Rancid (original) (raw)

Rancid is a band that originated in Berkeley, California from the ashes of Operation Ivy, a punk/ska band founded in '87. With vocals heavily influenced by Crimpshrine, a fellow band from the east bay at the time. Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong are ex-members of Operation Ivy. Tim Armstrong and Lars Fredriksen both sing lead vocals and play lead guitar, while Matt Freeman sings backing vocals and plays bass and Brett Reed drums. The music style blends punk, hardcore and ska. Among mainstream audiences, Rancid is best-known for 1995's "Ruby Soho" and "Time Bomb" off ...And Out Come the Wolves.

Rancid was very popular thoughout the 1990s, and the band constantly toured from 1993 through 1998. They have 6 full albums, the first 4 of which released through indie label, Epitaph Records, along with many 7" vinyls and singles.

Rancid's self-titled 2000 album was released on Hellcat Records, and their 2003 record, Indestructible, was released by Hellcat Records and Warner Brothers Records. Many long-time fans were disappointed that Rancid, who had long resisted major-label allure (and gained much fame and respect because of it), singed with the Warner Brothers major.

Hellcat, a division of Epitaph, is the brainchild of Tim Armstrong and Brett Gurewitz and now has many other up and coming (along with some well established) ska, punk, oi and hardcore bands on their books.

Their songs and albums are based on hard times ("7 Years Down", "Hyena"), world issues ("Rigged On A Fix"), old friends ("Old Friend, "GGF") and love ("She's Automatic", "Corazon de Oro"). They have sold over 1 million records.

Discography