Rancid consists of Brett Reed (drummer), Lars Frederiksen (guitarist / vocalist), Matt Freeman (bassist / vocalist), Tim Armstrong (guitarist / vocalist).
This page is about a musical group; for the process of food becoming rancid, see rancidification.
Rancid is a punk band formed in 1991 in Berkeley, California, by former members of Operation Ivy, Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong. Rancid includes four members; Tim Armstrong on guitar and vocals, with Matt Freeman as backing vocalist and bassist, and Brett Reed as drummer. After searching for a second guitar player in 1993, Matt met Lars Frederiksen and he was added to the band on guitar and vocals, to round out the line up.
Rancid's musical style blends punk and hardcore with ska, reggae, rocksteady, and minor elements of dub and funk. Among mainstream audiences, Rancid are best-known for "Ruby Soho" and "Time Bomb" from the 1995 recording ...And Out Come the Wolves.
Rancid was very popular throughout the 1990s, with the band touring constantly from 1993 through 1998. They have released 6 full-length albums, the first 4 through the independent label, Epitaph Records, along with numerous 7" vinyls and singles. Following the success of Let's Go, which garnered gold status in the U.S. with 500,000 copies sold, the band was pursued by several major labels, including Madonna's Maverick Records; Rancid chose to stick with Epitaph despite these offers.
Rancid's self-titled 2000 album was released on Hellcat Records, and their 2003 record, Indestructible, was released by Hellcat Records with Warner Brothers distrubuting the record.
