Jakobs Castle’s recently released rendition of Sublime’s “Garden Grove” left one radio DJ feeling quite emotional.
Jakobs Castle is the project of Jakob Nowell, son of late Sublime singer Bradley Nowell, who has taken over as frontman of his father’s famous band. The recent reissue of the Sublime tribute album Look At All The Love We Found boasts a bevy of new material, with Jakobs Castle’s “Garden Grove” among the highlights.
In a video uploaded to YouTube (which you can watch below), Lauren O’Neil, midday host at popular Chicago alternative radio station Q101, shared her initial reaction to the track. Part of a regular series called ‘First Listen,’ the radio personality offered her immediate and surprisingly emotional response.
READ MORE: Jakob Nowell Releases ‘Garden Grove’ By Jakobs Castle
“Hang on! Whoa dude, what? This is amazing,” O’Neil declared after listening to the song’s opening lines. “It’s clearly ‘Garden Grove’ but man he’s changing the vocal runs, the notes are different. It’s got Jakob’s flavor, but it’s still honoring the original song. And for all the haters on the internet who are just talking shit and saying that he doesn’t sound enough like Bradley, what are you listening to? This, it’s him holy crap this is amazing. I am so happy right now.”
O’Neil, who admitted to loving Sublime in her high school days, continued expressing her excitement for Jakobs Castle’s interpretation of the tune, calling it “fantastic” and a “well done” piece of work.
As the host pondered what it must be like for Jakob to take the reins of his father’s old group, she found herself suddenly getting emotional.
“Trying to imagine what it’s like as Jakob going out there playing these songs, playing with Sublime with Bud and Eric, meeting some of his father’s peers,” O’Neil remarked before pausing as she briefly teared up. “Why am I getting emotional?” the host wondered out loud before getting back on subject.
“[Jakob is] now meeting these people that knew his father and he never really got to know his dad. And now he is following in his footsteps, making incredible music and meeting his friends and they are basically welcoming him in like uncles and aunts and it’s just beautiful. And he just talks about how Sublime is and always has been a family first and foremost and from start to finish this is a celebration of Bradley Nowell and the generations of fans and musicians his music has inspired.”
Is Jakobs Castle Touring?
Jakobs Castle is currently out on the BVRNT Tour, a headlining trek that also features Spray Allen (featuring Eric Wilson of Sublime), Jesse James Pariah and Strange Case. Jakobs Castle will also perform at the Washington D.C. edition of the Warped Tour festival, happening the weekend of June 14.
Meanwhile, Sublime also has a busy summer schedule, including a performance at the Minnesota Yacht Club festival. The band will also host a special event in Las Vegas dubbed ‘Fear, Loathing, and Sublime,’ taking place Aug. 14-16.
