10 Ultimate Ska Anthems
4. No Doubt & Bradley Nowell Of Sublime – “Total Hate ‘95”
Before Gwen Stefani became a well-known pop star and global fashion icon, she was the lead singer of the California-based ska-punk powerhouse No Doubt. As major fans of the British 2 Tone movement, No Doubt have frequently cited Madness and The Selecter as major influences on their sound and style.
Released in 1995, on the independently produced Beacon Street Collection, “Total Hate ‘95”, is a revamped version of one of their earliest tracks, featuring the vocals and pseudo-rap stylings of Bradley Nowell of fellow California band, Sublime.
Always a crowd favourite and live staple, “Total Hate ‘95” goes from upbeat, to frantic, to chilled out in a matter of seconds; the disjointed, genre blending song, being one of the last of this ilk, before the band took on a more pop-rock oriented sound, under the direction of Stefani.
Although two of the original writers of the song were no longer with the band upon its release (Chris Leal having left, and John Spence having tragically committed suicide), the fast pace and raw punk energy of the re-imagined “Total Hate ‘95” is something else. Married with Stefani’s signature warble-wail and Gabriel McNair’s cheerful trombone solo, it's one of the best and heaviest ska-punk songs to have emerged from America’s third wave ska scene.