The Offspring facts for kids

This page is about the band. For the album, see The Offspring (album).

Quick facts for kids The Offspring
The Offspring performing in 2024 From left: Todd Morse, Brandon Pertzborn, Dexter Holland, Jonah Nimoy and Noodles
Background information
Also known as	Manic Subsidal (1984–1986)
Origin	Garden Grove, California, U.S.
Genres	Punk rock skate punk pop-punk melodic hardcore hardcore punk alternative rock
Years active	1984–present
Labels	Columbia Black Label Nemesis Epitaph Nitro Time Bomb Concord

Members	Dexter Holland Noodles Todd Morse Jonah Nimoy Brandon Pertzborn

Past members	Greg K. James Lilja Ron Welty Atom Willard Pete Parada

The Offspring is a famous American punk rock band that started in Garden Grove, California, in 1984. They were first called Manic Subsidal. The band's current members are lead singer and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy, and drummer Brandon Pertzborn.

The Offspring is known for helping to make punk rock popular again in the 1990s. Other California punk bands like Green Day and Blink-182 also helped. Over their long career, The Offspring has released 10 studio albums. They have sold more than 40 million records worldwide. This makes them one of the best-selling punk rock bands ever.

The band has had a few changes in members over the years. Ron Welty was their drummer for a long time. He joined in 1987 and left in 2003. After him came Atom Willard and then Pete Parada. Pete Parada left in 2021. Brandon Pertzborn became the new drummer in 2023. Gregory "Greg K." Kriesel was a co-founder and the band's bassist until 2018. After he left, Dexter Holland became the only original member left. Todd Morse, who had been a touring guitarist, became the new bassist.

The Offspring first became popular locally with early releases like their 1989 album The Offspring. They also released an EP called Baghdad in 1991. They then signed with Epitaph Records and released Ignition (1992) and Smash (1994). Smash was a huge success. It included their first big hit song, "Come Out and Play". Smash sold over 11 million copies around the world. It helped bring punk rock music to a wider audience.

Because of Smash's success, bigger record labels noticed them. They signed with Columbia Records in 1996. Their first album with Columbia was Ixnay on the Hombre (1997). It sold well and got good reviews. Their fifth album, Americana (1998), was even more successful. Songs like "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)", "Why Don't You Get a Job?", and "The Kids Aren't Alright" were played a lot on the radio and MTV. This album sold over five million copies in the US.

Their next albums, Conspiracy of One (2000) and Splinter (2003), were also liked by critics. In 2008, they released Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. The song "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" from this album was a big hit. It reached number one on the Billboard rock charts and stayed there for eleven weeks. The band continued to tour and release new songs. Their eleventh studio album, Supercharged, is planned for release on October 11, 2024.

Band History
Music Style and Influences
Impact and Legacy
Band Members
Discography
Images for kids
See also

Band History

Early Years and First Albums (1984–1993)

Bassist Greg K., drummer Pete Parada, and frontman Dexter Holland in 2008

The Offspring started with Dexter Holland and Gregory "Greg K." Kriesel in 1983. They played music together in a garage in California. After seeing a Social Distortion show, they decided to form a band. They called themselves Manic Subsidal. Dexter Holland became the singer and guitarist. They asked Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman to join as a guitarist. This group played their first shows in California.

In 1986, the band changed their name to The Offspring. They named themselves after a movie. They released their first song, "I'll Be Waiting". They put it out on their own record company, Black Label. In 1987, drummer James Lilja left. Ron Welty, who was 16, took his place.

In 1988, The Offspring signed with Nemesis Records. In 1989, they recorded their first album, The Offspring. It was produced by Thom Wilson. The album was first released on vinyl and cassette. A national tour followed this release.

In 1991, they worked with Thom Wilson again. They made an EP called Baghdad. This helped them sign with Epitaph Records. In 1992, they recorded their second album, Ignition. They then toured the U.S. and Europe.

Smash: A Huge Success (1994–1995)

In 1994, The Offspring recorded their third album, Smash. This album became their biggest seller. At first, it wasn't very well known. But then, the song "Come Out and Play" was played on a Los Angeles radio station. This made the band very popular. The song reached number one on the Billboard rock charts.

The success of "Come Out and Play" made Smash a top album. It helped bring punk rock music to many more people. It is seen as a breakthrough album for pop-punk and skate punk music. The next two songs from the album, "Self Esteem" and "Gotta Get Away", were also very popular. Smash has sold over 11 million copies. It set a record for independent record labels.

The Offspring toured a lot in 1994 and 1995 to support Smash. They played with bands like Pennywise and Bad Religion. They also started headlining their own shows. By 1995, they were playing in bigger places like theaters and arenas.

Also in 1995, the band bought the rights to their first album. Holland and Kriesel started their own record label called Nitro Records. They re-released their 1989 debut album. Nitro Records also signed other punk bands.

New Labels and More Hits (1996–2002)

The Offspring performing in 2001

After Smash became so popular, The Offspring left Epitaph Records in 1996. They signed with Columbia Records. The band started writing their fourth album, Ixnay on the Hombre, in 1996. It was released in 1997. This album sold four million copies. It had songs like "Gone Away". Dexter Holland said that Ixnay was different from Smash.

In 1998, The Offspring released Americana. This album had some of their biggest hits. Songs like "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)", "Why Don't You Get a Job?", and "The Kids Aren't Alright" were very popular. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" was number one in many countries.

In 1999, the band appeared in the movie Idle Hands. They played a cover song and one of their own. They also performed at Woodstock 1999.

In 2000, the band released their sixth album, Conspiracy of One. The band wanted to release the whole album online. This was to support downloading music. But they only released the first song, "Original Prankster", on their website. The band also sold T-shirts to support Napster, a music sharing service.

They also released a song called "Defy You" for the movie Orange County.

Changes in Drummers and Greatest Hits (2003–2005)

Longtime drummer Ron Welty left the band in 2003. He wanted to play in a new band. The Offspring then released their seventh album, Splinter. Josh Freese played drums on the album. Later, Atom Willard became the new drummer. The album's first song, "Hit That", was quite popular. It used electronic sounds, which was new for the band.

In 2005, the band released a Greatest Hits album. It had 14 of their popular songs. It also included two new songs. One was a cover of "Next to You" by the Police. The album did not include songs from their first two albums. They also released a DVD with all their music videos.

The band toured in 2005. After the tour, they took a break. During this time, Atom Willard joined another band.

New Album and Tours (2006–2009)

Pete Parada and Noodles performing in 2009

In 2006, The Offspring started working on their eighth album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. They worked with producer Bob Rock. In 2007, Pete Parada became the band's new drummer. He replaced Atom Willard. The band played their first shows with Parada in Japan. They played a new song called "Hammerhead". This song became the first single from the new album. Josh Freese played drums on the album, not Pete Parada.

The Offspring played at the Australian Soundwave Festival in 2008.

The Offspring performing in 2009

On April 9, 2008, Dexter Holland announced the album's name, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. It was released on June 17. "Hammerhead" was released as the first single. The second single, "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid", was a huge hit. It was number one on the rock charts for 11 weeks.

Also in 2008, Epitaph Records re-released Ignition and Smash. They were updated and Smash had a new booklet. These re-releases came out on the same day as Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace.

The band started touring for the album in May. Scott Shiflett filled in for bassist Greg K. for some shows. Greg K. returned later. The band toured Japan and South America. In 2009, they toured North America with bands like Dropkick Murphys and Sum 41.

Days Go By and More Touring (2010–2013)

In 2009, the band started working on their ninth album with Bob Rock. They recorded on and off for a year. In 2010, The Offspring toured with 311. They also played some West Coast shows. In 2011, Josh Freese recorded drums for the album again. The band also toured and played at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.

After the tour, they finished recording the album. In March 2012, they announced the album was done. On April 20, 2012, they announced their new song "Days Go By". Three days later, they said their ninth album would be called Days Go By. It was released on June 26, 2012. They also released another song, "Cruising California (Bumpin' in My Trunk)".

In late 2012, The Offspring toured with Neon Trees. They also played at the Soundwave festival in Australia in 2013. The band played many shows in Europe, the United States, and South America in 2013. In November and December 2013, they played the Warped Tour in Australia.

In 2013, it was reported that The Offspring was working on a live album. It was recorded in Poland. It was planned to be released online, but it has not come out yet.

Anniversaries and New Music (2014–2016)

The Offspring toured in 2014 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their album Smash. They headlined the Summer Nationals 2014 tour. They played with bands like Bad Religion and Pennywise. For this tour, The Offspring released cover versions of songs by Pennywise and Bad Religion. These covers were on an EP called Summer Nationals. In January 2015, they released a new song, "Coming for You". They toured to support this song. They also played their 1998 album Americana in full at a festival in Canada.

The Offspring got the rights back to their Columbia Records albums in 2014. In 2016, a company called Round Hill bought the rights to these albums and their songs. In July 2016, a new Offspring song called "Sharknado" was released. It was for the movie Sharknado: The 4th Awakens.

Let the Bad Times Roll and Member Changes (2017–2021)

Noodles was not on some tours in 2017 due to a family matter. Other musicians filled in for him. That year, Dexter Holland earned a PhD in molecular biology.

In 2018, The Offspring played a new song called "It Won't Get Better". They also released a cover of 311's "Down".

In November 2018, founding bassist Greg K. left The Offspring. Tony Kanal filled in for him on tours. Later, Todd Morse became the full-time bassist. Greg K. later filed a lawsuit against Holland and Noodles.

In April 2020, The Offspring released a rock cover of "Here Kitty Kitty". They recorded it while staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, Holland said their new album was "basically done". But its release was delayed because of the pandemic. In November 2020, The Offspring released a Christmas song. In February 2021, they announced their tenth album, Let the Bad Times Roll. The album was released on April 16.

In August 2021, Pete Parada announced he was no longer the drummer. He said it was because he chose not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Holland and Wasserman said they had to hire other drummers for safety on tour. In March 2023, Parada confirmed he was no longer a member.

Supercharged and New Drummer (2022–present)

Performing on Fremont Street, Las Vegas in 2024

In September 2022, Dexter Holland said The Offspring had started working on new songs for their eleventh album. He said they wanted to keep making music. In May 2023, Brandon Pertzborn joined The Offspring as their new drummer. He replaced Josh Freese, who was busy with another band. In August 2023, original drummer James Lilja joined the band on stage for a song.

In May 2024, Holland and Noodles confirmed that their eleventh album was finished. In June, they announced the album would be called Supercharged. It will be released on October 11, 2024. The first song from the album, "Make It All Right", was released on June 7.

Music Style and Influences

The Offspring's music is mainly called punk rock. It also includes styles like hardcore punk, pop-punk, and skate punk. They are also known for their "whoas" and "heys" in their songs. Some of their songs also use sounds from Eastern music.

Their song lyrics cover many different topics. These include personal relationships and comments on society. The lyrics often have a sarcastic tone.

The Offspring has been influenced by many punk bands. These include the Dickies, the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, and Bad Religion. They also get ideas from bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin.

Impact and Legacy

The Offspring's album Smash was very successful. It helped bring punk rock back into the mainstream. They are seen as one of the most important punk bands of the 1990s. They have influenced other artists like Avril Lavigne.

The Offspring's music has been used in many movies. These include Batman Forever, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and American Pie 2. Their songs have also appeared in TV shows like King of the Hill and The Cleveland Show.

Their songs have also been in video games. You can hear them in Crazy Taxi and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. Some of their songs are also available for the Rock Band series.

The song "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" was even parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic as "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi".

Band Members

Current members

Dexter Holland – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1984–present), keyboards (2006–present), bass (2018–2020, 2022–2024)
Noodles – lead guitar, backing vocals (1985–present)
Todd Morse – bass (2019–present), backing vocals (2019–present; 2009–2019 as touring musician), rhythm guitar (2009–2019; as touring musician)
Jonah Nimoy – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2023–present; 2019–2023 as touring musician), percussion (2023–present; 2020–2023 as touring musician)
Brandon Pertzborn – drums (2023–present)

Former members

Greg K. – bass, backing vocals (1984–2018)
James Lilja – drums, backing vocals (1984–1987; one-off guest appearance in 2023)
Ron Welty – drums (1987–2003), backing vocals (1989, 1994)
Atom Willard – drums (2003–2007)
Pete Parada – drums (2007–2021)