The foundations for the Offspring began with guitarist/vocalist Bryan “Dexter” Holland (who was a drummer at the time) and bassist Greg “K.” Kriesel playing music together in a garage in Cypress, California , in 1983. 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. Holland recruited drummer James Lilja , on an agreement that Lilja would play in Manic Subsidal, if Holland joined Lilja’s band Clowns of Death. After Holland played with Clowns of Death, he asked the band’s guitarist Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman to join their band. This lineup started to practice in Kriesel’s parents’ house and played the band’s first show, taking a road trip to Santa Cruz to open for White Flag and Scared Straight , then playing a matinee the next day at the Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco .
Playing music together in a garage
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