Why did Bradley Nowell Use Drugs?
The Reasons Behind the Sublime frontman's Tragic Death
While it's impossible to completely determine the reasons behind Bradley Nowell's drug use, there were obvious events that contributed to his untimely and tragic death.
Those who followed Bradley Nowell's career know that music was always a part of his life. Even in childhood, Nowell knew he was going to be a musician. The tragic and untimely death of the Sublime frontman left many wondering what happened, and whether it could have been prevented.
While it's impossible to answer these questions to their fullest extent, there are several reasons that may have contributed to Nowell's drug use.
The Band that Was
While Sublime's music still remains prevalent today, there's no doubt that Sublime was struggling throughout their early career. While they were becoming increasingly popular in Southern California, Sublime failed to garner the mainstream success that Nowell so desperately wanted.
As Sublime continued to work on their music and attempt to gain a larger following, Nowell discovered that his drummer, Bud Gaugh, was struggling with a drug problem. Nowell remained supportive of Gaugh when he decided to check into rehab, and rather than tour without their drummer, Sublime instead chose to focus on recording music.
Why Nowell chose to use drugs after seeing what Gaugh went through remains unclear. However, his drug use marked an important, if tragic, turn of events for Bradley Nowell and Sublime.
Nowell's Heroin "Experiment."
As Sublime struggled to obtain mainstream success, life began to take a toll on Nowell. Nowell was extremely frustrated about Sublime's rejection from several major record companies, and thus decided to embark on a two-year heroin "experiment."
Why?
Nowell attempted to justify his drug use, refusing to admit there was a problem and instead focusing on the alleged fact that heroin helped his creativity. If heroin helped with his creativity, he believed Sublime would finally gain the attention of major record labels - the attention that Nowell craved.
Unfortunately, his "experiment" lasted much longer than anyone had anticipated. Even when a major record label picked up Sublime's album, Nowell did not end his drug use. By now, it had become a habit.
On May 25th, 1996 Bradley Nowell was found dead in the hotel room he was sharing with Sublime's drummer, Bud Gaugh. The reason? A heroin overdose.
Conclusion
It's unforunate that the world will never truly know the events that conspired against Nowell; events that took such a toll on Sublime's frontman that he felt heroin was his only recourse. An experiment that turned into an addiction ended the life of a man who lived for music - the fame he so desired, the fame he strived to attain happened only after his death.
To this day, there are still many people wondering what happened to turn a vibrant young man into a drug-addicted musician. It's obvious that the struggles of the band took a toll on Nowell, but what's even more apparent is how Sublime's music, to this day, still manages to inspire other musicians and fans of Bradley Nowell's work.
