for a brief period of time prior to Fredriksen's joining the band, doing a live show with them in 1993 and co-writing "Radio" on Let's Go.
Originally Tim Armstrong had asked Lars Frederiksen to join, but he turned it down due to being a member of the UK Subs at the time. So Armstrong enlisted Green Day's frontman temporarily and eventually asked Billie Joe to become a full-fledged member of the band. Billie Joe turned Tim down, his former idol from the Operation Ivy days, wanting to stick with Green Day. Frederiksen later changed his mind upon the breakup of UK Subs.
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