The Offspring

AN INTERVIEW MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF SU CHON

Rational Alternative hung out with those interview-shy Offspring guys in their lavish penthouse suite in Salt Lake City's Little America Hotel. Surrounded in opulence, and being waited on hand-and-foot by SLC's X-96 crew, we discussed the philosophies that shape this most unique band. (The Offspring asked us not to mention the hotel room. It was not really a suite, but since they asked us NOT to mention it, we thought we'd go overboard.)
The Offspring are able to blend traditional Epitaph Punk Rock with each member's individual styles and tastes of music to produce a sound that is sweeping the country. Buzzed on the MTV airwaves, The Offspring are still firmly earth bound. Their unconventional traits include not doing television interviews, and yet they entertained a few interviews with up-and-coming rags like RAD. They are a truly different group of people...parents, Ph.D. candidates, and much--so much--more.

RAD: How many albums do you have out?
Greg: We've released 3 albums, 2 on Epitaph, and 1 self-titled one in 1989 on Nemesis Records. It's out of circulation now, but we might re-release it next year on Epitaph. We're pretty busy with the tour this year so it'll have to wait.
RAD: Where is your biggest center of fans?
Ron: Our album's sold everywhere, but half of our sales are in California. We really haven't started touring yet, but it seems that they're playing it everywhere.
RAD: What do you think about your success with this album?
Greg: We're taking it in stride. We haven't done anything different with our lives.
Ron: It's nice to go to a show and know that a lot of people will be there, you know people who care about our music. It sucks when there are only like 50 people at a show just standing there, and you can hear in between songs other people's conversations. Their [the crowd's] excitement helps us. The energy, the attitude gets us going.
RAD: Do you get any flack from the public about songs like "come out and play"?
Greg: No, we haven't gotten any flack. We're not extreme like the gangbangers or rappers, they're more harsh.
RAD: What things do you do outside the band?
Ron: Drink beer (everyone in the room laughs), not a whole lot.
Greg: The band's been keeping us really busy. We're touring the whole summer.
Ron: Kevin and I have kids so we try to spend time with them. We're going to be on the road for the next three months so we try to spend as much time with them.
Sean-Boy Walton (X96 DJ, interrupting): Has anyone called you grunge?
Ron: What's grunge? (everyone laughs) I think Kevin's got a setting on his amp that says grunge which he sets it on. (Brian, the lead singer, walks into the room after showering.)
Ron: Brian's been in school forever. He's going for a Ph.D. in molecular biology but he's taking a leave of absence right now. He's into all of that computer geek stuff.
RAD: What do you want everyone to know about Offspring? Kevin: Craig's an asshole.
RAD: No, really...?
Others: Yeah, Craig's an asshole.
(Craig just smirks at the band members and eats cruditＴ. Craig is one of their members/road crew.)