The Offspring’s ’90s teenage angst still resonates in the present

Image: Columbia and Epitaph Records

Awesome rock bands never get old; even if they are old already, their best-known songs remain timeless until the end of time, and that is no exaggeration. If you disagree with any of the things I have said, then **!  Haha….

Seriously, many bands of numerous genres come and go throughout the decades, and they do not often leave an imprint on the minds and hearts of their listeners, but with The Offspring, here is a punk-rock act that emerged from the underground; they were one of the primary indie-punk rock bands in California before becoming what they are now, one of the respected elder statesmen of rock. It’s a wonderful leap in their lengthy careers.

Who can say that they have been around since the late ’80s and are still performing at an optimal level, still selling out arenas and stadiums, and becoming headliners for various music festivals? Not a lot. Not many of them are still around. But The Offspring is. From their humble beginnings performing in a combination of small venues and sometimes makeshift ones such as bars, clubs, house parties, and small concert halls on their local gig circuit, to becoming certified punk-rock legends, an esteemed member of the Monsters of Rock, and one of the last torchbearers of punk-rock of their era. 

The Offspring have done it all and reached legendary status because of it, and it all started because of one song that got everyone’s attention.

The memories are still fresh to me. I can still remember a long time ago when a song played on the radio about a teenage boy lacking the confidence to tell a girl, who was taking advantage of him, to get lost or hit the road. The lyrics highlighted practically everyone’s low self-esteem as a young man when it comes to saying “No” to the wrong kind of girls, due to the fear of never getting **** or losing that one chance to be with her.

This song, “Self Esteem,” by The Offspring from their independently released third studio album, “Smash,” spoke volumes to all of us guys at the time, because who doesn’t want a hot-looking girlfriend? But what if her attitude is awful, and you become a stepping stool for her to get only what she wants? It’s better to be alone or find someone else than to be that poor loser sung about in The Offspring’s immortal song.

I bet there are no angst-fueled songs like this anymore being played anywhere that pack a punch like this one, and to proverbially go back in time and remember how it felt to hear “Self Esteem” for the first time is something I consider one of my fondest music memories growing up, and that was in 1994 when that happened.

That same year, grunge began to crumble with the death of Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and the rise of alternative rock; besides those shifts in the music industry, The Offspring stood as a sole representative of the punk movement in their area, releasing a record with a song that would change their lives forever, introduce the music industry to their brand of music, and make major record labels sign more similar bands of their ilk.

Not bad at all for a song that Dexter Holland (lead vocalist and guitarist of The Offspring) has said numerous times during various interviews that the record producer of their breakout album, into the mainstream, said was not good enough. Boy, that dude was dead wrong! He’s so far from the truth, it’s because of those who were around when The Offspring first broke through the glass ceiling to enter mainstream awareness back then, and got signed by a major record label (Columbia). 

“Self Esteem” is still the one song we associate instantly with them, because in the same way “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is to Nirvana, it is the same way “Self Esteem” is to The Offspring. That says a lot! 

Time and again, it has been proven that all it takes is one great song to reach the masses and get your name out there. “Smash” by The Offspring was that studio album. Let me remind you that this specific LP from Epitaph Records still holds the world record for the most physical albums sold for an independent release. They accomplished this feat during a time when social media did not exist — no streaming, no apps, and so on. It was merely word of mouth that spread like wildfire, leading consumers to their gigs, small concerts, and record-store appearances where they would sell their album “Smash.” Soon after, they hit record stores in their state and the rest of the US. The Offspring is remarkable for that! 

To this day, they still perform, tour, and release brand-new albums, but in all their setlists, they never forget to perform that one song. Without it, they would not have transitioned from being a regionally popular band on the West Coast to being one of the all-time greatest punk rock bands, alongside Green Day, to reach the mainstream.  

In the music industry, there are categories for the greatness of one song and the impact it has had on listeners, music aficionados, critics, and anyone else. For me, this song is ranked way up there. Because in this day and age, after a few months, a song can get forgotten, even if it is a hit or a popular song from the said modern band, this one has immeasurable staying power. After all, as soon as you hear the opening note, the first guitar chords, and that unmistakable voice of Dexter Holland, you know what you are listening to without a doubt. 

When I think of it, there is a possibility that if they don’t perform “Self Esteem,” they would likely cause a riot at music festivals they headline or have some overzealous fans storm the stage! I am sure they must have performed “Self Esteem” live thousands of times if you do the math, but they’ve got to give the people what they want, even if they might be sick of playing it already. Haha…. 

My closing note: this could be interesting because whether your parents or much older siblings knew about this song and rocked out to it during their younger years, and perhaps are now a bit shy to admit they loved “Self Esteem” by The Offspring in their youth, maybe you should ask them about it. Or better yet, watch the music video on YouTube and show it to them. Haha…. Try to observe what their reaction will be. 

For the young ones, try listening to this song and watching the music video. I guarantee you will feel a bit of that ’90s teenage angst and understand why this became a timeless monster hit for The Offspring!  /ra