Punk band Rancid began recording today in a studio on the California coast with long-time friend, producer and label president Brett Gurewitz, who has worked with Rancid on virtually every record in their extensive, accomplished career.
In the five years since the release of Indestructible, the members of Rancid have been anything but dormant. 2004 saw the release of guitarist Lars Frederiksen’s second solo album Viking, a scorching homage to Lars’ vida loca, equal parts violence and love. 2005 marked the release of Haunted Cities by singer Tim Armstrong’s side project, the Transplants. Additionally, in 2007 Armstrong released a superb solo record, A Poet’s Life, which spawned the summertime hit single “Into Action,” heard on radio stations across the country and on dance floors around the world. Meanwhile, bassist Matt Freeman’s legendary skills were highlighted on both the Transplants record and tour, and also on worldwide tours playing with Social Distortion. Seemingly, the band has so much creative output, it cannot be contained in a single project.
But a new Rancid record is different — something special, never hasty or perfunctory, as their fervent, untiring fans have learned over the years. A Rancid record is an organic thing, not cultivated, but rather harvested wild; filled to the brim with all the living done in between stints in the studio. This record will be no different. Sweated over, hammered out and brought forth, the yet-untitled release will have all the hard knocks and big wins of lives lived prodigiously.
