The Offspring

The Offspring

I like different styles of music, but my bread and butter is classic rock.  Maybe it’s an indicator that I’m getting old.  I remember my parent listening to oldies – 50’s and 60’s music – when I was a kid.  I liked that music too, but I still thought they were old for listening to that stuff all the time.  I mean I’m a child of the 70’s and early 80’s.   I cut my teeth on Bad Company, Foreigner, Boston, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zepplin, the Scorpions, etc.  Because that’s the music I grew up with and still listen to, you would think that one of these bands would be my all-time favorite but it isn’t the case.  The Offspring tops the list for me. 

 I first heard of the Offspring in 1998 when they made a big splash in the mainstream music scene with their album Americana.  Pretty Fly for a White Guy was all over the radio and I decided to get the album (CD really, but old habits and all).  I loved all the music on the album and started looking around for more.   There were no music stores close to where I lived, so I had to scour department and bargain stores and ran across several more of their albums.  (No, I’m not a big internet shopper.)  Over the years I’ve discovered Smash, Conspiracy of One, the Greatest Hits album, and Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace.  All these albums, to me, have consistently good music.

What I like about the music of The Offspring is the social message.  A good song, like a good novel, tells a story.  I don’t think I’ve heard a song by the Offspring that didn’t make me think.  About relationships, about where our society is heading, or maybe just about the recklessness of youth, these themes are present in their music, but I think social commentary is prevalent throughout.  Also, the lyrics are written from the perspective of the common man with no punches being pulled.  Listening to The Offspring gets me motivated to do something – like work on my latest story.   

With so much good music to choose from, it’s hard to pick a favorite song or album.  For a new listener their Greatest Hits album would probably be a good starting point.