Jakob Nowell, the lead singer of Sublime, took the stage at the Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach on Saturday, July 26. He performed just hours after his beloved cat, Creature, passed away at 5 a.m. “My best friend died this morning,” Nowell told the crowd. “I didn’t want to play today. I didn’t want to be here. But I thought about how maybe someone in this audience is going through something too, and maybe our music can help them.”
The 29-year-old musician had to say goodbye to Creature, his hairless Sphynx cat who was his constant companion during shows. The pet’s death came right before the band was set to perform. Creature had been a source of comfort for Nowell on the road and was considered his mascot.
Fans quickly rallied online, sharing kind words and memories of Creature. The cat often appeared on Nowell’s Instagram, dressed in cute outfits and snuggled up with him.
This performance came just after the release of “Ensenada” on July 17, the first track from Sublime’s upcoming fourth album, set to drop in December. In 2023, Nowell stepped into the spotlight where his father, Bradley, left off after his passing in 1996. Despite the loss of Creature, he found solace in performing alongside bandmates who were close to his dad. Nowell is dedicated to balancing his own music with honoring his father’s legacy.
The new album features contributions from big names like Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise, Zac Carper from Fidlar, and Paul “HR” Hudson of Bad Brains. However, Nowell mentioned that this might be his first and last album with the band.
