BERKELEY, CA—Punk rock veterans Rancid announced their deluxe 30th-anniversary Rancid box set today. The band promised that the massive physical reissue of their seminal 1995 album, ...And Out Come the Wolves, will contain a sealed vial of authentic Berkeley gutter water. Band members allegedly scooped the murky liquid from Telegraph Avenue during the original Clinton administration.
The Smell of 1995
Vinyl collectors have long demanded more tactile archival releases. Industry experts believe this Rancid box set sets a new standard for sensory nostalgia. "We wanted to give fans more than just remastered audio," said Gordon Flense, Deputy Undersecretary for Things That Were Fine Before. "We wanted them to smell the damp cardboard, the cheap malt liquor, and the general sense of rebellion that defined the East Bay punk scene before tech money ruined the rent prices."
The Rancid box set also features a replica of Lars Frederiksen’s original thumb ring and a piece of petrified vegan pizza from the legendary 924 Gilman Street venue. Hellcat Records expects the physical package to weigh nearly fourteen pounds due to the inclusion of a real, rusted chain-link fence segment.
Authentic Street Grime
Some purists question the safety of the liquid memorabilia. Scientists at the state health department warned that thirty-year-old street puddle runoff may contain trace amounts of lead, motor oil, and expired patchouli. "That is just the flavor of the music," countered Marcus Bellweather, Epitaph Records' Senior VP of Physical Artifacts and Tetanus. "If you do not contract a mild rash while opening this gatefold, you are not truly experiencing punk rock."
At press time, the band announced a super-deluxe tier of the Rancid box set that includes a local bus ticket from 1995 and a pre-scabbed knee injury.
