Editing The Offspring (section)

===Early years (1984–1993)===
[[File:GregKDexter2009.jpg|left|thumb|Founding members Greg K. and Dexter Holland in 2009]]
The foundations for the Offspring began with guitarist/vocalist [[Dexter Holland|Bryan "Dexter" Holland]] (who was a drummer at the time) and bassist [[Greg K.|Greg "K." Kriesel]] playing music together in a garage in [[Cypress, California]], in 1983.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPndbyp-KyQ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206093957/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPndbyp-KyQ| archive-date=2013-12-06 | url-status=dead|title=The Offspring - Garage Days |publisher=[[YouTube]] |access-date=August 9, 2013 |date=October 15, 2007 |author=Offspringtv}}</ref> After hearing the [[T.S.O.L.]] album ''[[Change Today?]]'' at a party, and following a riot at a 1984 [[Social Distortion]] show, they decided to form a band called Manic Subsidal, with Holland changing his role from drums to vocals and guitar.<ref name="NIPPbio" /><ref name="Bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.offspring.com/thehistory/TIMELINE_2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504171026/http://www.offspring.com/thehistory/TIMELINE_2.html |archive-date=May 4, 2010 |title=The History |access-date=April 1, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/info/the_offspring |title=The Offspring &#124; Biography, News, Photos, Videos and Reviews |magazine=Contactmusic.com |access-date=April 1, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Dexter Holland from the Offspring. Most personal interview ever! | date=June 18, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVHzQDhQmMg |access-date=2023-07-02 |language=en}}</ref><!-- While some sources list Jim Benton as the band's first drummer, Holland has called him "a drummer in theory, but not in practice", explaining he never got a drum kit, let alone played with the band. --> Holland recruited drummer [[James Lilja]], on an agreement that Lilja would play in Manic Subsidal, if Holland joined Lilja's band Clowns of Death.<ref name=":1">{{cite web | url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-doctor-is-in-w-james-lilja-md-original-offspring/id1693330502?i=1000643821479 | title=Time to Relax with the Offspring: The Doctor is in! W/ James Lilja, MD (Original Offspring Drummer) &#124; Time to Relax with the Offspring Episode 7 on Apple Podcasts }}</ref> After Holland played with Clowns of Death, he asked the band's guitarist [[Noodles (musician)|Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman]] to join their band.<ref name="NIPPbio" /><ref name="offspring.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.offspring.com/band/history |title=Band |publisher=The Offspring |date=May 5, 2008 |access-date=April 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623131010/http://www.offspring.com/band/history |archive-date=June 23, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This lineup started to practice in Kriesel's parents' house and played the band's first show, taking a road trip to [[Santa Cruz, California|Santa Cruz]] to open for [[White Flag (band)|White Flag]] and [[Scared Straight (band)|Scared Straight]], then playing a matinee the next day at [[Mabuhay Gardens]] in [[San Francisco]].<ref name=":1" />

In 1986, after changing their name to the Offspring, the band released their first [[Single (music)|single]]; the 7-inch "[[I'll Be Waiting (The Offspring song)|I'll Be Waiting]]". They released the single on their self-made Black Label record company, named after the [[Carling Brewery|brand of beer]]. An earlier version of "I'll Be Waiting" (then-called "Fire and Ice") appeared on the long-out of print ''Subject to Blackout'' compilation tape released the same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.killfromtheheart.com/albums.php?id=12701&rec_type=comp |title=Subject to Blackout tape |publisher=Killfromtheheart.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723171423/http://www.killfromtheheart.com/albums.php?id=12701&rec_type=comp |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |url-status=usurped |access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref> The Offspring also recorded a demo tape in 1986, which received a positive review in ''[[Maximum Rocknroll]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.killfromtheheart.com/albums.php?id=4266&band_id=2936 |title=The Offspring demo tape |publisher=Killfromtheheart.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723171444/http://www.killfromtheheart.com/albums.php?id=4266&band_id=2936 |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |url-status=usurped |access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref> Lilja left the Offspring in 1987 to pursue a medical career in [[oncology]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.offspring.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Offspring.woa/wa/dexter?releaseName=The+Offspring&startingTrackNumber=6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311111035/http://www.offspring.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Offspring.woa/wa/dexter?releaseName=The+Offspring&startingTrackNumber=6 |archive-date=March 11, 2007 |title=Dexter on song: The Offspring |date=March 11, 2007 |access-date=April 1, 2014}}</ref> and was replaced by [[Ron Welty]], who was 16 years old at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tama.com/artists/interviews.asp?ID=89 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050214154435/http://tama.com/artists/interviews.asp?ID=89 |archive-date=February 14, 2005 |title=Tama Drums, Hardware & Accessories |date=February 14, 2005 |access-date=April 1, 2014}}</ref>

After recording another demo in 1988,<ref name="NIPPbio">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ticketfly.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029194213/http://www.nipp.com/artists/detail/the-offspring|url-status=dead|title=Ticketfly|archive-date=October 29, 2013|website=Ticketfly}}</ref> the Offspring signed a record deal with small-time label [[Nemesis Records]]. In March 1989, the band teamed up with producer [[Thom Wilson]] (who had worked with [[the Adolescents]], [[Dead Kennedys]], [[Social Distortion]], [[the Vandals]], and [[Youth Brigade (band)|Youth Brigade]]) to record their first album, titled ''[[The Offspring (album)|The Offspring]]''.<ref name="NIPPbio" /> Nemesis released the album in limited numbers and only on the [[Gramophone record|12-inch vinyl]] and cassette formats; the album was not released on CD until 1995. A six-week national tour followed. Noodles was stabbed during a performance at a [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] anti-nuclear benefit.<ref name="NIPPbio" />

In 1991, the Offspring teamed up with Wilson again to produce the ''[[Baghdad (album)|Baghdad]]'' 7-inch EP and a third demo tape. This EP and demo were instrumental to the band's signing with [[Epitaph Records]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.offspring.com/community/showthread.php?37511-Ask-Dexter-Holland-A-Question&p=1300187#post1300187 |title=Ask Dexter Holland A Question - Page 18 |publisher=Offspring.com |access-date=April 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111220837/http://www.offspring.com/community/showthread.php?37511-Ask-Dexter-Holland-A-Question&p=1300187#post1300187 |archive-date=November 11, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1992, Thom Wilson and the Offspring returned to the studio to record their second album ''[[Ignition (The Offspring album)|Ignition]]'', which was released in October of that year. The band went on U.S. tours with [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]] and [[Lunachicks]], and a European tour with [[NOFX]].<ref name="offspring.com"/>