The album “Smash†is considered to be The Offspring’s break-out record. It was what really
catapulted the band to fame. The said album was released in 1994 by Epitaph Records and has
sold eight million copies which also made it the highest-selling record ever produced by an
independent label.
Incidentally Epitaph Records is also owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. He initially
had his misgivings about the band but when he heard their single “Baghdad†produced in 1991,
he changed his mind and signed them up. The following year, they released the album “Ignitionâ€
and its success has put them on tour together with No Doubt, Pennywise and Voodoo Glow
Skulls.
By 1993, they returned to the studio to record “Smash†and released it the following year with
little knowledge that this was going to create a niche for them. The album was catapulted to
fame by the singles “Self-Esteemâ€, “Gotta Get Away†and “Come Out And Playâ€.
The band is composed of Bryan “Dexter†Holland on vocals, Greg Kriesel or Greg K on bass
guitar, Kevin Wasserman , also called “Noodle†on lead guitar and Atom Willard on drums. Prior
to joining the band, Kevin Wasserman was the school janitor recruited by Dexter Holland and
Greg Krieser reportedly because he was old enough to procure alcohol for them.
The Offspring’s “Self Esteem†is the second single released from Smash and speaks of being
trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship and having full knowledge that one is not getting
what one deserves, but is too weak to get out of it because of a very low self-esteem.