On June 17, 1995, Sublime welcomed Gwen Stefani to the stage for a special performance during the KROQ Weenie Roast.
No Doubt and Sublime had both been coming up in Southern California’s music scene in the early ‘90s, with each slowly building dedicated fan bases in the area.
“The way I met Bradley was Tony [Kanal] and I would get – cuz we were pretty big in this really small pond, you know?” Stefani recalled in a 2024 interview. “And people would send us their demos, like to open for us. And somehow they would send them to Tony, because he was like the manager or whatever, and I was always with him. So we would listen to these, they were cassette tapes. And we get this cassette tape, and it was Sublime. And we would not stop listening to it.”
Stefani had no idea what Nowell or his band looked like, but she was immediately drawn to their music.
“It was just such a weird mixture of sounds,” she explained. “It was kinda hip-hop, but then it had reggae, and it was like his soul singing, but it was [such an] amazing voice. So when we found out who they were, we went to go see them, and it was like ‘Oh my gosh, that’s Bradley.’ By that time I was already a fan. So to be around him, I was star struck. I couldn’t talk to him, but he also had that thing that certain people have where it’s almost like a glow. It’s like he was super talented and special and weird and sweet and I just couldn’t even speak around him because I was such a fan. He was always so kind and sweet and I think I had like a crush, major crush on him.”
The Recording of ‘Saw Red’
Stefani became close with Sublime as both bands continued their rise to fame. Some rumors have suggested she and Nowell dated, though the No Doubt singer insisted such stories were exaggerated. Regardless, Stefani was recruited to join Sublime in the studio when they recorded “Saw Red” for their 1994 album Robin the Hood. The track came together quickly, with Nowell interpolating a few lines from Barrington Levy’s popular Jamaican “She’s Mine.” The recording process was fast and decidedly DIY.
“When they asked me to do that song, I was so naive and just went in the studio and it was like they didn’t even have a click track,” Stefani recalled. “I mean, the thing is all over [the place]. I couldn’t even sing along to [the music], it was so out of time.”
After just a few takes, the song was done. Though the sound may not have been perfect, the interplay between Stefani and Nowell – coupled with the tune’s frenetic energy – connected with listeners. “Saw Red” became a popular college radio hit, and when Sublime and No Doubt hit the big time a year later, the track became regarded as an important piece of SoCal ska-punk history.
That excitement came to a head during the famed Weenie Roast performance on June 17, 1995 (which you can watch below).
“Oh Gwendolyn,” Nowell calls, beckoning Stefani to the stage, much to the delight of fans in attendance. “Gosh Bradley, you look so cute,” the No Doubt frontwoman remarks as she grabs the mic, ready to launch into their duet. Together, the rock icons tear through “Saw Red” with a reckless abandon, trading verses and overflowing with exuberance. The whole thing only lasts about 2 minutes – a blitzkrieg of excitement that’s over in a flash. Still, “Saw Red” has remained an indelible part of ‘90s rock history and continues to be beloved by fans everywhere.
