Go ahead punks, make my day

While the British punk scene was notable for burning out with alarming speed, its US counterpart has been notable for an astounding longevity. Perhaps no band has represented this more than the Offspring, currently entering their twentieth year. Bassist Greg K agrees that it was pretty hard to predict such huge developments at the start.

“When we first started it was difficult to even find a show to play. The record companies wouldn’t touch you. You would never have expected it to go as far as it’s gone. Maybe in a way the rise of the band has mirrored the scene, we used to struggle to have anybody listen to us so when things finally broke it was a definitely a surprise.”
When did they realise that people were starting to listen?
“Even back when we put out our first album and did our first tours in the late ’80s and early ’90s we were getting some attention at a really small level. Before Smash came out we started to notice that something was happening. We played a show in Denver and drew 900 people and then Smash came out and hit the radio and MTV and really took off. That brought us to a whole new level. Back then live shows were the only real way we had of getting in touch with our fans, that’s how you got people to hear what you do”.
Like many of the other big names of the genre, the Offspring eventually moved from an independent label to a major. A healthy move for all considered, I suggest, allowing the smaller labels to concentrate on the smaller bands.
“Major labels started doing that back in the ’90s, giving smaller bands more attention, but I think things are starting to turn away from that now. Independent labels are good to have around. We didn’t leave Epitaph because we felt we needed to be on a major label – our relationship with them fell apart and we had to move on. It was either go to a major or do it ourselves”.
Do they feel paternal to those younger bands?
“A little bit. On tour we always play with some of the newer bands. You can see the excitement they have and you always wonder how far it’s going to go. Some of them, like AFI, go onto that next level but most of them you never hear from again”.
Having weathered the punk rock storms, the Offspring are a settled concern and their new album is basically more of the same. It does however offer a far greater lyrical depth than most of the newer bands, something that Greg agrees comes with the experience of age.
“I think so. I don’t know if we send any messages but you want something that people can listen to and get something out of if they can. We just want to have something more interesting to write about”.
Particularly of note in that department is ‘Hit That’, which offers an edgy version of family life.
“I don’t know if it’s a more realistic view of the way it goes in America these days, or at least in certain areas, but it’s just a different take on it. We all have families and I see myself going in that direction, thinking ‘Am I going to be the one telling them to turn down the stereo’.”

Splinter is out now on Sony