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Offspring Information
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'The Offspring' is an American pop punk band from Orange County, California that originally formed in 1984, consisting of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and Atom Willard on drums. In 2003, long time drummer Ron Welty left the band and was replaced by Atom Willard.
Background
Although their first album, The Offspring, was very similar to late 1980s punk, the next album, Ignition, saw them move away from more traditional punk, heading into the grunge of the early-1990s with songs like "Dirty Magic". It was 1994's album, Smash, that brought Offspring into the mainstream; it sold over eleven million copies worldwide, making it, to this day, the biggest selling album on an indie label. Along with Green Day's Dookie, it is considered to have catalysed the punk rock revival of the 90s.
In 1996, The Offspring jumped ship from Epitaph Records and signed with Columbia Records. Many punk rock purists criticized this decision, feeling that The Offspring jumped from an independent to a major label, solely for financial gain. However, vocalist Dexter Holland, in a letter to the fans, stated that they left because Epitaph's owner was taking immoral actions and was concerned only about profit; and that the contract they signed with Columbia was for less money.
They released their follow up to Smash in 1997, entitled Ixnay on the Hombre. The commercial success of this record was somewhat disappointing, only going on to sell four million copies.
On each album, The Offspring tend to have a few songs based on current social/political subject matter, a testament to their punk roots. Songs like "Jennifer Lost the War" and "Kill the President" on The Offspring, "L.A.P.D." on Ignition, "It'll Be a Long Time" and "Not the One" on Smash, and "Meaning of Life" and "Change the World" on Ixnay on the Hombre, communicated the band's general position on some issues, although the band has not been known to be outspoken or particularly politically active, they did release the track 'Baghdad' on the first Rock Against Bush compilation released by Fat Wreck Chords.
In 1995 Dexter Holland, lead singer of the band and Greg K, bassist formed their own record label, Nitro Records. The label has released works by many punk groups, including AFI,The Damned and TSOL. (The Offspring have recorded covers of "Smash It Up" by The Damned and "Total Immortal" by AFI, both released as singles.)
Although Smash was the album that first brought The Offspring major commercial success and recognition, it was the release of the single "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" from the 1998 album Americana which established the band as a regular feature on MTV and in the pop charts. The album also featured the hits, The Kids Aren't Alright, a tune about a place the members used to call home until it underwent very negative changes; She's Got Issues, a song speaking of a controversial girl who is much more complicated than she looks; and Why Don't You Get A Job, an extremely catchy, reggae-style tune that teases relationships that have a lazy woman with a husband who provides everything for her.
In 2000 came Conspiracy Of One. This album enjoyed some success, but not as much as Smash or Americana. Some popular hits on this album include Million Miles Away, Want You Bad, and the latin-style and most famous song on the album, Original Prankster.
The band's most recent studio album is Splinter, which draws inspiration from their older works. The band has also recently released a greatest hits album, unsurprisingly entitled: Greatest Hits, which was released on June 21, 2005. The first single from which is "Can't Repeat". The band is also working on their eighth album of new material which is slated for release sometime in 2006. Two sources ( and ) have stated that the album was supposed to be released in November 2005. However, the rumour turned to be false, according to source ().
The Offspring appeared as an unnamed punk band, playing a cover of the Ramones standard I Wanna Be Sedated, in the 1999 horror-comedy Idle Hands, where Dexter Holland was scalped by the titular possessed hand.
On March 18, 2003, Ron Welty left The Offspring to devote his energies to a new band "Steady Ground". The Offspring held auditions for a new drummer, ultimately selecting Atom Willard. Atom Willard played in Rocket from the Crypt for ten years and has more recently played with Moth, Alkaline Trio and Melissa Auf Der Maur. He also drums for Tom DeLonge's latest band, Angels and airwaves.
Discography
Studio albums
The Offspring, 1989/1995 (re-issue) self-titled debut album
Ignition, 1992
Smash, 1994 #4 US, #21 UK
Ixnay on the Hombre, 1997 #9 US, #17 UK
Americana, 1998 #2 US, #10 UK #1 Australia
Conspiracy of One, 2000 #9 US, #12 UK #2 Australia
Splinter, 2003 #30 US, #27 UK #12 Australia
Compilations
*Greatest Hits, 2005 #8 US, #14 UK, #2 Australia
EPs
* Baghdad, 1991
* Club Me, 1997
Singles
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Main- stream Rock | UK singles | Album |
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| 1989 | "I'll Be Waiting" | - | - | - | - | The Offspring | | 1989 | "Blackball" | - | - | - | - | The Offspring | | 1992 | "Kick Him When He's Down" | - | - | - | - | Ignition | | 1994 | "Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)" | - | 1 | 10 | - | Smash | | 1994 | "Gotta Get Away" | - | 6 | 15 | 43 | Smash | | 1994 | "Self Esteem" | - | 4 | 7 | 37 | Smash | | 1995 | "Bad Habit" | - | - | - | 26 | Smash | | 1995 | "Smash It Up" | - | 16 | - | - | Batman Forever Soundtrack | | 1997 | "All I Want" | - | 13 | - | 31 | Ixnay on the Hombre | | 1997 | "I Choose" | - | 24 | 5 | 42 | Ixnay on the Hombre | | 1997 | "Meaning of Life" | - | - | - | - | Ixnay on the Hombre | | 1998 | "Gone Away" | - | 4 | 1 | - | Ixnay on the Hombre | | 1998 | "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" | 53 | 3 | 5 | 1 | Americana | | 1999 | "Why Don't You Get a Job?" | 74 | 4 | 10 | 2 | Americana | | 1999 | "She's Got Issues" | - | 11 | 19 | 41 | Americana | | 1999 | "The Kids Aren't Alright" | - | 6 | - | 11 | Americana | | 2000 | "Total Immortal" | - | - | - | - | Me, Myself, and Irene Soundtrack | | 2000 | "Original Prankster" | 70 | 2 | 7 | 6 | Conspiracy of One | | 2000 | "One Fine Day" | - | - | - | - | Conspiracy of One | | 2000 | "Huck It" | - | - | - | - | Conspiracy of One | | 2001 | "Want You Bad" | - | 10 | - | 15 | Conspiracy of One | | 2001 | "Million Miles Away" | - | - | - | 21 | Conspiracy of One | | 2001 | "Defy You" | 77 | 8 | 8 | - | Orange County Soundtrack | | 2003 | "Hit That" | 64 | - | 6 | 11 | Splinter | | 2004 | "(Can't Get My) Head Around You" | - | 6 | 16 | 48 | Splinter | | 2004 | "Spare Me The Details" | - | - | - | - | Splinter | | 2005 | "Can't Repeat" | - | 9 | 10 | - | Greatest Hits | | 2005 | "Next to You" | - | 37 | 29 | - | Greatest Hits | |
*Videos were made for the songs 'Cool To Hate' and 'Da Hui', but they were never released as singles.
DVDs and videos
* The Complete Video Collection, July 19, 2005
* Huck It, 2000
* Americana (The DVD), 1999
Filmography of songs
*All I Want, Way Down the Line, The Meaning of Life and Change the World were played in the game Crazy Taxi
*Come Out Swinging, One Fine Day, Walla Walla, No Brakes, and Americana were played in the game Crazy Taxi 2
*Want You Bad and Special Delivery were played in the game Crazy Taxi 3
*Beheaded and I Wanna Be Sedated (a cover of The Ramones) was played in the soundtrack of Idle Hands
*Bloodstains (song cover of Agent Orange) was played in the soundtrack of Ready to Rumble
*Defy You was played in the soundtrack of Orange County
*D.U.I. was played in the soundtrack of I Know What You Did Last Summer
*Smash It Up (song cover of The Damned) was played in the soundtrack of Batman Forever
*Take It Like a Man and Forever and a Day were played in the movie The Chase
*Want You Bad was played in the soundtrack of American Pie 2
*Total Immortal (song cover of AFI) was played in the soundtrack of Me, Myself and Irene
*Blackball was played in the game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
*Dammit, I Changed Again was played in the film The New Guy
*Want You Bad was played in the film Tomcats
*Genocide was played in the video game Jeremy Mcgrath Pro Supercross
*Nitro (Youth Energy) was played in the film Varsity Blues
*Come Out and Play was played in the film Bubble Boy
*Americana was played in the film Bowling for Columbine
*The Meaning of Life was played in the film Tekken:The Motion Picture
*Pretty Fly was played in the film Loser
*The Kids Aren't Alright was played in the adversiment from MTV
*The Kids Aren't Alright was played in the film The Faculty
*Baghdad (a cover of Tehran) was in the album rock against bush
*Original Prankster was played in the film The Animal
*Hit That played in a Control Your TV commercial.
*Can't Repeat was the Theme song of the 2005 Dew Action Sports Tour.
*Want You Bad was played on an episode of Dawson's Creek
*All I Want was played on an episode of the cartoon series Daria
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