The Offspring still 'Supercharged' and 'super excited' about new album

This is what it’s like to prepare for an interview with Dexter Holland and Noodles of The Posterity:

Are we talking about molecular biology? (Leader singer Holland has his Ph.D in the subject.)

Are we discussing the benefits of bird watching? (Guitarist Noodles, real name Kevin Wasserman, is an avid hobbyist.)

What about? Gringo Bandito? (That would be the hot sauce brand of the Netherlands.)

Or what about that one Iron Man competitions and guide the band to gigs themselves? (Again, Netherlands.)

And of course there’s why the guys behind some of the most humorous and smart punk pop hits from the 90s – “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)”, “Self Esteem”, “Come Out and Play”, “The Kids Aren’t Alright” – jump on a video call in the first place.

The California-bred Offspring, which includes bassist Todd Morse, keyboardist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn, brought his 11^e studio album“Supercharged”, early October. The album launched in the Top 10 worldwide, including Germany, Australia and Great Britain, and has already spawned hits ‘Make it all right’ “Lighten it up” and “Okay, but this is the last time.”

Holland and Noodles are 58 and 61 years old respectively, but their dedication to crunchy riffs and wry lyrics – in addition to relentless energy – remains as strong as ever.

Here’s what the guys had to say about all their varied interests during a recent conversation from their record label office in New York.

The worldwide success of “Supercharged” is no easy task after 11 albums in a career. Were you surprised when ‘Make it All Right’ became your first song to top both the Active Rock Chart and the Alternative chart?

Noodles: We are very happy with the success. You always hope it will happen, but you never know. We’re super excited about how well the song has done and how well the whole record has done so far.

The song “Come to Brazil” is very funny. But are Brazilian fans really that much more fanatical than fans in other countries?

Noodles: If anything, they are some of the most passionate fans you will ever have. Whatever you post, all Brazilian fans say: come to Brazilcome to Brazil, come to Brazil. It’s just over and over again. So it’s a funny phenomenon, but we wanted to make sure the song came across as a love letter to our Brazilian fans.

Holland: Poland is really angry with us.

I know you have a young drummer (Pertzborn Joined 2023), but how do you keep that punk rock spirit alive?

Noodles: I think doing what we do for a living keeps us young. Playing music, especially fast, aggressive music, keeps you young. Mick Jagger is the same age as Joe Biden. Whose lifestyle keeps him younger?

This year it’s the 30th^e anniversary of ‘Smash’. What changed after 1992’s ‘Ignition’ to jump to that next level?

Noodles: Not much changed until the record was finished. We recorded on a shoestring budget, often on a whim. Our producer lived in his RV to help us finish that record. When “Come out and play” was given to local LA radio station KROQ, and Jed the Fish played it during the afternoon rush hour as his Catch of the Day, and it took off from there.

Holland: That album definitely changed our lives. I look back on it fondly, because it was such an exciting time. We’re lucky with the success we have, but there’s only one time you go from zero to 100. That was the atmosphere that emerged in ’94.

You both have so many hobbies. How do you find the time to fit them all in?

Noodles: It’s very easy to go out and just take a walk and bring your binoculars (for bird watching). Whenever I have a day off in New York City, you can go bird watching in Central Park. Where I live, there are wetlands, there are hills, you can go hiking. I just love getting out, enjoying the outdoors and exercising.

Holland: When you’re on tour, it’s easy to get into a rut where you’re on the bus or in your hotel room and don’t see the light of day for a while. So you have to make an effort.

Dexter, tell us about the half Ironman you just did in North Carolina and what goes into the training for it.

Holland: It’s a triathlon… so you swim, then you cycle and then you run at the end. I’ve been running since high school, so running came naturally to me. But as we all get older, it gets harder on your body. So I made this switch about five years ago and started doing triathlons.

Noodles: (Laughs) You don’t run less. You also just added swimming and cycling.

Holland: I could maybe swim twice, cycle twice and run twice a week, something like that. And maybe I’ll do a few on the same day. So I generally train four, five days a week.

If you say you swim twice, cycle twice, run twice in a week, how far will you go?

Holland: My last ride was 60 miles. It may not always be that far, but that would be your long drive. Your short ride could be about 20 to 30… I know it sounds masochistic. I don’t know how to describe it other than I love endurance sports. I kind of get a kick out of it. Maybe it’s just how you feel when you’re done, that you’ve done something hard. I like to say that if there’s anything I can do like the half Ironmanit almost makes other things in your life seem less difficult.

You also completed your molecular biology studies in 2017. As a rock star, what do you use molecular biology for in your life?

Holland: That’s a very good point. My research had to do with HIV. I would like to contribute in some way to the fight against HIV and similar viruses. So I don’t want my diploma to just be a plaque on the wall. I actually want to do some research and I’m slowly getting there. I’m now trying to finish an article that I hope to get published in the next six months, but I’ve been busy with the press (laughs).

And Dexter, do you still fly with the band to gigs?

Holland: I am. I flew here (to New York) from North Carolina for the race. I call it my wave, if that makes sense. I like the way I feel. I love the freedom it gives you. I love that you have to focus on it. By focusing, you take it away from the usual things that you worry about throughout the day. It’s almost like meditation in a strange way.

Noodles, how do you feel about being controlled by your friend?

Noodles: I’ve seen him study and learn and I know what he’s like. He pays attention and gets his job done. We’ve hired pilots that I was more afraid to fly with than him, and we also take a pilot with us when we go on tour. Sometimes Dexter flies and sometimes Dexter sits in the back with us.

You are on the way abroad for a tour, but it seems there is a gap between April and September. Does this mean we might see you here in the summer?

Noodles: We’ll definitely do at least one run. We do a ton.

Do you still enjoy being on the road?

Noodles: Yes. I mean, traveling kills you, but I love the new experiences, meeting new people, trying new food, new cultures. I love all that.

Holland: You just have to bite off the right amount, that’s the point. You (tour) in manageable chunks and yeah, it’s really cool. We know we are lucky to be able to play in front of people all over the world. People who don’t even speak English and yet know our band. We are very lucky.