The Future Is Now

[Britpunk]

Brett criticized "All I Want" as a Bad Religion rip-off when it came out, and I remember a bunch of people joined in the criticism. I defended them at the time, because it sounded like Brett was still sore about them leaving Epitaph... plus, all of that 90s "skate-punk" (I hate that term, but it encompasses the specific style that I'm referring to) seemed to share a common musical vernacular, melodically and structurally.

But then this story came to light, and the accusations seemed to make a little more sense.

Hmm. Without wanting to retread much of this, didn't brett say that Pennywise were just a BR ripoff - youknow, after PW spent 15 odd years on his label making him money?

[Hey Man Where's Everybody]

Yes, he did. What does that have to do with whether the song deliberately copies the Bad Religion template (which the band admits)?

[cool 2 hate 681]

wow i didn't know he said that about pennywise

[Hey Man Where's Everybody]

Actually, I don't know if he said that about Pennywise. I haven't kept up on my Pennywise news. I'm just assuming he did, 'cause Britpunk wouldn't lie, and it sounds like something Brett would say.

[Britpunk]

Yes, he did. What does that have to do with whether the song deliberately copies the Bad Religion template (which the band admits)?

Not much, other than to point out that none of it really matters anyway. If mr brett can suggest that and can still employ them, and be in turn inspired by them in their own right as he suggested very recently, then its a bit stupid to get pissed off by it all.

I like all three. I'm glad they all exist cause that means more 'skate'punk for me to listen to. I just wish the offspring would do more BR/PW and less the-cult/foo fighters/whatever-the-crap-a-mid-paced-rock-song-is-supposed-to-be-ripping-off.

[Britpunk]

Britpunk wouldn't lie.

Not intentionally no.

I remember reading about BR playing some festival and them bitching that PW were just a cheap imitation of themselves. This would have been early-mid 00's so i assume it came from brett. I can't offer concrete evidence at this hour though...

[Alien Invader]

Off the top of my head, Shattered faith sounds a lot like TKAA, so unless there's a story I don't know that tells that it was written before TKAA, it could be considered a "rip-off". If that's the case, Brett shouldn't really point fingers like that.

[cool 2 hate 681]

i always thought this pennywise song kind of sounded like it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJymuj3dE6I

[Little_Miss_1565]

I feel like it's kind of silly for bands that came up at around the same time to be pointing fingers like that. Especially when none of them are exactly blazing new trials.

[XYlophonetreeZ]

I usually think people make too big a deal about supposed ripoffs. But yeah, the issue does seem to get raised more with the Offspring than other bands. Particularly on RFRG, I think some of the criticism is merited- not just because they wrote songs that resembled others- but because ALL of the songs that they resembled were recent hits.

I guess this was in the other thread, but I read that article about CC being "The sucky sound of desperation," and they pointed out all of RFRG's similarities. I've gotta say, since I don't listen to stuff like MCR or Panic! At the Disco, I didn't notice them on my own (except for Rise and Fall/American Idiot). There is a lot of similarity going on there, except I totally disagree with the contention that "Kristy" sounds like "Wake Me up When September Ends," or that "Fix You" sounds like "Chasing Cars."

The article did change my opinion of RFRG a little bit. I initially liked it a lot because it was the first time in a while that they'd stepped out of their own comfort zone and did things that were new for them. Sadly, though, they were far from being new for the overall music scene today.

In the Offspring's defense, though, I think Brett was the one who looked stupid after the whole "All I Want" debacle. I wouldn't be surprised if they put that song on the record half-jokingly given the climate between them and Epitaph. Also, count me among the camp who thinks "Aging Orange" is one of the Vandals' funniest songs.