It appears that the Offspring and Epitaph Records are

fated to part ways, either in the near, or not so near, future. The group's

manager, Jim Guerinot, told ATN yesterday that last month he began talking to at

least one major label (we understand it's Columbia Records), after 14 months of

negotiations with Epitaph. The Offspring is still under contract to Epitaph,

owing the label one more album. Reached by phone yesterday (Mar. 6), Guerinot

(who also manages Rancid) was very close-mouthed about the situation. "I can't

comment on any of this," he told ATN. "The only thing I can say is there's a

reason... I hate this, but there's nothing I can really say that's appropriate,

except to say that the band had never taken a meeting with a major label all

the time that this [the fourteen month long negotiation] was going on. We never

met with one person, because we really supported and went to bat for the

Epitaph culture--the whole thing we thought we were jointly building. In fact,

we never had taken a meeting in the whole band's career.

In an interview

last week (see "Music News of the World," Mar. 4, 1996), Epitaph Records

president Brett Guerwitz said about the possibility of the Offspring leaving

Epitaph for a major label, "It's obvious to me that the band [the Offspring] is

being motivated by outside influences, by advisors, and all of that is out of

my control. But I assure you I'll definitely take the strongest actions

possible to protect Epitaph's interests. The fact is Epitaph has always been

the artist's advocate and will continue to do so.

He expressed optimism

that the Offspring would decide to stay with Epitaph. "I think they are going

to come to their senses and come home where it's safe and warm and creative and

great," he said. "And if they don't I attribute that to outside influences that

are totally outside my

control.