The Offspring is the debut studio album by the American punk rock band The Offspring. It was released on June 15, 1989[3] on Nemesis Records as vinyl-only, and was not released on CD and cassette until November 21, 1995 on Nitro/Epitaph Records, with a new album cover but otherwise identical. Both the re-releases on the two respective labels are identical as well.
Album information
The album was originally released in 1989 in limited numbers by Nemesis Records, only in a 12" vinyl format. Only 1000 copies of this vinyl were made at the time and it took the band two and a half years to sell them all.[citation needed] The vinyl is now the most expensive piece of The Offspring's work as it is also the rarest.[citation needed]
The band also re-recorded the tracks "Blackball" and "I'll Be Waiting," which were originally released on a 7" double A-side vinyl record which was distributed by the band itself under the fictitious Black Label Records. The tracks were added to the album, so that it would not just be a 20+ minute mini-album.[citation needed]
In 1995, a year after the band released the highly successful Smash, The Offspring decided to reissue the album (with a different cover) in order to fulfill contractual obligations with Epitaph Records. This would be the first time a proper CD release would occur. Compact cassettes and vinyl represses were also produced but they are hard to find. In 2001, the album was re-issued again on Nitro Records, a label which frontman Dexter Holland founded seven years earlier.
Album pressings after June 26, 2001 (July 16 in the UK) do not feature the closing track "Kill the President;" Dexter Holland claims it was removed to prevent legal pressure falling upon the band and Nitro.[citation needed]
As of 2008, the 1995 Nitro/Epitaph re-issue is now out of print.[citation needed]
Release history
The Offspring was reissued several times, with formats in different countries, and with different labels (see the table below).
| Region |
Date |
Label |
Format |
Catalog # |
Notes |
 United States |
June 15, 1989 |
Nemesis Records |
12" vinyl |
NEMESIS 6 |
First pressing. |
 Europe |
November 18, 1995 |
Epitaph Records |
CD
12" vinyl
Cassette |
86460 |
First CD and cassette pressing; features an alternate cover. |
| United States |
November 21, 1995 |
Nitro Records |
CD |
NITRO 2 |
First CD pressing; features an alternate cover. |
| November 21, 1995 |
Epitaph Records |
CD
12" vinyl
Cassette |
86460 |
First CD and cassette pressing; features an alternate cover. |
 Poland |
1996 |
Audio Max |
Cassette |
704 |
Pirate collector's item, released without The Offspring's consent; features an alternate cover. |
| United States |
June 26, 2001 |
Nitro Records |
CD |
15803 |
Does not feature the last song "Kill the President"; features the same cover as 1995 reissue. |
 United Kingdom |
July 16, 2001 |
Nitro Records |
CD |
|
Does not feature the last song "Kill the President"; features the same cover as 1995 reissue. |
Album covers
Two covers of this album exist. The original version has been banned because of its artwork, which features an image of a man's body exploding as a creature resembling the xenomorph from the Alien franchise holding a Stratocaster guitar emerges from his chest. On the 1995 re-release, the original cover was replaced with a different image, based on the cover of The Damned's 1977 debut album Damned Damned Damned.[citation needed]
The back cover of the CD features the cover of the "I'll Be Waiting/Blackball" single.
Track listing
CD issue
All songs written and composed by The Offspring.
| Note |
| 1. |
"Jennifer Lost the War" |
|
2:35 |
| 2. |
"Elders" |
|
2:11 |
| 3. |
"Out on Patrol" |
|
2:32 |
| 4. |
"Crossroads" |
|
2:48 |
| 5. |
"Demons (A Mexican Fiesta)" |
|
3:10 |
| 6. |
"Beheaded" |
Co-written by James Lilja |
2:52 |
| 7. |
"Tehran" |
|
3:06 |
| 8. |
"A Thousand Days" |
|
2:11 |
| 9. |
"Blackball" |
|
3:24 |
| 10. |
"I'll Be Waiting" |
|
3:12 |
| 11. |
"Kill the President" |
|
3:22 |
| 32:17 |
Original vinyl issue
Side 1
All songs written and composed by The Offspring.
| Note |
| 1. |
"Jennifer Lost the War" |
|
2:35 |
| 2. |
"Elders" |
|
2:11 |
| 3. |
"Out of Patrol" |
|
2:32 |
| 4. |
"Crossroads" |
|
2:48 |
| 5. |
"Demons (A Mexican Fiesta)" |
|
3:10 |
| 6. |
"Beheaded" |
Co-written by James Lilja |
2:52 |
Side 2
| Note |
| 7. |
"Tehran" |
|
3:06 |
| 8. |
"A Thousand Days" |
|
2:11 |
| 9. |
"Blackball" |
|
3:24 |
| 10. |
"I'll Be Waiting" |
|
3:12 |
| 11. |
"Kill the President" |
|
3:22 |
| 32:17 |
- Track 11 was removed from album printings after June 2001. On the official Offspring website, "Kill the President" is not mentioned in the track list.
Track notes
- Track 1, "Jennifer Lost the War", is featured on Punk-O-Rama Volume 1.
- Track 6, "Beheaded", was later re-recorded as "Beheaded 1999" for the movie Idle Hands.
- Track 7, "Tehran", was later re-recorded as "Baghdad", which appears on their 1991 long-out of print EP Baghdad.
Personnel
- Keith Holland (Listed as "Dexter Holland" on the CD version) - Vocals
- Noodles - Guitar, Backing Vocals on "Blackball"
- Greg K. - Bass, Backing Vocals on "Blackball"
- R. Welty - Drums
The song "Beheaded" was co-written by The Offspring and (original drummer) James Lilja.
References
General references
- (1989) Album notes for The Offspring by The Offspring [CD liner]. Nemesis/Epitaph/Nitro Records.
Notes
External links
