#39: Rancid

It opens like the cover of an old Bible...And out come the wolves

The first band to start with an Al is Rancid, the punk legends

Wiki Says: Rancid is an American punk rock band from Albany, California, formed in 1991. Founded by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong, both of whom previously played in ska punk group Operation Ivy, the band is credited along with The Offspring and Green Day with helping to revive mainstream popular interest in punk rock in the United States during the mid-1990s.

Rancid includes Armstrong on guitar and vocals, Freeman on bass and vocals, Lars Frederiksen on guitar and vocals, and Branden Steineckert on drums. The band was formed by Armstrong, Freeman, and former drummer Brett Reed, who left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Steineckert. Frederiksen joined Rancid in 1993 when the band was searching for a second guitar player.

To date, Rancid has released seven studio albums, one split, one compilation, two EPs, a series of live online-only albums, and has been featured on countless compilations. The band rose to fame in 1994 with their second album, Let's Go, featuring the single "Salvation". In the following year, Rancid released their highly successful album ...And Out Come the Wolves, which produced their best-known hits "Roots Radicals", "Ruby Soho" and "Time Bomb", and was certified gold and platinum by the RIAA. Their next three albums, Life Won't Wait, Rancid and Indestructible were also critically acclaimed, but not as successful as ...And Out Come the Wolves. Rancid's latest studio album, Let the Dominoes Fall was released in June 2009.

Discovery: Rancid (1993)
Let's Go (1994)
...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
Life Won't Wait (1998)
Rancid (2000)
Indestructible (2003)
Let The Dominoes Fall (2009)

Other Releases: Rancid EP (1992)
Radio Radio Radio EP (1993)
BYO Split Series, Vol. 3 with NOFX (2002)
Rock Against Bush, Vol 2 (2004)
B Sides and C Sides (2007)

Favorite Songs: 10. Olympia, WA
9. 7 Years Down
8. Dead Bodies
7. Hooligans
6. Hyena
5. She's Automatic
4. Sheena Is a Punk Rocker (Ramones Cover)
3. Journey To the End of The East Bay
2. Time Bomb
1. Junkie Man

Years Active: 1991-Present

Never seen them live

Rancid is, in my mind, the ultimate punk band. They, like the Clash before them, can play any style of music and play it well. Their frontman, Tim Armstrong, appears with 6 bands on this countdown in some form or another. I may only have two of their albums, but that is soon to change I'm sure.

Up Next: Back to the unknown bands with one of the hardest working small ska bands I can imagine