Who is the better of the ’90s punk revival bands – Green Day or The Offspring? That’s the debate this week on Loudwire Nights‘ Chuck’s Fight Club.
Punk was not just a ’70s phenomenon, but by the time the ’90s arrived it had mostly fallen out of rock favor. But in 1994, at the height of the grunge era, two California bands put it right front and center on the musical map again.
Green Day, the Bay Area trio, had already issued a pair of buzzy indie records when Reprise came knocking and snatched up their third offering, 1994’s Dookie. The album gave us five big hits in “Longview,” “Basket Case,” “Welcome to Paradise,” “When I Come Around” and “She.” They wouldn’t look back populating the ’90s with two more albums in the decade and a string of hits that included “J.A.R.,” “Geek Stink Breath,” “Brain Stew,” “Hitchin’ a Ride,” “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” “Redundant” and “Nice Guys Finish Last.”
READ MORE: The Setlist from Green Day’s Mud-Filled Woodstock ’94 Performance
Meanwhile, also in 1994, Orange County rockers The Offspring were following a similar path. The four-piece outfit made the major label jump after two albums with Epitaph issuing Smash in 1994. The album gave us “Come Out and Play,” “Self Esteem” and “Gotta Get Away” dominating the airwaves over the next year. They also would go on to dominate the ’90s with two more albums and a run of hits that included “All I Want,” “Gone Away,” “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” “Why Don’t You Get a Job,” “The Kids Aren’t Alright” and “She’s Got Issues.”
So which Cali punk band gets your vote? As with all the Chuck’s Fight Club battles, Loudwire Nights host Chuck Armstrong will introduce the battle at 8PM during Monday’s Loudwire Nights episode. He’ll make individual cases for the two bands at 8PM on the Tuesday and Wednesday airings, and you’ll have all week to decide by ranking the groups using the voting platform below. The winning band will be featured in a block of music airing at 8PM on Friday’s Loudwire Nights.
Just this reminder, Loudwire Nights with Chuck Armstrong airs nightly starting at 7PM ET. You can tune in anytime, from anywhere right here or by downloading the Loudwire app.
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Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner