The Band Of the week for this week is......


THE OFFSPRING!!!!!





 
The Offspring One the best hard rocking punk bands I know, The band was formed by guitarist Dexter Holland and bassist Greg K., who met on their high school cross country team, under the name "Manic Subsidal". The decision to form a band came outside of a Social Distortion concert when both were refused entry. Doug Thompson was added for vocals, and Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, the school janitor, was welcomed into the band, allegedly because he was old enough to purchase alcohol for Holland and Kriesel, both of whom were under the legal drinking age.The band used Thompson's friend, Jim Benton, as their drummer. Thompson was eventually forced out of the band, while Benton left. This led to Holland taking over on vocals, and James Lilja joining as the drummer. The band changed their name to "The Offspring" in 1985.

 In March 1985, the band teamed up with producer Thom Wilson (of The Dead Kennedys, Social Distortion, and The Vandals fame) to record their first album. Then in 1988 the band signed a record deal with a small-time label, Nemesis Records. In 1989 The band released their first album "The Offspring", the album had negative reviews but is renowned for being one of the best punk albums ever, for the sheer raw power and Dexter Holland's speedy voice.

Just 3 years later the band released their second album "ignition" this album gained more positive reviews but didn't do so well in sales. This album is one of their least discussed albums. 2 years later their third album "Smash" is released, this album not only got great reviews but sold very well in the stores due to its main three singles, Come out and play, Gotta get away, and Self Esteem.

1997 brings the fourth album "Ixnay on the Hombre", this is a really decent album. in my opinion the first album that every track I liked. Anyway this album did very well in both areas of the music industry, strong reviews and strong sales. Charting 5 singles. Just 1 year later the band releases one their all-time best album "Americana", Every song on this album is awesome some more than others though. "NOTE I hate Pretty fly for a white guy, but I find it ironic that the meaning of the song counter-acts with its popularity". This is by far there best selling album, even though having only four singles this album sold much, more than any other.

The fascination I have with Americana is that how it relates to lives of ordinary people, each song has a clear meaning and it can relate to some people very well. For example the song "Staring at the Sun" describes life as "Maybe life is like a ride on a freeway Dodging bullets while you're trying to find your way Everyone's around, but no one does a damn thing It brings me down, but I won't let them." Initially what the song is talking about is kids in school who want to change themselves to fit in, but don't realize what they're losing because of it. It basically is saying, Don't think I'm going to change to adapt to you while you're changing/hurting/losing yourself. Every song on that album has a meaning such as that one.

2 years later after the great success of Americana it would be hard to at least come close to another album on the same level. BUT! not only did they bring the next album up to Americana's level, the album nearly exceeded it. The album "Conspiracy of One", although it did not sell as much as Americana the songs were a lot different in a good way. It works like this as the band grew up the music matured more and more, the loudness and noise from their first album similar to children when they are young. The teenager trying to make it big and have fame with there first decent selling albums Smash and Inaxy on the Hombre. Young adult with Americana looking back on the past seeing all the misfortune that they had endured, and now there music at its peak of both quality and maturity with Conspiracy of One.

Conspiracy of One gave songs of the higher power, a certain charm each song brings that can relate to any kind of person. And again delivering an album where each and every song is AWESOME!. All the songs did however relate to the title of the album, each song speaking of an individual that is going through a hard process.

3 years later they come out with there worst album "Spilnter", I cant stand this album so I'm not even going to discuss it. In 2008 the band release their most current album "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" all i can say is "Its Okay"

Top 5 BEST Offspring songs

5. I Choose
4. Come Out Swinging
3. Way Down The Line
2. Dammit I Changed Again
1. The End Of the Line



P.S. I can pretty much discuss each song on both Americana and Conspiracy of One the same way i did with Staring at the Sun.