El Sobrante, California
Encyclopedia
El Sobrante is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Contra Costa County
, California
, United States
. The population was 12,669 at the 2010 census. The Spanish
name 'El Sobrante' translates to 'leftover', 'remainder', 'extra' or 'surplus' in English.
, the CDP has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7 km²), all of it land.
El Sobrante is unincorporated and lies within Contra Costa County. Main roads include San Pablo Dam Road (a major road running from Richmond
and San Pablo
, through El Sobrante, past EBMUD's San Pablo Reservoir
), Valley View Road and Appian Way. San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way both connect to Interstate 80 to the west.
El Sobrante also contains San Pablo Creek, running behind the library, ACE hardware store and many homes in El Sobrante.
, came to the East Bay, including El Sobrante. One of the Huichin villages was located where the El Sobrante Library now stands. The Huichin left a now-buried shell mound beside San Pablo Creek.
In the 1770s, the Huchiun were forcibly converted to Christianity
by Spanish missionaries, and died in great numbers. After Mexican independence from Spain
in the early 19th century, Spanish colonists were given land grants, one of which was Rancho El Sobrante
, deeded to Juan Jose and Víctor Castro
in 1841. The grant's boundaries were unusually complicated, as they were to be determined by the boundaries of the surrounding grants: San Antonio, San Pablo
, El Pinole
, Boca de la Canada del Pinole
, Acalanes
, and La Laguna de los Palos Colorados
. In this sense, the rancho was el sobrante, the remaining area. Legal disputes concerning the borders and the claims of squatters continued for four decades, with much of the land sold to pay court and attorney costs. Victor Castro was left with 549 acres (2.2 km²) of the original grant. He built an adobe dwelling in what is now El Cerrito
, and became one of the first members of the Board of Supervisors
of Contra Costa County
. Castro died at the age of 90 in 1897. Some of his descendants still live in the area of Castro Ranch Road.
El Sobrante was called "Oak Grove" by industrial concerns in 1887 when the California and Nevada Railroad
put a spur into the area for the purpose of carrying lumber cut from the hills. Then the name Sobrante was applied, with the addition of the Spanish
definite article "El" coinciding with the opening of the first post office in 1941.
By the early 20th century, Rancho El Sobrante had been reduced to a number of smaller ranches, generally following a dirt road along San Pablo Creek. Many of these ranches were further subdivided. As roads were paved and homes were constructed, El Sobrante changed from a rural to a semi-rural community.
was 4,581.4 people per square mile (1,768.9/km²). The racial makeup of El Sobrante was 6,405 (50.6%) White, 1,673 (13.2%) African American, 127 (1.0%) Native American, 1,986 (15.7%) Asian, 113 (0.9%) Pacific Islander, 1,384 (10.9%) from other races
, and 981 (7.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,036 persons (24.0%).
The Census reported that 12,620 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 49 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,759 households, out of which 1,600 (33.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,154 (45.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 757 (15.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 301 (6.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 312 (6.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 67 (1.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,170 households (24.6%) were made up of individuals and 373 (7.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65. There were 3,212 families
(67.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.16.
The population was spread out with 2,696 people (21.3%) under the age of 18, 1,126 people (8.9%) aged 18 to 24, 3,340 people (26.4%) aged 25 to 44, 3,910 people (30.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,597 people (12.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
There were 5,136 housing units at an average density of 1,857.3 per square mile (717.1/km²), of which 2,952 (62.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,807 (38.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%. 7,829 people (61.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,791 people (37.8%) lived in rental housing units.
, there were 12,260 people, 4,676 households, and 3,170 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 3,953.1 people per square mile (1,527.0/km²). There were 4,803 housing units at an average density of 1,548.7 per square mile (598.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 60.35% White
, 12.16% Black
or African American
, 0.67% Native American
, 12.50% Asian
, 0.29% Pacific Islander
, 6.97% from other races
, and 7.06% from two or more races. 15.58% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 4,676 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,272, and the median income for a family was $59,342. Males had a median income of $44,232 versus $34,661 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $24,525. About 6.6% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
El Sobrante is also home to a growing Sikh
population. The center of the Sikh community is the Gurdwara Sahib of El Sobrante (known for its large golden dome) which sits high in the hills above San Pablo Dam Road.
is located in El Sobrante. The library opened in 1961, and in 1975 it received an expansion that doubled the facility's size.
on his 1996 song El Sobrante Fortnight, the
Former Green Day
drummer John Kiffmeyer
took his stage name, "Al Sobrante" from the town.
The band Jawbreaker
references El Sobrante as "El Sob" in their song Boxcar.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 12,669 at the 2010 census. The Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
name 'El Sobrante' translates to 'leftover', 'remainder', 'extra' or 'surplus' in English.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7 km²), all of it land.
El Sobrante is unincorporated and lies within Contra Costa County. Main roads include San Pablo Dam Road (a major road running from Richmond
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
and San Pablo
San Pablo, California
San Pablo is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city of Richmond surrounds nearly the whole city. The population was 29,139 at the 2010 census. The current Mayor is Paul V. Morris, and the current Vice Mayor is Cecilia Valdez. Current Councilmembers include Arturo M....
, through El Sobrante, past EBMUD's San Pablo Reservoir
San Pablo Reservoir
The San Pablo Reservoir is an open cut terminal water storage reservoir owned and operated by the East Bay Municipal Utility District . It is located in the valley of San Pablo Creek, north of Orinda, California and south of El Sobrante and Richmond, east of the Berkeley Hills between the Sobrante...
), Valley View Road and Appian Way. San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way both connect to Interstate 80 to the west.
El Sobrante also contains San Pablo Creek, running behind the library, ACE hardware store and many homes in El Sobrante.
History
Between 5,000 B.C. and 1,000 B.C., an indigenous tribe of people called the Huchiun, a sub-tribe of the OhloneOhlone
The Ohlone people, also known as the Costanoan, are a Native American people of the central California coast. When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the late 18th century, the Ohlone inhabited the area along the coast from San Francisco Bay through Monterey Bay to the lower Salinas Valley...
, came to the East Bay, including El Sobrante. One of the Huichin villages was located where the El Sobrante Library now stands. The Huichin left a now-buried shell mound beside San Pablo Creek.
In the 1770s, the Huchiun were forcibly converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
by Spanish missionaries, and died in great numbers. After Mexican independence from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the early 19th century, Spanish colonists were given land grants, one of which was Rancho El Sobrante
Rancho El Sobrante
Rancho El Sobrante was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Juan Jose Castro and Victor Castro...
, deeded to Juan Jose and Víctor Castro
Víctor Castro
Víctor Ramón Castro was a landowner in an area of Alta California which later became part of Contra Costa County, California.Víctor Castro was the son of Francisco María Castro, a former soldier at the San Francisco Presidio, one-time alcalde of the Pueblo of San José, and grantee of Rancho San...
in 1841. The grant's boundaries were unusually complicated, as they were to be determined by the boundaries of the surrounding grants: San Antonio, San Pablo
Rancho San Pablo
Rancho San Pablo was a land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1823 by Governor Luís Antonio Argüello to Francisco María Castro , a former soldier at the San Francisco Presidio and one-time alcalde of the Pueblo of San José. The grant was reconfirmed by Governor José...
, El Pinole
Rancho El Pinole
Rancho El Pinole was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Ygnacio Martinez...
, Boca de la Canada del Pinole
Rancho Boca de la Cañada del Pinole
Rancho Boca de la Cañada del Pinole was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to María Manuela Valencia. The name means "Mouth of the Pinole Valley" in Spanish...
, Acalanes
Rancho Acalanes
Rancho Acalanes was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa to Candelario Valencia. The name Acalanes seems to have come from the name of a Costanoan native village in the area, Ahala-n. The rancho included present day...
, and La Laguna de los Palos Colorados
Rancho Laguna de los Palos Colorados
Rancho Laguna de Los Palos Colorados was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Joaquin Moraga and his cousin, Juan Bernal. The name means "Ranch of the Lake of the Redwoods" in Spanish...
. In this sense, the rancho was el sobrante, the remaining area. Legal disputes concerning the borders and the claims of squatters continued for four decades, with much of the land sold to pay court and attorney costs. Victor Castro was left with 549 acres (2.2 km²) of the original grant. He built an adobe dwelling in what is now El Cerrito
El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California
-Transportation:The city's primary transportation infrastructure consists of the El Cerrito Plaza and El Cerrito del Norte BART stations along with several local bus lines, operated by AC Transit, providing access to the surrounding area and the nearby cities of Albany, Berkeley and Richmond...
, and became one of the first members of the Board of Supervisors
County board of supervisors
The Board of Supervisors is the body that supervises the operation of county government in all counties in Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Sussex County, New Jersey as well as a handful of counties in New York...
of Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
. Castro died at the age of 90 in 1897. Some of his descendants still live in the area of Castro Ranch Road.
El Sobrante was called "Oak Grove" by industrial concerns in 1887 when the California and Nevada Railroad
California and Nevada Railroad
The California and Nevada Railroad was a steam narrow gauge railroad which ran in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 19th century. It was incorporated on March 25, 1884. J.S. Emery was listed as the railroad's president, for which present day Emeryville is named. On March 1,...
put a spur into the area for the purpose of carrying lumber cut from the hills. Then the name Sobrante was applied, with the addition of the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
definite article "El" coinciding with the opening of the first post office in 1941.
By the early 20th century, Rancho El Sobrante had been reduced to a number of smaller ranches, generally following a dirt road along San Pablo Creek. Many of these ranches were further subdivided. As roads were paved and homes were constructed, El Sobrante changed from a rural to a semi-rural community.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that El Sobrante had a population of 12,669. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,581.4 people per square mile (1,768.9/km²). The racial makeup of El Sobrante was 6,405 (50.6%) White, 1,673 (13.2%) African American, 127 (1.0%) Native American, 1,986 (15.7%) Asian, 113 (0.9%) Pacific Islander, 1,384 (10.9%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 981 (7.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,036 persons (24.0%).
The Census reported that 12,620 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 49 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,759 households, out of which 1,600 (33.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,154 (45.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 757 (15.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 301 (6.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 312 (6.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 67 (1.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,170 households (24.6%) were made up of individuals and 373 (7.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65. There were 3,212 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(67.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.16.
The population was spread out with 2,696 people (21.3%) under the age of 18, 1,126 people (8.9%) aged 18 to 24, 3,340 people (26.4%) aged 25 to 44, 3,910 people (30.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,597 people (12.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
There were 5,136 housing units at an average density of 1,857.3 per square mile (717.1/km²), of which 2,952 (62.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,807 (38.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%. 7,829 people (61.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,791 people (37.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 12,260 people, 4,676 households, and 3,170 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,953.1 people per square mile (1,527.0/km²). There were 4,803 housing units at an average density of 1,548.7 per square mile (598.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 60.35% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 12.16% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.67% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 12.50% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.29% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 6.97% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 7.06% from two or more races. 15.58% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 4,676 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,272, and the median income for a family was $59,342. Males had a median income of $44,232 versus $34,661 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $24,525. About 6.6% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
El Sobrante is also home to a growing Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
population. The center of the Sikh community is the Gurdwara Sahib of El Sobrante (known for its large golden dome) which sits high in the hills above San Pablo Dam Road.
Education
The El Sobrante Library of the Contra Costa County LibraryContra Costa County Library
Contra Costa County Library is a public library that is part of Contra Costa County, California, United States. There are 26 community libraries, access to electronic information via a website, over 455,000 cardholders and more than 7 million items borrowed annually...
is located in El Sobrante. The library opened in 1961, and in 1975 it received an expansion that doubled the facility's size.
Popular culture
According to Les ClaypoolLes Claypool
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
on his 1996 song El Sobrante Fortnight, the
Former Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
drummer John Kiffmeyer
John Kiffmeyer
John Kiffmeyer , was born on July 11, 1969. He was the first drummer of the punk rock/alternative rock band Green Day. He was given his nickname in reference to his hometown, El Sobrante.-Biography:...
took his stage name, "Al Sobrante" from the town.
The band Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (band)
Jawbreaker was an American punk rock band active from 1986 to 1996 and considered one of the most influential acts of the early-1990s emo movement...
references El Sobrante as "El Sob" in their song Boxcar.
Notable residents
Current and former residents of El Sobrante include the following:- Famous musicians such as Kirk HammettKirk HammettKirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stones list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
of MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and ExodusExodus (band)Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
, Marc Biederman of Blind IllusionBlind IllusionBlind Illusion is an American progressive thrash metal band from Richmond, California. Formed in 1979 by lead guitarist and main songwriter Marc Biedermann, the band had an extremely unstable lineup and went through several stylistic changes during their time...
, Les ClaypoolLes ClaypoolLeslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
(former member of Blind Ilusion currently of PrimusPrimus (band)Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
), Larry "Ler" LaLonde of PrimusPrimus (band)Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
and PossessedPossessed (band)Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals, they are routinely called the first band in the death metal genre...
, Jason Beebout of SamiamSamiam-Biography:Samiam was formed in late 1988 after the breakup of the Gilman club mainstay Isocracy. Their first show was in January 1989 with Christ on Parade. They released records through New Red Archives and Hopeless Records in the US and Burning Heart Records in Europe. In the mid-'90s, the band...
and IsocracyIsocracyAn isocracy is a form of government where all citizens have equal political power. The term derives from Greek "ἴσος" meaning "equal" and "κρατεῖν" meaning "to have power", or "to rule"....
and John KiffmeyerJohn KiffmeyerJohn Kiffmeyer , was born on July 11, 1969. He was the first drummer of the punk rock/alternative rock band Green Day. He was given his nickname in reference to his hometown, El Sobrante.-Biography:...
of Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
and IsocracyIsocracyAn isocracy is a form of government where all citizens have equal political power. The term derives from Greek "ἴσος" meaning "equal" and "κρατεῖν" meaning "to have power", or "to rule"....
all grew up in El Sobrante, and most of them attended De Anza High SchoolDe Anza High SchoolDe Anza High School is a secondary school located in Richmond, California, named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza.The school originally opened in 1955. In 2005 local voters passed Measure J, a bond measure which included $161 million to completely rebuild the De Anza campus...
. Many of these musicians have close ties. Hammett and Claypool were friends as children. LaLonde was a founding member of death metalDeath metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
pioneers PossessedPossessed (band)Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals, they are routinely called the first band in the death metal genre...
, who toured with Metallica before joining Claypool in PrimusPrimus (band)Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
, and Claypool auditioned to join Metallica; however Claypool was turned down because his style was too funky for Metallica. - Tim Agnello, founding member of the band ExodusExodus (band)Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
, grew up in El Sobrante. - Underground comics artist Joel Beck lived in El Sobrante and attended De Anza High School.
- John FogertyJohn FogertyJohn Cameron Fogerty is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and as a #1 solo recording artist. Fogerty has a rare distinction of being named on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest...
, leader of Creedence Clearwater RevivalCreedence Clearwater RevivalCreedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
, lived in El Sobrante for several years during the late 1970s and early 1980s while he was embroiled in litigation with Fantasy RecordsFantasy RecordsFantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
' owner Saul ZaentzSaul ZaentzSaul Zaentz is an American film producer and former record company executive. He has won the Academy Award for Best Picture three times and in 1996 was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award....
. - Author Judy MalloyJudy MalloyJudy Malloy is a poet whose works embrace the intersection of hypernarrative, magic realism, and information art. Beginning with Uncle Roger in 1986, Malloy has composed works in both new media literature and hypertext fiction...
lives and writes in El Sobrante. - Comic book writer Landry WalkerLandry WalkerLandry Q. Walker , is an American comic book writer living in El Sobrante, California.-Biography:Landry Walker is the co-creator of a number of alternative comics published by Slave Labor Graphics and was a regular contributor to Disney Adventures Magazine during the last several years of its run...
grew up in El Sobrante and attended De Anza High SchoolDe Anza High SchoolDe Anza High School is a secondary school located in Richmond, California, named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza.The school originally opened in 1955. In 2005 local voters passed Measure J, a bond measure which included $161 million to completely rebuild the De Anza campus...
. - Flo AllenFlorence Wysinger AllenFlorence Wysinger Allen was an African American artists' model for more than 30 years. She was called "San Francisco's best loved artists' model".-Personal life:...
; San Francisco's most famous artists' model.
External links
- Bay Area Storytelling Festival Annual storytelling festivalStorytelling festivalA storytelling festival is often an annual event that features local, regional and/or nationally known oral storytellers. Each storyteller will have a scheduled amount of time to share a story with an audience...
in May - Gurdwara Sahib Temple
- El Sobrante Chamber of Commerce