“The title SUPERCHARGED sure sums up the world right now, where everyone seems to be fired up in real life and on social media,” says Dexter Holland, The Offspring’s founding singer, guitarist, and songwriter. “But it also refers to the sound of some of my favorite records, from AC/DC to Operation Ivy. Whether musically or culturally, that word hits you in a very visceral way.”
“One of the cool things about music and lyrics is that it should be open to interpretation,” he says. “I've written some songs that are very much an actual story, like ‘Self Esteem,’ but I like that this song can be taken in different ways. It can be about your girlfriend, or your kids having a meltdown, and that’s part of the fun of it.”
Holland pokes a little fun at a comment musicians hear every time they announce a tour, with the IYKYK song “Come to Brazil.” A standout of the album, it features heavy guitars, shoutouts to Brazilian customs, and a rousing soccer chant. Holland considers it a love letter to South American fans. “Brazil really does go off. It has an enthusiasm and passion and is an amazing place to play,” he says. “I hope the fans make this song their own.”
Since returning from a nearly 10-year break between albums so that Holland could earn his PhD in molecular biology from USC, The Offspring have been unrelenting. They marked the 30th anniversary of their six-time Platinum album Smash this year, released the chart-topping Let the Bad Times Roll in 2021, and added to their 40 million album sales worldwide. They also continue to tour the globe — yes, including Brazil — thrilling longtime fans and connecting with a new generation full of the same angst and aggression on which The Offspring were built.
This past year, Queen guitarist Brian May and Ed Sheeran each joined them onstage at different concerts, with Sheeran impressing the band by lifting up his shirt to reveal an Offspring tattoo.
“We just want to connect with the world, and SUPERCHARGED does that like a big punch in the face,” Holland says. “We're pumped to be putting this record out and to hit the road behind it next year, bringing the music to our fans who have been with us for so long.”
