September 24, 2004 15:14

THE OFFSPRING AT THEIR GREATEST!

And it will have new songs on it...

THE OFFSPRING are to release their greatest hits album in early 2005 - and it will feature new material.

The US punks, who played the Main Stage at this year’s Carling Weekend: Reading And Leeds Festivals, say that the album will also include a cover of a Police track. Frontman Dexter Holland won't divulge which one, though admits whether he can reach Morrissey’s high notes has played a part in choosing which one.

"I've been messing around with it in the car, like, 'Can I hit that?'" he says. "We're not doing 'Roxanne’. That's really up there."

The album will feature band classics such as ’Self Esteem’ and UK Number One hit ‘Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)’ as well as the new tracks recorded this summer with NOFX producer Jerry Finn.

"I've gone back and forth about it," said Holland, "and just decided that, unfortunately, the way the world works now, if you really want to get people to hear about a greatest hits record, you need that new song.

"People think of greatest hits like, 'Oh, does that mean you're going into acting?'" Holland continued. "But I really want to put out another record next year. All the new songs feel pretty good," he explained to Rolling Stone.

Holland also revealed the band’s plans to join next year's Warped Tour.

"We've never done it, and I think it would be fun," Holland says, reminiscing about Warped shows they've attended. "We've run across everybody over the years, and I would be like, 'Oh! There's Rancid! There's [a][/a]. It's like a big bro-fest."