Offspring Born To Rock

It wasn't long ago that The Offspring were going nowhere in particular.

Now, the neo-punkers have gone Hollywood.

The band, who play Varsity Arena tonight, contribute a cover of The Damned's Smash It Up to the upcoming Batman Forever movie.

One year ago the group began their rise to fame on the strength of the punk-like Come Out And Play, when L.A.'s influential K-ROQ played the song 52 times in one week.

So, consider their version of Smash It Up an homage of sorts.

"That song was really poppy, the way The Damned did it," says Offspring guitarist Noodles. "I think we've given it a little more of a punch," he adds.

It was prototype British punk bands like The Damned who represented a common link between almost-radio-friendly pop music and the hardcore punk that dominated U.S. underground rock in the early to mid '80s.

"That was when everyone was saying that punk was very seriously dead," Noodles says, laughing. "It was actually branching out into a lot of different areas, even though some of them were horrible. A lot of people fell back into rock 'n' roll standards like heavy metal."

Still, The Offspring have spent the last year on the vanguard as punk-inspired rock and pop continues to defend its corner of the mainstream music market.

Says Noodles: "At first it was just kinda scary, all this rise in radio play and sales. It was like, `Whoa, dad, this isn't supposed to happen.' It freaked us all out.

"But we don't really think about it now."

After this tour, The Offspring are taking a well-earned break from the grind.

"Our singer's gonna go get married," Noodles explains. "I've got a daughter, and I wanna take her out camping. She's only five, so no road trips.

"I'm ready to just kick it, and leave the rock 'n' roll lifestyle behind for a while."

By Kieran Grant, from Toronto Sun - June 5, 1995