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Offspring Bring the Hits

Holland aims for Sting's high notes

September 23, 2004 12:00 AM ET
The Offspring have been working on new material to include alongside the likes of "Come Out and Play," "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" and "Why Don't You Get a Job" on their first greatest hits album. Earlier this summer, the band went into the studio with producer Jerry Finn (Morrissey, Blink-182) to record, albeit reluctantly. "I've gone back and forth about it," says frontman Dexter Holland, "and just decided that, unfortunately, the way the world works now, if you really want to get people to hear about a greatest hits record, you need that new song."

The band has also been reworking "Dirty Magic," from 1993's Ignition, as well trying out a Police cover. Holland won't divulge which one, but he admits that hitting Sting's high notes is no easy proposition. "I've been messing around with it in the car, like, 'Can I hit that?'" he says. "We're not doing 'Roxanne.' That's really up there."

The Offspring are currently taking their tour for their seventh album, Splinter, to South Africa. They play the Dome in Johannesburg tomorrow, and the Bellville Velodrome in Capetown on Sunday.

As for U.S. plans, the band would like to join the Warped tour next year. "We've never done it, and I think it would be fun," Holland says, reminiscing about Warped shows they've attended. "We've run across everybody over the years, and I would be like, 'Oh! There's NOFX! There's Rancid.' It's like a big bro-fest."

The Offspring are also anxious to record another album of new material. "People think of greatest hits like, 'Oh, does that mean you're going into acting?'" Holland says. "But I really want to put out another record next year. All the new songs feel pretty good."

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