Wassup music lovers! I promise I haven't forgotten bout you all XD I simply haven't had the time to come up with another take. Ok, I know this is kind of a weird turning point in takes. You're more used to mainly metal stuff huh? Well today I'm getting in touch with my punk rock side, with the Smash album by The Offspring.
I went through a punk phase in my pre-teen and early teen years (12-15). But punk is probably the reason why I admire thrash metal so much, since both genres kinda go hand - in - hand with speed and aggression. In the early years of The Offspring, they surely had their own form of aggression. Not exactly the same as metal, but still had some elements within. They weren't, and still aren't afraid to add a little silliness to some songs as well.
Smash, released on April 8, 1994 (through Epitaph Records), is The Offspring's third album. This came after the 1992 album Ignition, and 1989's self-titled album. Recording this album didn't take very long, it was only a month. with Dexter Holland on vocals:
"Noodles" on lead guitar and backing vocals:
Greg K. on bass and backing vocals (though isn't credited for vocals):
and Ron Welty on drums, and backing vocals as well.
*Note* I can't completely say that the last 2 pictures are from 1994. There isn't much as for individual pictures of the guys in that era.
Anyway, really this album had gotten more positive than negative when it came to the critics. One critic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, considered it a record with enough heavy riffs "to keep most teenagers happy", which me as a teenage metalhead will surely agree XD Others considered it simply a "fun" album. Though Smash really didn't get too much attention from music and television stations. However there were a few songs that became most popular singles.
The track list for this one goes as...
1. Nitro (Youth Energy)
2. Bad Habit
3. Gotta Get Away
4. Genocide
5. Something To Believe In
6. Come Out And Play (Keep 'em Separated)
7. Self-Esteem
8. It'll Be A Long Time
9. Killboy Powerhead (originally by The Dijits)
10. What Happened To You?
11. So Alone
10. Not The One
12. Smash
For sure this is a pretty long album. Right before "Nitro" there is a special intro that sounds like you're on an easy listening music station. Pretty funny when the album starts with "Ahh, its time to relax" and other things, then it jumps right into a blazing fast song. The Smash album has carried on the themes of greed, suicide, death (in general), abuse, and addiction. The skeleton dude on the album cover is pretty much The Offspring's representation of what will happen to humanity if we all continue with the acts that they speak of in the music.
"Come Out And Play", "Self-Esteem", and "Gotta Get Away" are three songs that became major hit singles through 1994 and 1995. "Self-Esteem" was the highest among the rest. That song has been thought of as being autobiographical, since it speaks of an abusive relationship where the girlfriend constantly takes advantage of her guy, but the guy doesn't have the self esteem to stand up to her. However Dexter Holland has said before that this song had to do with what a friend of his dealt with.
Now this particular album, I had gotten about a year ago. Honestly for over a year I was searching for it in record stores and regular stores, but all I could find was the "Americana" album which was released near 2000. I know I could have just gotten Smash online but honestly I don't really get stuff from the internet much. Even at Christmas time of 2016 I put Smash on a wish list. Never got it, but my dad said that during Christmas shopping he looked everywhere and still couldn't find it. However, a month later, January 2017. There was a day where me and my dad went out to a thrift store near me. Me and my family were originally stuck at the house for 5 days due to ice on the roads, but me and my dad couldn't take it.
There was only like one other shopper in the thrift store. We looked around at stuff, didn't find shit. Then we went to the CD section. Really this was a spot I usually had luck with. The rack was (and still is) a little too high for me so I had to stand on my toes to barely thumb through CDs. I was almost through it all, then I found it. Smash. I picked it up and "HOLY CRA---" I nearly let a little cussword echo through the store XD My dad turned around and saw the album in my hand. A cracked CD case with a CD that's in perfect condition. And it was an original too. My dad said "holy shit you finally found it!!" he was honestly as excited as me. We continued looking through the CDs but he found himself something (don't remember what).
Since then then the album has kept me pretty happy. And having parents that love the same music, its kept them happy too. Though its caused them to nearly do a few traffic violations (no joke) XD
I have a lot of songs from there that I consider my favorites. I'll have a few of their music videos below.
Thanks for reading! Coming up next, we'll be going back to metal with Pantera's Far Beyond Driven album. I have others in mind too, and I'm planning on having some extra punk takes as well.
Rock on music lovers\m/
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