Rancid is one of my favorite bands. They are an American punk band formed in 1991.
I like punk rock but I do not know much about Rancid
It was formed by Tim Armstrong & Matt Freeman, punk veterans who played in ska bands previously.
How is ska different than punk music?
Ska has a walking bass line accented with rythms while punk ecompasses more diverse rhythms.
What are some popular punk bands besides Rancid
Along wigh Rancid, Green Day & The Offspring are credited with reviving mainstream interest in punk rock.
I really liked Green Day.  Seems like they have been around forever
Green Day
Green Day is an American rock band formed in 1986 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt. For much of the band's career, they have been a trio with drummer Tré Cool, who replaced John Kiffmeyer in 1990 prior to the recording of the band's second studio album, "Kerplunk" (1991). 
Green Day was originally part of the punk scene at the DIY 924 Gilman Street club in Berkeley, California. The band's early releases were with the independent
, and the Swingin' Utters.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, San Diego was home to a burgeoning post-hardcore scene centered on bands like Pitchfork, Rocket From the Crypt, the Renegades and Unwritten Law. Several of these bands played important roles in the so-called math rock movement.
In the late 1980s the Bay Area punk scene began to flourish. In 1987, Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong (future members of Rancid) started ska-punk band Operation Ivy. Other Bay Area bands