Review: 1989's The Offspring (The Offspring)

NGPercussion · 05-04-2011, 01:24 PM

I can see your point, but that's not to say they were intentionally looking to be TSOL clones. Coming from them, they grew up around mostly punk, so it was the cool thing probably to start a band if you liked the music, and play the music. So, they probably started off with a lot of covers, and a few original songs, but the originals had the same touch that they used to put on the cover songs. So, they will naturally sound alike for awhile. For example, they might've been recording Blackball, and because they learned guitar or whatever other instrument through the playing of other bands' songs, they might attribute the same playing style, technique, dynamics, or whatever to their own songs, because that's what they grew up around.

BastardofYoung · 05-04-2011, 01:31 PM

Yeah. Of course it is natural to copy some stuff from your inspirations. I do not mind the first album, as I say it had it's moments, just it was to similar to much of what was going on.

It in that sense to me what applies to say "World of Noise" by Everclear, "Pablo Honey" by Radiohead or "Pretty on the Inside" by Hole, to name a few. Albums that are great as curiosity sake, but in the show a band that has potential, but just have not reached it fully yet. Good for albums that showcase that, but tend to be looked down upon some cause they seemed typical of the time, though showed signs of being capible of much more.

But with the Offspring, they did come further from this:

a few years before the self-titled, before they changed their name to The Offspring.

Funny to me cause I swear he says "microwave your titties" in the chorus, haha.

SGR · 05-04-2011, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BastardofYoung

Yeah. Of course it is natural to copy some stuff from your inspirations. I do not mind the first album, as I say it had it's moments, just it was to similar to much of what was going on.

It in that sense to me what applies to say "World of Noise" by Everclear, "Pablo Honey" by Radiohead or "Pretty on the Inside" by Hole, to name a few. Albums that are great as curiosity sake, but in the show a band that has potential, but just have not reached it fully yet. Good for albums that showcase that, but tend to be looked down upon some cause they seemed typical of the time, though showed signs of being capible of much more.

But with the Offspring, they did come further from this:

a few years before the self-titled, before they changed their name to The Offspring.

Funny to me cause I swear he says "microwave your titties" in the chorus, haha.

I could agree with this. What's your opinion on the later Offspring albums? Ixnay, Americana, Conspiracy, Splinter, and RAFRAG?

I've noticed that alot of people around here (MB) don't like the Offspring. Oh well.

BastardofYoung · 05-04-2011, 02:55 PM

Later stuff to me was nothing great.

"Ixnay".. had it's moments, had a few flunks to me ("Me and My Old Lady", "Mota" and a few others) but showed a band that at the very least tried to seperate themselves from "Smash" knowing they could not repeat it. So tried something new. "The Meaning of Life" and "Gone Away" were both well written songs as well. Overall, it is not my favorite, and showed the direction they would go after..

I think "Americana" was a decent album, if you remove the poor choices of hits. But the rest of the album was actually pretty good. It would be the last album by them I would actually enjoy. I think after that they got to goofy for my tastes.

I have not listened to "Splinter" or "RAF..." too much. I remember the last one trying to recapture their old sound a bit and connect with the old fan base. Trouble with that being I think the majority of the fanbase who liked them from those days just lost interest in them and it was not all that special.

It is much like "Death Magnetic" by Metallica. Too little to late to recapture the old sound, at that time, it was a good attempt but now felt forced and contrived to me.

NGPercussion · 05-06-2011, 12:12 AM

That's a very different view from what I have. I have always known The Offspring for being a band that doesn't care; they do what they want. They make whatever kind of music they want to, whatever interests them, whether the "old guard" fans like it or not. There was actually an interview where Dexter says something along the lines of losing old fans and gaining new ones. They don't really care, they want people to enjoy their music, no matter if it's "punk" or not. So I don't think they try to reach out and reconnect with old fans.

And their sound changed...they still make songs like Trust In You, Long Way Home, Never Gonna Find Me, Lightning Rod, Conspiracy Of One, Come Out Swinging, etc. They're still kinda punk, right? Right? Aw, who cares anyway?

Just enjoy the music.

SGR · 05-06-2011, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NGPercussion

That's a very different view from what I have. I have always known The Offspring for being a band that doesn't care; they do what they want. They make whatever kind of music they want to, whatever interests them, whether the "old guard" fans like it or not. There was actually an interview where Dexter says something along the lines of losing old fans and gaining new ones. They don't really care, they want people to enjoy their music, no matter if it's "punk" or not. So I don't think they try to reach out and reconnect with old fans.

And their sound changed...they still make songs like Trust In You, Long Way Home, Never Gonna Find Me, Lightning Rod, Conspiracy Of One, Come Out Swinging, etc. They're still kinda punk, right? Right? Aw, who cares anyway?

Just enjoy the music.

I just wish they'd write more songs like Trust In You and Come Out Swinging and less like Fix You and Kristy.

NGPercussion · 05-06-2011, 06:51 PM

And it is perfectly okay to think that, but if that's what they want too write, then they will write it. They aren't any "less punk" or whatever just because they wrote different music. It's very stupid to criticize them for it.

EDIT: Here's the interview I mentioned in my last post: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun...-offspring15/5

SGR · 05-07-2011, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NGPercussion

And it is perfectly okay to think that, but if that's what they want too write, then they will write it. They aren't any "less punk" or whatever just because they wrote different music. It's very stupid to criticize them for it.

EDIT: Here's the interview I mentioned in my last post: High-flying punk - Page 5 - Los Angeles Times

Maybe if the critiques were just on the basis that they were different types of songs, but they're not. Songs like Fix You and Kristy are just drab and boring, although they get extra points for having a good meaning.

NGPercussion · 05-09-2011, 08:19 AM

Again, that's an opinion...I like the meaning AND like the musicality to them. I like the songs. And there are people that agree with me. No saying you are wrong, but not everyone thinks they're boring.

05-04-2011, 01:31 PM	#12 (permalink)
BastardofYoung Buzz Killjoy Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 2,692	Yeah. Of course it is natural to copy some stuff from your inspirations. I do not mind the first album, as I say it had it's moments, just it was to similar to much of what was going on. It in that sense to me what applies to say "World of Noise" by Everclear, "Pablo Honey" by Radiohead or "Pretty on the Inside" by Hole, to name a few. Albums that are great as curiosity sake, but in the show a band that has potential, but just have not reached it fully yet. Good for albums that showcase that, but tend to be looked down upon some cause they seemed typical of the time, though showed signs of being capible of much more. But with the Offspring, they did come further from this: a few years before the self-titled, before they changed their name to The Offspring. Funny to me cause I swear he says "microwave your titties" in the chorus, haha. __________________ last.fm ‎"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people." - Jack Handey.

05-04-2011, 02:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
BastardofYoung Buzz Killjoy Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 2,692	Later stuff to me was nothing great. "Ixnay".. had it's moments, had a few flunks to me ("Me and My Old Lady", "Mota" and a few others) but showed a band that at the very least tried to seperate themselves from "Smash" knowing they could not repeat it. So tried something new. "The Meaning of Life" and "Gone Away" were both well written songs as well. Overall, it is not my favorite, and showed the direction they would go after.. I think "Americana" was a decent album, if you remove the poor choices of hits. But the rest of the album was actually pretty good. It would be the last album by them I would actually enjoy. I think after that they got to goofy for my tastes. I have not listened to "Splinter" or "RAF..." too much. I remember the last one trying to recapture their old sound a bit and connect with the old fan base. Trouble with that being I think the majority of the fanbase who liked them from those days just lost interest in them and it was not all that special. It is much like "Death Magnetic" by Metallica. Too little to late to recapture the old sound, at that time, it was a good attempt but now felt forced and contrived to me. __________________ last.fm ‎"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people." - Jack Handey.

05-06-2011, 06:51 PM	#17 (permalink)
NGPercussion MB Percussionist Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Posts: 135	And it is perfectly okay to think that, but if that's what they want too write, then they will write it. They aren't any "less punk" or whatever just because they wrote different music. It's very stupid to criticize them for it. EDIT: Here's the interview I mentioned in my last post: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun...-offspring15/5 Last edited by NGPercussion; 05-06-2011 at 09:23 PM.

05-04-2011, 01:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
NGPercussion MB Percussionist Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Posts: 135	I can see your point, but that's not to say they were intentionally looking to be TSOL clones. Coming from them, they grew up around mostly punk, so it was the cool thing probably to start a band if you liked the music, and play the music. So, they probably started off with a lot of covers, and a few original songs, but the originals had the same touch that they used to put on the cover songs. So, they will naturally sound alike for awhile. For example, they might've been recording Blackball, and because they learned guitar or whatever other instrument through the playing of other bands' songs, they might attribute the same playing style, technique, dynamics, or whatever to their own songs, because that's what they grew up around.

05-06-2011, 12:12 AM	#15 (permalink)
NGPercussion MB Percussionist Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Posts: 135	That's a very different view from what I have. I have always known The Offspring for being a band that doesn't care; they do what they want. They make whatever kind of music they want to, whatever interests them, whether the "old guard" fans like it or not. There was actually an interview where Dexter says something along the lines of losing old fans and gaining new ones. They don't really care, they want people to enjoy their music, no matter if it's "punk" or not. So I don't think they try to reach out and reconnect with old fans. And their sound changed...they still make songs like Trust In You, Long Way Home, Never Gonna Find Me, Lightning Rod, Conspiracy Of One, Come Out Swinging, etc. They're still kinda punk, right? Right? Aw, who cares anyway? Just enjoy the music.

05-09-2011, 08:19 AM	#19 (permalink)
NGPercussion MB Percussionist Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Posts: 135	Again, that's an opinion...I like the meaning AND like the musicality to them. I like the songs. And there are people that agree with me. No saying you are wrong, but not everyone thinks they're boring.