Life Won't Wait
Encyclopedia
Life Won't Wait is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock
band Rancid
. It was released on June 30, 1998 through Epitaph Records
. It was released as the follow-up to ...And Out Come the Wolves
(1995).
and rockabilly
, and dabbles in elements of dub
, hip-hop
, funk
and other forms of music as The Clash
did with Sandinista!
. The album's personnel includes some of Rancid's influences and contemporaries such as members of The Specials
and The Slackers
.
Lyrically, the album discusses riots, revolution, politics, and historical events as well as making references to the Illuminati
and Bakunin.
, New York City
, New Orleans), but also in Jamaica
. Two of the songs were recorded in Kingston
: "Hoover Street" and the title track, "Life Won't Wait". With the cooperation of numerous Jamaican reggae artists (such as Buju Banton
) is very distinctive on this album, not just in the vocals, but also in instrumental parts, which all makes Life Won't Wait very different from most of the other Rancid releases.
. After its release, the band moved to frontman Tim Armstrong
's label (a sub-label of Epitaph), Hellcat Records
, who released their next album, 2000's Rancid
. Although not as successful as ...And Out Come the Wolves, the album peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200
album chart, making it one of Rancid's highest ranking albums.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic described the album as having a ska influence. He praised the music as a "powerful slice of old-school punk — as powerful as any of their records" and claims "it actually sounds a lot like ...And Out Come the Wolves". The album received a rating of four out of five stars.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
. It was released on June 30, 1998 through Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
. It was released as the follow-up to ...And Out Come the Wolves
...And Out Come the Wolves
…And Out Come the Wolves is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It was released on August 22, 1995 through Epitaph Records. Rancid's popularity and catchy songs made them the subject of a major label bidding war that ended with the band staying on Epitaph...
(1995).
Musical style and lyrics
The album branches out from Rancid's punk and ska roots to explore roots reggaeRoots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...
and rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, and dabbles in elements of dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and other forms of music as The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
did with Sandinista!
Sandinista!
Sandinista! is the fourth studio album by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released on 12 December 1980 as a triple album containing 36 tracks, with 6 songs on each side...
. The album's personnel includes some of Rancid's influences and contemporaries such as members of The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
and The Slackers
The Slackers
The Slackers are a New York City band, formed in Brooklyn in 1991. The band's sound is a mix of ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, soul, garage rock, and jazz...
.
Lyrically, the album discusses riots, revolution, politics, and historical events as well as making references to the Illuminati
Illuminati
The Illuminati is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically the name refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776...
and Bakunin.
Writing and production
Around early 1997, still riding high off of the success of ...And Out Come the Wolves, Rancid decided to immediately enter the studio following the ...And Out Come the Wolves tour to record the next album. The recording of Life Won't Wait took place not just in the U.S. (from San Francisco to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New Orleans), but also in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Two of the songs were recorded in Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
: "Hoover Street" and the title track, "Life Won't Wait". With the cooperation of numerous Jamaican reggae artists (such as Buju Banton
Buju Banton
Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
) is very distinctive on this album, not just in the vocals, but also in instrumental parts, which all makes Life Won't Wait very different from most of the other Rancid releases.
Reception
Life Won't Wait was released on June 30, 1998, and was the final Rancid album to be released through Epitaph RecordsEpitaph Records
Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
. After its release, the band moved to frontman Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong
Timothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was...
's label (a sub-label of Epitaph), Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for...
, who released their next album, 2000's Rancid
Rancid (2000 album)
Rancid is the eponymous fifth studio album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It is the second eponymous album and was released on August 1, 2000 through frontman Tim Armstrong's label, Hellcat Records. It was the band's first album released through Hellcat...
. Although not as successful as ...And Out Come the Wolves, the album peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart, making it one of Rancid's highest ranking albums.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic described the album as having a ska influence. He praised the music as a "powerful slice of old-school punk — as powerful as any of their records" and claims "it actually sounds a lot like ...And Out Come the Wolves". The album received a rating of four out of five stars.
Track listing
Chart positions
Billboard Music Charts (North America) - album- 1998 Billboard 200Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
- No. 35
Personnel
- Tim ArmstrongTim ArmstrongTimothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
engineer, mixing, cover photo - Lars FrederiksenLars FrederiksenLars Erik Frederiksen is an American guitarist and vocalist, most notably for the punk rock band Rancid, and as the frontman of Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards and The Old Firm Casuals. He was also briefly a member of the UK Subs in 1991...
– vocals, guitar, engineer, producer, cover photo - Matt FreemanMatt FreemanMatthew "McCall" Freeman is an American musician. He is best known for his bass guitar work with the punk rock bands Operation Ivy, Rancid and as the frontman of Devil's Brigade.-Playing style:...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Brett Reed – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional musicians
- Buju BantonBuju BantonBuju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
– additional vocals on track 5 - Dicky BarrettDicky BarrettRichard Michael Barrett , better known as Dicky Barrett, is the frontman of Ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and the announcer for Jimmy Kimmel Live...
– additional vocals on track 13 - Lester ButlerLester ButlerLester Butler was an American blues harmonica player and singer. He achieved fame as the singer and harmonica player for the Los Angeles, California, based blues roots band, The Red Devils-Biography:...
– harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
on track 1 - Roddy Byers – guitar on track 8
- Simon Chardiet – guitar on track 19
- Alex DésertAlex DésertAlex Désert is a Haitian-American actor and musician most known for his roles in the TV series The Flash, Becker, and Boy Meets World...
– backing vocals on track 3 - DJ Q-Maxx 420 (Marq Lyn) – backing vocals on track 6
- Santa Fazio – harmonica on track 14
- Lynval GoldingLynval GoldingLynval Golding is a British musician. He is best known as a rhythm guitarist and vocalist with the British 2 Tone Records band, The Specials....
– additional vocals on track 8 - Dave HillyardDave HillyardDave Hillyard is a tenor saxophonist originating from San Diego, California. He has performed with many groups such as The Slackers, The Rocksteady Seven, The Donkey Show, Hepcat, Stubborn All-Stars, and has guested with the likes of Rancid, Victor Rice, Skinnerbox NYC and Alexandra Lawerentz...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
on tracks 11 and 18 - Dr. Israel – vocals on track 22
- Thomas Johnson- percussion on track 12
- Kristin Krisapline- gang vocals on track 2
- Ollie Lattgenau – backing vocals on tracks 10 and 15
- Greg Lee – backing vocals on track 3
- Roger MiretRoger MiretRoger Miret is the vocalist for New York Hardcore outfit Agnostic Front as well as the street punk group Roger Miret and the Disasters....
– backing vocals on track 20 - Mark Mullins – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
on tracks 11 and 18 - Stephen PerkinsStephen PerkinsStephen Andrew Perkins is an American musician and songwriter. A drummer and percussionist, he currently plays with Jane's Addiction and Hellflower....
– steel drums on track 22 - Howie PyroHowie PyroHowie Pyro on 28 June 1960 is a Queens, New York City based rock musician and bass player. He is a founding member of D Generation.-With D Generation:*No Way Out - Single - **Re-released in 1994 and 1996....
- gang vocals on track 2 - Marky RamoneMarky RamoneMarky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
- gang vocals on track 2 - Vic RuggieroVic RuggieroVictor "Vic" Ruggiero, is a musician, songwriter and producer from New York City who has played in many ska bands, such as The Slackers, Stubborn All-Stars, SKAndalous All Stars, Crazy Baldhead and The Silencers...
– B3 organ on tracks 5, 8-9, 11, 13, 18, 21, piano on 5, 9, 12, 14, 18, 21, percussion on 5 and 18, guitar on 12 - Jamil Sharif – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
on tracks 11 and 18 - Neville StaplesNeville StaplesNeville Eugenton Staple is a singer for the two-tone ska band, The Specials as well as his own combo, The Neville Staple Band. Along with Ranking Roger, he also sings in Special Beat.-Early life:...
– additional vocals on track 8 - Tim ShawTim ShawTim Shaw may refer to:* Tim Shaw , British radio personality* Tim Shaw , American football player* Tim Shaw , Australian after dinner speaker and television personality...
- gang vocals on track 2 - Eric StefaniEric StefaniEric Matthew Stefani is an American musician, composer, writer and animator, best known as a former member of the pop rock band No Doubt. He is the older brother of Gwen Stefani and is also a former animator on the animated sitcom The Simpsons.-Biography:Stefani attended Loara High School in...
– piano on track 3 - Will Wheaton – backing vocals on tracks 11 and 21
Production
- Thomas "T.J." Johnson – percussion, engineer, mixing
- Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
– mastering - Jerry FinnJerry FinnJerry Finn was an American record producer. He was perhaps best known for his work with Blink-182, as well as Morrissey, AFI, Bad Religion, Alkaline Trio, MxPx, Rancid, Green Day, Sum 41 and The Offspring.-Death:...
– mixing - Jim Albert – engineering
- Robi Banerji – engineering
- Albert Cayati – engineering
- Michael "Cooley" Cooper – engineering
- Kevin Dena – engineering
- John Ewing, Jr. – engineering
- Grace Falconer – engineering
- Lior Goldenberg – engineering
- Cappy Japngie – engineering
- Walter Mauceri – engineering
- Spencer Ledyard – engineering
- Steve Mixdorf – engineering
- Jonathan Mooney – engineering
- Ronnie Rivera – engineering
- Michael Rosen – engineering
- Kevin Smith – engineering
- Rohan "Jimjay" Stephens – engineering
- Claus Trelby – engineering
- John Tyree – engineering
- Howard Willing – engineering
- Joe Zook – engineering
- Jesse Fischer – artwork, photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...