The Offspring Biography
The Offspring is an American rock band formed in Garden Grove, California, in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn. The Offspring is often credited (alongside fellow California punk bands Green Day, NOFX, Bad Religion, Rancid and Pennywise) for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the mid-1990s. During their 40-year career, the Offspring has released eleven studio albums and sold more than 40 million records, making them one of the best-selling punk rock bands. The Offspring's longest-serving drummer was Ron Welty, who replaced original drummer James Lilja in 1987. He was replaced by Adam "Atom" Willard in 2003, who was replaced four years later by Pete Parada. Parada parted ways with the band in 2021 after he refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and was replaced two years later by Pertzborn. Greg "K." Kriesel (one of the Offspring's co-founders) was the band's bassist until he was fired in 2018; this left Holland as the sole remaining original member. Kriesel was replaced by Todd Morse, who had been the Offspring's touring guitarist since 2009. Morse's position as touring musician was filled by Nimoy, who later became an official member in 2023. After achieving a local following with their early releases, including their 1989 self-titled debut album and the vinyl-only EP Baghdad (1991), the Offspring signed with independent label Epitaph Records and released two albums: Ignition (1992) and Smash (1994). Smash, which contained the band's first major hit "Come Out and Play", is one of the best-selling albums released on an independent record label, selling over 11 million copies worldwide and helping to propel punk rock into the mainstream. The success of Smash attracted attention from major labels including Columbia Records, with...
