The California foursome’s ethos is amply displayed on the 1994 album Smash and its breakthrough single “Come Out and Play.” Authoritatively sung by Dexter Holland, the song boasts lyrics that capture the exhilaration and death-defying foolishness of juvenile delinquency: ”They're like the latest fashion/They're like a spreading disease/The kids are strappin' on their way to the classroom/Getting weapons with the greatest of ease.” Holland’s performance is offset by guitarist Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, who coaxes loopy Middle Eastern melodies from his instrument like a punk-rock snake charmer.

“Come Out and Play” rocketed to no. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, easing the way for subsequent Offspring hits including “Self Esteem,” “Gotta Get Away” and “Bad Habit.” Smash sold a remarkable 14 million copies worldwide, the record for most album units sold by an indie label band.

“Come Out and Play” surfaced just as gangsta rap was rising into the mainstream from the urban underground. With its ambiguous mix of gang-banger lyrics and punk absurdism, the single seemed to herald the arrival of a prophetic new force in rock & roll.

The Offspring continue to cast a puckish eye on western youth culture. On albums Ixnay on the Hombre, Americana, Conspiracy of One and Splinter, the band has explored topics including machismo (“Hit That“), societal decay (“Americana,” “LAPD“) and the mainstream appropriation of black culture (“Pretty Fly [for a White Guy]”).

Over the course of its 20-year history, the group has released seven studio albums, one compilation, three EPs and three DVDs, selling more than 32 million records worldwide. One of history’s best-selling punk acts, the Offspring seized the torch lighted by fearless post-Zeppelin visionaries including the Ramones, Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys.

Several elements factor into the Offspring’s success: Guitarist Noodles’ no-nonsense thrashings and the bedrock rhythms of bassist “Greg K.” Kriesel lay the crucial groundwork. Since the band’s inception, able drummers have included James Lilja, Ron Welty and Atom Willard. Former Saves The Day percussionist Pete Perada currently tours with the band.

Frontman Dexter Holland may be the Offspring’s secret weapon. His blowtorch vocals toe the line between Johnny Rotten snarling and Steve Tyler-inflected bombast. “Self Esteem,” “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy),” “Hit That” and other Holland-penned tunes combine punk attitude with pop, classic rock, reggae and ska.

Named valedictorian of his high-school class, Holland earned a master’s degree in molecular biology from the University of Southern California. Though he cites seminal punk bands Social Distortion and the Dead Kennedys as influences, Holland also professes a soft spot for legends including The Beatles and Bob Dylan.

His intellect and broad musical tastes help explain his sly songwriting style, but the singer firmly insists he doesn’t pander. "If I don't sell three million records, I'm going to commit suicide?" Holland quipped during a 1998 Rolling Stone interview. "You can't second-guess what the audience might say…if you try to gear your writing toward that, you're truly lost."

Holland’s philosophy has paid off handsomely. In addition to leading the Offspring, he and bandmate Greg Kriesel are founders of Nitro Records. Driven by passion, not market research, the California indie label has championed punk acts including the Vandals and Guttermouth, along with progressive group AFI.

Lately, the Offspring have been sequestered in the studio recording their eighth studio album with producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi). One may confidently surmise that the band’s forthcoming recording will rock — without taking itself too seriously.

The “early-bird” $100 registration fee has been extended until the end of May. For more information, including a list of the songwriters and top industry representatives expected to attend and to register for the Festival, visit kauaimusicfestival.com. Unlike many other expos and conferences, registration to the Kauai Music Festival is limited to allow our small group of registrants more personal attention.  As a result, it will fill up quickly... so early registration is strongly suggested to guarantee participation.

The staff of songwriters and executives participating are among the best in the business, including multi-platinum writers who have penned hits for Christina Aguilera, Rascal Flatts, Hinder, Avril Lavigne, Daughtry, Faith Hill, Brandy, Meredith Brooks, N'Sync, Joss Stone, and Jojo, plus executives from Interscope, A&M, Atlantic Records, peermusic, BMI and more. BMI is proud to support the festival, which will feature Jason Blume, Charles Brotman, Barbara Cane, John Cruz, Beau Dozier, Adam Gorgoni, Brian Howes, Tony Kilbert, Michael Laskow, Myles Lewis, Steven Melrose, William G. Meyer III, Mollie Moore, David Pack, Shelly Peiken, Jeff Peterson, Jeffrey Steele, David Tickle, Harry Witz and more.

BMI staged its 55th Annual Pop Awards on May 15, honoring the Bee Gees as Pop Icons; Kara DioGuardi and Sean Garrett as Songwriters of the Year; “Because of You” as Song of the Year; and Warner/Chappell Music as Publisher of the Year. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and BMI Vice President/General Manager, Los Angeles, Barbara Cane and held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the black-tie, invitation-only dinner recognized the writers and publishers of the past year’s 50 most performed pop songs from BMI’s catalog of more than 6.5 million compositions.

BMI Pop Awards Song List

A highlight of the ceremony was the musical tribute to legendary singing trio the Bee Gees. The brothers Gibb were honored as BMI Icons for their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Accepting the awards were Barry and Robin Gibb, and Yvonne Gibb, wife of the late Maurice Gibb. The tribute saw American Idol finalist Katharine McPhee perform “Immortality,” Bebe Winans singing a medley of “Nights on Broadway” and “How Deep Is Your Love” and Kelly Rowland performing “Emotion.” The musical partnership of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb has produced some of the most timeless songs ever written, including “Night Fever,” “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” “Staying Alive,” “I Started a Joke,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Jive Talkin,” “You Should Be Dancing” and “Run To Me.” The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees signature three-part harmony has endured for more than four decades, and with this award they join an elite list of previous BMI Icons that includes Crosby, Stills & Nash, Paul Simon, James Brown, Brian Wilson, Isaac Hayes, Dolly Parton and Carlos Santana.

Kara DioGuardi and Sean Garrett tied for the coveted BMI Songwriter of the Year title, placing three songs each in the most performed list of 50. The trio of tracks earning DioGuardi her first Songwriter of the Year Crystal includes “Real Thing” (Bo Bice),“Walk Away” (Kelly Clarkson) and “I’m Feeling You” (Santana featuring The Wreckers). Tonight marked her seventh BMI award; she received a BMI Latin Award in March. Garrett picked up his first Pop Songwriter of the Year Crystal for penning “Run It!” (Chris Brown), “Check On It” (Beyoncé featuring Slim Thug) and “Grillz” (Nelly featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp). Garrett now holds 12 BMI Awards in both the Pop and Urban categories, including being named one of the BMI Top 10 Urban Producers at last year’s honors.

“Because of You,” co-written by BMI songwriters Ben Moody and David Hodges, along with Kelly Clarkson, and published by 12:06 Publishing, Smellslikemetal Publishing, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. and Dwight Frye Music, Inc., was named BMI Pop Song of the Year for scoring the most airplay of any song on the most-performed list during the award period. “Because of You” earned the trio a huge top ten Billboard Hot 100 hit and the #1 spot on Top 40 radio, where it spent six weeks at the peak position, and was included on Clarkson’s second release, Breakaway.

Warner/Chappell Music (Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. & Unichappell Music, Inc) claimed its BMI Pop Publisher of the Year prize with 11 songs on the top 50 list and the highest percentage of copyright ownership of this year’s awards. Warner/Chappell Music CEO Dave Johnson accepted the company’s 13th BMI Pop Publisher of the Year Crystal.

BMI also recognized the performance achievements of two other songs: “Miss Murder,” which earned Most Performed Song on College Radio kudos for AFI’s Hunter Burgan, Adam Carson, Davey Havok, Jade Puget and Ex Noctem Nacimur Music (publishers); and “You’re Beautiful,” BMI’s Internet Song of the Year award for songwriters James Blunt (PRS), Amanda Ghost (PRS), Sacha Skarbek (PRS), and David Platz Music, Inc., EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc., for tallying the most hits on BMI-licensed web sites during the award period.

Taking home two BMI Pop Awards each were Fall Out Boy’s Andrew Hurley, Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman and Pete Wentz; Mariah Carey; Ne-Yo; and Nickelback members Daniel Adair, Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger and Ryan Peake (all SOCAN). Publishing companies EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing (Irving Music/Songs of Universal, Inc./Universal-Songs of Polygram International, Inc.), BMG Music Group (Killer Tracks/Zomba Songs), Sony/ATV Songs LLC, K’Stuff Publishing, Chicago X Softcore Songs, Rye Songs, and Super Sayin’ Publishing were each cited for multiple award-winning songs.

The BMI Foundation’s 10th Annual John Lennon Scholarship was presented to 21-year-old Berklee College of Music student Emily Shackelton. A native of Northern Minnesota, she was awarded a $10,000 scholarship for her song “Goodbye” by the Foundation. Established in 1997 by Yoko Ono in conjunction with the BMI Foundation and matched by generous donations from Gibson Musical Instruments, the John Lennon Scholarship program recognizes the talent of young songwriters between the ages of 15 and 24.

High-resolution photos will be available on May 16 at press.bmi.com. To request access, please contact mediarelations@bmi.com.

A full two years in the making, the new album teams the Ukiah, CA band with producer Jerry Finn (Green Day, Blink 182). Together, they have produced a recording that combines the band’s retro-punk and new wave proclivities with Finn’s heavy-rock sensibilities. Tracks like “Love Like Winter,” “Miss Murder,” “The Interview” and “Endlessly, She Said” possess a tragic, poetic lilt that evokes both old Europe and contemporary America.

“There’s a lot more attention to detail on this record,” says guitarist Jade Puget. “We spent a long time writing it. We refused to rush ourselves. We took our time not just on every song but on each guitar part, each vocal, each bass line. We definitely didn’t rush into the studio.”

Formed in 1991, AFI (an acronym for “A Fire Inside”) toiled for years in the shadows of the rock underground. Independently produced albums like Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes, A Fire Inside, Black Sails in the Sunset and The Art of Drowning were acclaimed for their mix of dark romanticism and pure punk fury. The band’s line-up evolved over the years to include founding members Puget, vocalist Davey Havok, bassist Hunter Burgan and drummer Adam Carson.

AFI struck paydirt in 2003 when they signed with the now-defunct DreamWorks Records and released the breakthrough album, Sing the Sorrow. The disc debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, netted the band a 2003 MTV2 Viewers Choice Award, and earned accolades from such august publications as The New York Times, Spin, Revolver and Alternative Press. USA Today named “Girl’s Not Grey” one of the top singles of 2003.

Sing the Sorrow sold over a million copies and helped make AFI goth/emo forerunners. “I was completely in awe then and still am now,” says Burgan of the band’s success. “It all seemed to have come naturally from our efforts andhonestly that’s really hard for me to comprehend.”

A similarly surprised Puget is philosophical: “As long as you make the record you want, sales don’t matter. We have our music and our fans. Everything else is subject to the whims of the marketplace.”

That will all change with the Capitol Records release of their self-titled debut. As your average Saosin fan (and there are legions) will be quick to point out, the wait was a considerable one. “We were waiting until the songs were right,” says frontman Cove Reber with some understatement.

It’s been three years since word of the band’s full-length debut first surfaced, and in that time a lot has changed within the music scene from which they originally emerged and within the band itself.

Seemingly overnight, stylized bands playing strains of melodic post-hardcore have sailed up the pop charts. But for Saosin - Reber, bassist Chris Sorenson, drummer Alex Rodriguez, and guitarists Beau Burchell and Justin Shekoski - things have played out a bit differently. During the scene’s ascension, the band’s members have all but shunned the idea of a genre tag or an “image” - unless, of course, you count the jeans and t-shirts they soak in sweat every night onstage - and have instead focused their energies on making an album that will live or die strictly on musical merits.

“At first we said we weren’t interested in putting the album out on a major label,” says Burchell. “We wanted to grow first.”

But the band’s sound and its ambition grew tremendously during the recording of their 12-song debut, an album that exceeds even the wildest of expectations. From the dueling guitar crunch of opener “It’s Far Better to Learn,” to the nosebleed anthemic heights of lead single “Voices,” the livewire maelstrom of “Follow and Feel” and epic heartstring-puller “You’re Not Alone,” Saosin have created the kind of debut album that announces something indisputably new under rock’s sun.

“It was a long time coming,” says Sorenson, “but finishing the album really put a fire under our asses and we were better for it.”

The initial stages of the band’s debut date back to late 2003 when founding guitarists Burchell and Shekoski and original frontman Anthony Green began playing out, recorded a quick EP, Translating the Name, and embarked on a U.S. tour during which time Green exited the band. To the group’s surprise Translating the Name garnered the band a massive fanbase both online and at their live shows, which grew organically, and quickly.

The band, however, was so hands-off about promoting themselves that Google searches of the band turned up precious little info.

“It was cool if you knew about the band, we weren’t always easy to find,” says Burchell.  “But I think that really brought kids together, having to actually make the effort to track us down.”

A collection of rabid fans with ethernet connections soon began arguing about such pressing matters as how the band’s name was actually pronounced (it’s “say-o-sin") and what it actually means (Saosin means “small heart” in Chinese. The word comes from a 15th century proverb about fathers telling their sons who are being married off for money not to get emotionally involved with their wives, who could die at any time.)

In the winter of 2005, the revamped Saosin lineup with Sorenson, Rodriguez and new frontman Reber signed to Capitol, released a self-titled EP of demos and live tracks, and began pre-production on their long-awaited full-length debut. As the band recorded various versions of their new songs - both at their home studios and on a mobile recording unit that they set up on their tour bus – the burden of heavy expectations eventually gave way to genuine excitement.

“I would demo stuff with Chris,” Reber recalls, “and say, ‘This is really good – we can’t not run with this.’”

In turn, the album that Saosin began recording with producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Head Automatica) this past January, nearly a full year after they began properly demoing its songs, would live up to the band’s great expectations, and then some. More importantly, though, it proves that in a world of overnight success at least one group is devoted enough to write songs that are built to last. 

“This record is going to take us places,” says Sorenson. “We don’t know exactly where, but it will definitely be an experience getting there.”

Their self-titled album just debuted on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart at No. 22 and is in stores now. Check them out at http://www.saosin.com/.

Dan Wiese (guitars)

Jon Radtke (guitars)

Greg Corner (bass)

“And I’m not running anymore, I’ll stand to face it all, I’ll fight for every breath/Until there’s nothing left of us“

“Believer” by Kill Hannah

A title could not be more apropos. Until There’s Nothing Left of Us, the latest offering from Kill Hannah, defines the blue-collar work ethic of this unique band, whose American spin on British modern rock reaches its apotheosis on their sensational new release. 

After touring relentlessly through the two years that followed their 2003 Atlantic debut, For Never & Ever (which featured the smash single “Kennedy"), the band dedicated six months to conceptualizing their sophomore effort with intense songwriting and constant demoing. After having a lifetime to write their first album, it was, admittedly, a challenge. But they’ve beaten the odds before.

No one sounded or looked like them when they first broke free from their art school roots, peddled their independently produced records at shows and local stores, conquered skeptics and built a loyal fan base. Their sound had no precedent in their hometown of Chicago, yet its influence would launch a subculture there and spread far beyond to others that would follow their musical and visual leads. Back then, they had a ferocious DIY-mentality, creating their own merchandise, passing out fliers in the snow, maintaining their heavily trafficked website and more. They still do.

With the final mixes for Until There’s Nothing Left of Us, they knew they had given all they had to this music.

And you can hear it - in the passion and poetry, the candor of their lyrics, the physical impact of their beats … all the elements that prompted Billy Corgan to hail them as “the future of Chicago rock” resonate here. Easily described as the bridge between the Killers, AFI, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, this band owns John Hughes movies, worn out mix tapes and a comprehensive understanding of what came before them. Their sound is at once familiar and refreshingly original, showing undeniable growth by taking chances in a world where most art is being played safe.

While Kill Hannah had cut Forever Never & Ever far from home in sunny Los Angeles, Until There’s Nothing Left of Us was conceived and created back home in Chicago during the dead of winter. That, according to Devine, stamps every second of the album with a distinctive energy.

“Everything came from the stimulation I get from this place,” he insists. “I live in view of the entire skyline; the trains literally circle me. It’s almost like the city itself envelops me. Like any metropolis, it can be dark at times, but super romantic too. From nine to five, it’s absolute chaos, and then after six o’clock it’s completely desolate. At the lakeshore it might be totally placid and serene, and in the next minute these crazy waves crash in and freeze as massive piles of jagged ice. In a way, our music is like that too. From track to track on this record, and even within each song, we have moments of triumph and then we have moments of creepy romance.”

As the countdown for delivering Until There’s Nothing Left of Us began, Devine set off alone, exploring his city and finding magic in places that had somehow escaped his attention – a tiny Gothic church, for example, amidst the towers that loom over Michigan Avenue. Each detail stirred ideas – word paintings, a snippet of melody – that he’d record on his voicemail.

Soon the band gathered at friend/local drummer Garrett Hammond’s home studio and began taking all of their demos apart. “We’d rehearse and develop and record every single part,” recalls guitarist Dan Wiese. “Every note and every word got re-evaluated several times before everyone was satisfied.”

After wrapping up their intense pre-production, they hit the studio with Chicago native Johnny K. With a catalog that includes producing bands like Disturbed and 3 Doors Down, he seemed like an unusual choice for Kill Hannah. “But we wanted to experiment,” Devine explains. “My personal tastes lean toward European and 80s influences, and Johnny is known for doing straight-ahead rock or metal. In Chicago terms, it’s like we’re North Side and Johnny is, as he calls himself, a ‘South Side knucklehead’.” It was, of course, a perfect match.

They began by finding common ground as Johnny seconded their enthusiasm for the Cure, Peter Gabriel and the Psychedelic Furs. The plan, then, was to at once expand and refine their sound without losing the primal instincts that have driven Kill Hannah from the start.

“We love our first album and stand by it, but we also know that the most consistent criticism it received was that it didn’t have the raw energy that we have when we play live,” Devine says. “On the new album, we’ve got the harmonized vocals and electronics and sophistication that are so much a part of what we are, but Johnny’s perspective helped us to also bring that dynamic side of our show to the table too.”

If you’re lucky enough to have seen them live on tours with the Sounds and H.I.M., or headlining their now legendary shows at the Metro and across the country this summer, you’ll know immediately what all of this means.

From the album’s triumphant, instrumental opening, “Life in the Arctic,” which defines the context for the epic tracks that follow, through the siren-like riff that drives “Believer,” the drum and bass-inspired beats and delicate chimes that surge into waves of massive guitars on “The Songs That Saved My Life,” the seductive blend of emotive melody and body-slamming beat on the anthemic, lead single “Lips Like Morphine,” whose chorus fans began chanting at shows within days of the song’s appearance on the band’s MySpace page (myspace.com/killhannah). This is how Kill Hannah sounds onstage when they play with a strength only achieved by feeding from the energy of their fans and serving it back with immeasurable intensity.

Mat Devine’s lyrics for “Love You to Death” reflect his familiarity with that place where tragedy and romance unite, a Shakespearean vision that’s conveyed powerfully in classic pop song format. “Scream” pays tribute to their hometown, whose grandeur and intensity are critical elements of Kill Hannah’s style. And “Sleep Tight,” improbably intimate, provides the perfect coda.

Until There’s Nothing Left of Us is everything that the band and the legions that follow them could have wished for. But it’s only the start of the next exciting chapter for Kill Hannah.

Website: www.killhannah.com

With the release of their new DreamWorks Records CD Sing the Sorrow, AFI proves they possess the talents to become turn-of-the-millennium icons. Produced by Butch Vig (Nirvana/Smashing Pumpkins/Garbage) and Jerry Finn (Green Day/Blink-182), Sing the Sorrow is every bit as sprawling as the band's California home. On tracks like "The Leaving Song," "Silver and Cold" and "The Great Disappointment," vocalist Davey Havoc, guitarist Jade Puget, bassist Hunter and drummer Adam Carson bring pop melodies to bear on intense punk rhythms and gothic lyricism.

For longtime AFI fans, Sing the Sorrow was a litmus test. The band's five previous releases were independently produced for the Nitro label. So when AFI announced they had signed with DreamWorks, some feared the band might lose their hardcore edge. But Sing the Sorrow silenced all doubters, debuting at #5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and resulting in simultaneous lead reviews in Rolling Stone, Spin and Alternative Press — a rare case of fan and critical hysteria.

The AFI saga has been 11 years in the making. Hailing from the northern California town of Ukiah, the band's indie CDs — which include Very Proud of Ya (1996), Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), Black Sails In Sunset (1998), A Fire Inside (1998), All Hallows (1999) and The Art of Drowning (2000) — ran the gamut from no-nonsense hardcore to more conceptualized punk rock. As a result of their unassailable underground credentials, AFI became the most buzzed-about band on the 2002 Warped Tour.

Now, with their DreamWorks debut garnering sales and acclaim and a Nitro Records retrospective box set in the works, AFI's all-consuming inner flame is certain to spread.