Rancid is a punk band from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991 from the ashes of Operation Ivy—a seminal ska-punk outfit featuring singer Tim Armstrong and bassist Matt Freeman—Rancid found fame in the alt-rock era alongside fellow Cali bands like Green Day and The Offspring. Originally a trio, the group added singer and guitarist Lars Fredriksen- after his band called UK Subs disbanded- for its 1994 sophomore effort, Let’s Go!, which featured the Modern Rock hits “Salvation” and “Radio.” The foursome’s commercial breakthrough came the following year, when …And Out Come the Wolves spawned the crossover singles “Ruby Soho” and “Time Bomb.”

With 1998’s Life Won’t Wait, Rancid broadened its sound to include rockabilly, dub reggae, soul, and more. The album earned the group comparisons to The Clash, who’d explored similar styles on their classic LPs London Calling and Sandinista! As a kind of corrective, Rancid went full-on thrash-punk with its self-titled 2000 follow-up, proving that it hadn’t gone too far down the experimental wormhole.

After another album (2003’s Indestructible), Rancid took an extended hiatus. They reformed in 2006, with founding drummer Brett Reed replaced by Branden Steineckert (formerly of The Used). Since reforming, they have continued to release albums and tour extensively.