Today, Jakobs Castle, passion project of magnetic artist Jakob Nowell (son of late Sublime vocalist Bradley Nowell), is proud to announce their signing to the legendary Epitaph Records. Born into music royalty, there is no denying that Jakob is influenced by his father’s legacy, but Jakobs Castle is anything but a nostalgic rehash. Staying cutting-edge while retaining the keen sense of melody that endeared his father’s music to millions of people all over the world, Nowell’s mission for the band is to “mix California’s past with the fresh mystery of internet underground culture.”
The breezy label debut single “Time Traveler” was co-written by Tim Armstrong (Rancid, Operation Ivy), employing bright guitars, electronic flourishes and vocals that illustrate Nowell’s impressive range. With the addition of subtle pitch shifts and synth bass from producer Jon Joseph (Børns), it transformed into a soulful, catchy, rocksteady song with new-age pop influences.
On his label debut, Jakob comments: “”Time Traveler” is close to my heart because it’s the song that led me to signing with Epitaph. The song was born from a writing session between myself and Tim Armstrong. He had this hook that to my ears was so irresistibly catchy and inspiring that I added the verses in no time at all (pun intended). The song we came up with had an old school rocksteady vibe and I took it to my producer Jon Joseph to experiment with it. I wanted to merge the vintage feel and songwriting of Tim with the modern mysteriousness of underground bedroom production. The result is something more than the sum of its parts. Both thematically and sonically I want this song to take people on a little journey through time.”
The 28-year-old Nowell got his start playing in the popular Southern California rock act LAW, but Jakobs Castle is an unfiltered version of his personal musical identity which he created alongside producer and co-collaborator Jon Joseph. “I think that Jon was the guy who really helped me discover my sound because I would show him the synth sounds I wanted or what I liked for vocal effects and it became this affected cyber ska weirdness,” Nowell explains.
Signing to Epitaph is a full circle moment for the musician born into the thriving California punk scene, yet deciding to forge his own musical destiny in a way that’s relevant to today’s generation of listeners. “The tagline I’ve always had for this project is beach meets internet,” Jakob summarizes. “Once you swim in these songs for a while, that description makes perfect sense.”
Jakobs Castle On Tour
7/13 – Half Moon Bay, CA – Old Princeton Landing*
7/14 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Brew Rock*
7/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Roxy Theater*
7/22 – Del Mar, CA – Del Mar Fairgrounds^
8/5 – Huntington Beach, CA – Sealegs*
8/12 – San Diego, CA – Music Box*
*w/ Long Beach Dub Allstars
Beck Unites Again With Symphony Orchestras For 2025 Tour
Grammy-winning artist Beck is set to bring his genre-defying catalog to life once again with full symphony orchestras this summer. Following the success of his
The Offspring Announce 2025 North American Tour With Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory
The Offspring Announce 2025 North American Tour With Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory On the heels of selling out shows across Australia, Europe,
TWIZTID Talk “Welcome To Your Funeral,” Working with Producer Zeuss, QUEENSRŸCHE’s Todd La Torre, and Breaking Genre Barriers
TWIZTID Talk “Welcome To Your Funeral,” Producer Zeuss, QUEENSRŸCHE’s Todd La Torre, and Breaking Genre Barriers Detroit’s demented duo, TWIZTID, have unleashed their latest
Sublime Set to Headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre on April 18th
Sublime, the iconic ska-punk band from Long Beach, California, is set to headline the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Friday, April 18, 2025. Leading the
Jesse James Pariah of Slum Beach Posse Releases Music Video for “Horns Under Halo” Produced by DENM
Jesse James Pariah of Slum Beach Posse Releases Music Video for “Horns Under Halo” Produced by DENM Jesse James Pariah, the surfer, singer-songwriter, and Slum
ALLISON UNCHAINED: The Untold Story of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You”
ALLISON UNCHAINED: The Story Behind Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” Welcome to ALLISON UNCHAINED, where music meets its rawest, most unfiltered truth. Each week,
