View source for Descendents

{{Short description|American punk rock band}}
{{Distinguish|Descendants (2015 film)|Descendents (2008 film)}}
{{For other uses|Descendant (disambiguation){{!}}Descendant}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Descendents
| image             = Descendents - Fillmore Auditorium, Denver - April 2022.jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Descendents performing at the [[Fillmore Auditorium (Denver)|Fillmore Auditorium]] in 2022. 
 Left to right: Egerton, Aukerman, Stevenson (behind drum kit), and Alvarez.
| origin            = [[Manhattan Beach, California]], U.S.
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[Punk rock]]
* [[hardcore punk]]
* [[melodic hardcore]]
* [[skate punk]]
}}
| discography       = [[Descendents discography]]
| years_active      = {{flatlist|
* 1977–1983
* 1985–1987
* 1995–1997
* 2002–2004
* 2010–present
}}
| label             = {{flatlist|
* Orca
* [[New Alliance Records|New Alliance]]
* [[SST Records|SST]]
* [[Epitaph Records|Epitaph]]
* [[Fat Wreck Chords]]
}}
| spinoffs          = [[All (band)|All]], [[Keith Morris#FLAG|FLAG]]
| website           = {{URL|descendentsonline.com}}
| current_members   = * [[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]]
* [[Milo Aukerman]]
* [[Karl Alvarez]]
* [[Stephen Egerton (guitarist)|Stephen Egerton]]
| past_members      = * [[Tony Lombardo]]
* [[Frank Navetta]]
* Ray Cooper
* [[Doug Carrion]]
* David Nolte
}}

The '''Descendents''' are an American [[punk rock]] band formed in [[Manhattan Beach, California]], in 1977, by guitarist [[Frank Navetta]], bassist [[Tony Lombardo]] and drummer [[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]] as a [[power pop]]/[[surf music|surf punk]] band.<ref name="Blush"/> In 1979, they enlisted Stevenson's school friend [[Milo Aukerman]] as a singer, and reappeared as a melodic [[hardcore punk]] band,<ref name="Blush"/> becoming a major player in the hardcore scene developing in Los Angeles at the time. They have released eight [[studio album]]s, three [[live album]]s, three [[compilation album]]s, and four [[extended play|EP]]s. Since 1986, the band's lineup has consisted of Aukerman, Stevenson, guitarist [[Stephen Egerton (guitarist)|Stephen Egerton]], and bassist [[Karl Alvarez]].

==History==
===Early years, ''Fat EP'', ''Milo Goes to College'', and first hiatus (1977–1984)===
In 1977, friends [[Frank Navetta]] and David Nolte began writing songs on [[acoustic guitar]]s with the intention of forming a band.<ref name="FAQ">{{cite web |title=F.A.Q |publisher=Descendent |work=descendentsonline.com |url=http://www.descendentsonline.com/faq/ |access-date=February 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211194903/http://www.descendentsonline.com/faq/ |archive-date=February 11, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> They initially called themselves "The Itch", until Navetta came up with the name "Descendents".<ref name="FAQ"/> By the end of the year they had failed to attract any more band members, so Nolte left to join [[The Last (band)|the Last]] with his brothers.<ref name="FAQ"/> In late 1978 Navetta, joined by drummer [[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]], and with Nolte switching from guitar to bass, revitalized the Descendents project.<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="Blush">{{cite book |title=American Hardcore: A Tribal History |last=Blush |first=Steven |author-link=Steven Blush |year=2001 |publisher=[[Feral House]] |location=[[Los Angeles]] |isbn=0-922915-71-7 |page=79|title-link=American Hardcore: A Tribal History }}</ref> Nolte sang with the group at several of their early performances alongside Navetta, but by the spring of 1979, The Last were becoming more active and he left the Descendents again, being replaced by bassist [[Tony Lombardo]].<ref name="FAQ"/> The lineup of Navetta, Lombardo, and Stevenson recorded the band's debut single at Media Art studios and released it on their own label, Orca Records, named after Stevenson's fishing boat.<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="Blush"/><ref name="Blush, p. 310">Blush, p. 310.</ref><ref name="Hallraker">{{cite AV media notes |title=Hallraker: Live! |title-link=Hallraker: Live! |others=Descendents |year=1989 |first=Bill |last=Stevenson |author-link=Bill Stevenson (musician) |type=CD liner |publisher=[[SST Records]] |id=SST CD 205 |location=[[Lawndale, California]]}}</ref> Navetta sang "Ride the Wild" while Lombardo sang "It's a Hectic World". Nolte produced and mixed the session, and his brother Joe turned the lead guitar level up, resulting in the guitar being very loud in the mix.<ref name="FAQ"/>
[[File:RedondoBeachPier02.jpg|thumb|left|[[Redondo Beach, California|Redondo Beach]], where the ''Fat EP'' and ''Milo Goes to College'' were recorded|upright=1.2]]
The band's music at the time was described by Stevenson as a "coffee'd-out blend of rock-surf-pop-punk music [...] The sound consisted basically of Lombardo's hard-driving, melodic bass lines, Navetta's tight guitar riffing, and my 'caffinated' surf beats."<ref name="Hallraker"/> [[Steven Blush]], author of ''[[American Hardcore: A Tribal History]]'', describes the single as "a blend of [[Devo]]-style [[New wave music|new wave]] and [[Dick Dale]]-like [[surf music|surf]]."<ref name="Blush"/> Ned Raggett of [[AllMusic]] describes it as surf-inspired [[power pop]] with a New Wave edge: "Not quite Devo if they grew up on the coast, but there's something to that comparison."<ref name="Raggett2">{{cite web |last=Raggett |first=Ned |title=Review: ''Bonus Fat'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r5538|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=February 3, 2010}}</ref>

After a six-month trial with a female singer, Cecilia Loera, they recruited [[Milo Aukerman]] as their new vocalist after Navetta and Lombardo got tired of singing.<ref name="Blush"/> The addition of Aukerman led the band to write shorter, faster, and more aggressive songs in a [[hardcore punk]] style.<ref name="Blush"/> They later released the [[Fat EP]] in 1982. It was a record which established the band's presence in the southern California hardcore punk movement with its short, fast, aggressive songs.<ref name="Blush"/>
{{Listen
 |filename     = Descendents - Kabuki Girl.ogg
 |title        = "Kabuki Girl" from ''Milo Goes to College'' (1982)
 |description  = The use of melodies and mixing them with [[hardcore punk]] found on ''Milo Goes to College'' was considered very unusual at the time by the punk scene but was considered as a massive influence by [[melodic hardcore]] and [[pop-punk]] bands.<ref name="Blush"/>}}
For the recording of their debut album ''[[Milo Goes to College]]'' in June 1982, the band worked at [[Total Access Recording]] in [[Redondo Beach, California]], with [[Spot (producer)|Spot]], who had also engineered and produced the ''Fat EP''.<ref name="Somery">{{cite AV media notes |title=Somery |title-link=Somery |others=Descendents |year=1991 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[SST Records]] |id=SST CD 259 |location=[[Lawndale, California]]}}</ref> While still short and fast, the songs on ''Milo Goes to College'' were also melodic. Aukerman later reflected: "It's interesting: we started very melodic, then moved to hardcore, but melded the two at a certain point and became [[melodic hardcore]]."<ref name="Blush"/> The album's title and cover illustration referenced Aukerman's departure from the band to study biology at the [[University of California, San Diego]].<ref name="Interviews">{{cite web|title=Interviews |publisher=Descendents |work=descendentsonline.com |url=http://www.descendentsonline.com/archive/interviews/ |access-date=February 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324082952/http://www.descendentsonline.com/archive/interviews/ |archive-date=March 24, 2010  }}</ref> The illustration was done by Jeff Atkinson, based on earlier [[caricature]]s by a high school classmate of Aukerman's named Roger Deuerlein, who had drawn comic strips and posters depicting Aukerman as the class [[nerd]].<ref name="FAQ"/>

A note on the back of the LP read "In dedication to Milo Aukerman from the Descendents", and was signed by the other three members.<ref name="Milo Goes to College">{{cite AV media notes |title=Milo Goes to College |others=Descendents |year=1982 |type=LP liner |publisher=[[New Alliance Records]] |id=NAR-012 |location=[[San Pedro, California]]}}</ref> Aukerman later recalled that the band took his departure in stride:

<blockquote>
When I decided to go to university, the guys in the band were pretty hip on it because they knew how big of a nerd I was. Like, "What else would you expect him to do but to go off and be a geek?" I mean, I've got a [[Ph.D]] in [[biochemistry]] — how uncool is that?<ref name="Blush"/>
</blockquote>

{{Quote box |quote= The band had time off so I spent like two years with Black Flag. I got in over my head. When I joined Flag I had every intention of doing both bands but it was physically impossible. Flag had all this stuff in progress, so I put Descendents on hold.|source=–[[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]] on the group's first hiatus.|align=right |bgcolor=#c6dbf7 |salign=right |width=33%}}

The band continued performing for a time with Ray Cooper on vocals, who would switch to [[rhythm guitar]], when Aukerman made return visits to Los Angeles.<ref name="Interviews"/><ref name="All">{{cite AV media notes |title=All |title-link=All (All album) |others=[[All (band)|All]] |year=1998 |type=CD bookelt |chapter=All/Descendents Family Shrub |publisher=Owned & Operated Records |id=O&O 007-2 |location=[[Fort Collins, Colorado]]}}</ref><ref name="Shrub">{{cite web |title=All/Descendents Family Shrub |year=1996 |url=http://www.descendentsonline.com/archive/gnusletters/pages/1996fall-b-norb.htm |work=descendentsonline.com |publisher=[[Descendents (band)|Descendents]] |access-date=February 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709014738/http://www.descendentsonline.com/archive/gnusletters/pages/1996fall-b-norb.htm |archive-date=July 9, 2011  }}</ref> At the same time, Stevenson had also joined [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]], intending to be in both bands at once but soon finding it too difficult due to Black Flag's touring and recording schedule.<ref name="Hallraker"/>

With Aukerman in college and Stevenson in Black Flag, the Descendents went on hiatus from 1983 to 1985.<ref name="Interviews"/><ref name="All"/><ref name="Shrub"/> During this time Navetta burned all of his equipment and moved to [[Oregon]], while Cooper and Lombardo performed as the Ascendents.<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="All"/><ref name="Shrub"/>

===Reformation, ''I Don't Want to Grow Up'', ''Enjoy!'', ''All'', and second hiatus (1985–1995)===
{{Listen
 |filename     = Descendents - Silly Girl.ogg
 |title        = "Silly Girl" from ''I Don't Want to Grow Up'' (1985)
 |description  = "Silly Girl" features heavy distorted guitars and a lengthy/poppy sound which would be featured on majority of the rest of ''I Don't Wanna Grow Up''. Since its debut on the album, it has been nearly played at almost every live show.
 |filename2    = Descendents - Days Are Blood.ogg
 |title2       = "Days Are Blood" from ''Enjoy!'' (1986)
 |description2 = "Days Are Blood" shows an example of the darker, experimental, and almost [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] style that is found on ''Enjoy!''. The dark use of [[thrash metal]] chords would be abandoned on the next album.
 |filename3        = Descendents - Cameage.ogg
 |title3           = "Cameage" from ''All'' (1987)
 | description3   = "Cameage" borrows surf rock-like melodies with the mix of polished guitar chords, this was considered a large improvement in the style of the band's sound and the lyrical maturity was also applauded by critics and fans alike.
}}
In 1985 Stevenson left Black Flag and he, Aukerman, Cooper, and Lombardo reconvened as the Descendents for ''I Don't Want to Grow Up'', recorded that April at Music Lab studios in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles, California]], with [[record producer|producer]] and [[recording engineer|engineer]] David Tarling and published by [[New Alliance Records]].<ref name="Blush, p. 310"/><ref name="Somery"/><ref name="I Don't Want to Grow Up">{{cite AV media notes |title=I Don't Want to Grow Up |others=Descendents |year=1987 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[SST Records]] |id=SST CD 143 |location=[[Lawndale, California]]}}</ref> 

After three tours in support of ''I Don't Want to Grow Up'', the band recorded ''Enjoy!'' in March and April 1986 at Radio Tokyo studios in [[Venice, California]].<ref name="Somery"/><ref name="Enjoy!">{{cite AV media notes |title=Enjoy! |others=Descendents |year=1986 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[SST Records]] |id=SST CD 242 |location=[[Lawndale, California]]}}</ref> [[Drummer]] [[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]] acted as [[record producer|producer]] of the album, working with [[recording engineer]]s Richard Andrews and Ethan James.<ref name="Somery"/><ref name="Enjoy!"/>

The lyrics of "Hürtin' Crüe" derived from a high school classmate of singer [[Milo Aukerman]] who had earned a score of 1420 on the [[SAT]], gaining him entry into the [[United States Military Academy]]. Gloating about his accomplishment, he sang a taunt with the lyrics "I am better than you / You are a piece of poo / 1420". Aukerman incorporated these lyrics into "Hürtin' Crüe".<ref name="FAQ"/> The cover artwork for ''Enjoy!'' was drawn by guitarist Ray Cooper under the [[pseudonym]] "Scoob Droolins".<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="Enjoy!"/> Rather than printing the song titles on the reverse of the album's sleeve, the band instead replaced them with various [[euphemism]]s for [[feces]].<ref name="Salmon">{{cite web |last=Salmon |first=Jeremy |title=Review: ''Enjoy!'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r5532|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=February 8, 2010}}</ref>

The band supported ''Enjoy!'' with a tour through the Summer of 1986.<ref name="Blush, p. 310"/><ref name="Hallraker"/> Following the tour both Carrion and Cooper left the band, and were replaced by [[Karl Alvarez]] and [[Stephen Egerton (guitarist)|Stephen Egerton]], respectively, from the Utah band Massacre Guys.<ref name="Hallraker"/><ref name="All"/><ref name="Shrub"/> In 1987 New Alliance was sold to [[SST Records]], who re-released ''Enjoy!'' on [[compact cassette|cassette]] and [[compact disc]]. The cassette and CD versions added two additional tracks: "Orgofart" and "Orgo 51".<ref name="Discography"/> "Orgofart" consists entirely of the band members cheering each other on as they fart into recording equipment, a technique also used in "Enjoy", while "Orgo 51" is a heavy metal-influenced [[instrumental]] track.<ref name="Salmon"/>

One week later, on Stevenson's birthday of September 10, [[Stephen Egerton (guitarist)|Stephen Egerton]] and [[Karl Alvarez]] moved from [[Salt Lake City]] to fill the vacant guitar and bass positions.<ref name="Hallraker"/> ''[[All (Descendents album)|All]]'' was recorded in January 1987 at Radio Tokyo studios in [[Venice, California]], with [[recording engineer]] Richard Andrews and was [[record producer|produced]] by Stevenson.<ref name="Somery"/><ref name="All (Descendents)">{{cite AV media notes |title=All |others=Descendents |year=1987 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[SST Records]] |id=SST CD 112 |location=[[Lawndale, California]]}}</ref> [[Dez Cadena]] sang backing vocals, while Stevenson created the album's cover graphics and Alvarez provided illustrations for the sleeve and liner notes.<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="All (Descendents)"/>

The album was themed around the concept of "All", which had been invented by Stevenson and friend Pat McCuistion during a fishing trip on Stevenson's boat ''Orca'' in 1980.<ref name="Blush"/><ref name="Hallraker"/> According to singer [[Milo Aukerman]]: "While drinking all this coffee in the midst of catching mackerel they came up with the concept of All — doing the utmost, achieving the utmost. The more they got into it the more it turned into their own religion; it's partly humor, but it's also an outlook on how to conduct your life: to not settle for some, to always go for All."<ref name="Blush"/> Stevenson described the concept of "All" as "the total extent", and he and McCuistion had quickly written several short songs that would later be recorded by the Descendents, including "All" and "No, All!", written "in a fit of Allular frustration. The songs were only seconds long, but that was all the time we needed to make the point."<ref name="Blush"/><ref name="Hallraker"/> McCuistion also shared writing credit on "All-O-Gistics", a musical set of commandments for achieving All, including lyrics such as "Thou shalt not commit adulthood", "Thou shalt not partake of decaf", and "Thou shalt not suppress flatulence".<ref name="All (Descendents)"/> In a June 1987 interview with ''Music'' magazine, Stevenson elaborated on the "All" concept:

<blockquote>
I'm really into "ALL"' and I've waited a long time to unleash the whole concept on people. And now I'm going to do it [...] It's just a way of thinking, in which there are extremes and there is this goal called 'ALL.' It's a way that I created in dealing with achievement and satisfaction and how the two relate. Basically just to avoid stagnation... going for "ALL" and never being satisfied and just wallowing in your own sameness.<ref name="Interviews"/>
</blockquote>

{{Quote box |quote= Well, basically, I've been wanting to work with David for a long time; but at the same time, Milo has stuck with me for almost nine years now, so I wouldn't exactly feel right about just continuing to call us the Descendents. In a sense that would be kind of like discrediting Milo's nine years worth of effort. It's kind of like, "Let the Descendents be my and Milo's sacred thing," or whatever. Who knows, at some point later on we might decide that we want to get together and record something.|source=–[[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]] on forming [[All (band)|All]] and not replacing Milo Aukerman of the Descendents. |align=right |bgcolor=#c6dbf7 |salign=right |width=33%}}

Aside from the concept of "All", other songs on the album such as "Coolidge", "Pep Talk", and "Clean Sheets" dealt with themes of broken relationships, while "Iceman" was loosely based on the play ''[[The Iceman Cometh]]'' by [[Eugene O'Neill]].<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="DaRonco">{{cite web |last=DaRonco |first=Mike |title=Review: ''All'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r5539|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=February 9, 2010}}</ref> The album was released through [[SST Records]], who had purchased the Descendents' previous label [[New Alliance Records]] that year and also re-released all of their previous albums. ''All'' was released in [[LP album|LP]], [[compact cassette|cassette]], and [[compact disc|CD]] formats, the latter two containing the additional tracks "Jealous of the World" and "Uranus".<ref name="Discography">{{cite web |title=Discography: Full-Lengths |publisher=Descendents |work=descendentsonline.com |url=http://www.descendentsonline.com/discography/full_lengths/ |access-date=February 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205014747/http://www.descendentsonline.com/discography/full_lengths/ |archive-date=February 5, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The band supported the album with a 60-day Spring 1987 tour, followed by the 50-day Summer "FinALL" tour, so-called due to Aukerman's decision to leave the band to pursue a career in [[biochemistry]].<ref name="Hallraker"/><ref name="All" /><ref name="Shrub"/> Recordings from these tours were used for the [[live album]]s ''[[Liveage!]]'' (1987) and ''[[Hallraker: Live!]]'' (1989). Following Aukerman's departure the band added singer [[Dave Smalley]] of [[Dag Nasty]] and rechristened themselves [[All (band)|All]], a change Stevenson claimed he had wanted to make for eight years.<ref name="Interviews"/> "Well, basically, I've been wanting to work with David for a long time; but at the same time, Milo has stuck with me for almost nine years now, so I wouldn't exactly feel right about just continuing to call us the Descendents. In a sense that would be kind of like discrediting Milo's nine years worth of effort. It's kind of like, 'Let the Descendents be my and Milo's sacred thing,' or whatever. Who knows, at some point later on we might decide that we want to get together and record something.<ref name="Interviews"/>

On December 16, 1987, during the recording of the first All album ''[[Allroy Sez]]'', Pat McCuistion died when his fishing boat sank during a storm. Stevenson remarked that "He had 15,000 pounds of fish onboard, so I guess you could say he died in heated pursuit of All. He was always the '5th member' of the band, besides being my best friend, next to Milo."<ref name="Hallraker"/>

===Second reformation, ''Everything Sucks'', and third hiatus (1995–2003)===
In 1995 Aukerman expressed a desire to return to recording and performing, so the band members decided to work with him as the Descendents while continuing to work with Price as All, in order to "make room for Milo without pushing Chad out."<ref name="FAQ"/> Stevenson explained that the arrangement did not cause any resentment between the two singers: "[I]t's all totally good, it's just that when we are playing, Milo couldn't be All's singer, cause Chad is All's singer. So, we decided that we could be Descendents with Milo, and All with Chad. It's not really a reunion, we've been together the whole time."<ref name="FAQ"/> Aukerman described his decision to rejoin the band as "really just my re-entry into the song writing, I had been away for so long and I just wanted to make music which is what I love to do."<ref name="FAQ"/>

''Everything Sucks'' was recorded in June and July 1996 at [[The Blasting Room]], a studio built and run by Stevenson in [[Fort Collins, Colorado]].<ref name="Everything Sucks">{{cite AV media notes |title=Everything Sucks |others=Descendents |year=1996 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[Epitaph Records]] |id=86418-2 |location=[[Los Angeles, California]]}}</ref> Original Descendents members Tony Lombardo and Frank Navetta made appearances on the album: Navetta wrote the song "Doghouse" and both he and Lombardo played on it, marking the first recording by the original Descendents lineup of Aukerman, Lombardo, Navetta, and Stevenson since ''[[Milo Goes to College]]'' in 1982.<ref name="Everything Sucks"/> Lombardo also played on "Eunuch Boy", a song he and Aukerman had written fifteen years earlier. According to Aukerman: {{" '}}Eunuch Boy' is the first song I ever wrote, really. When we formed, Tony Lombardo, the original bass player said, 'Dude- you need to write some songs,' and I had never written a song before so I just wrote down some words and brought it to him. He made the music for it."<ref name="FAQ"/> Lombardo also wrote and played on "Gotta", which was left off of the album but released as a [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] on the "[[When I Get Old]]" single. Chad Price sang backing vocals on the album, while Stevenson and Egerton produced and engineered it.<ref name="Everything Sucks"/>

All had previously been signed to major label [[Interscope Records]] for 1995's ''[[Pummel (album)|Pummel]]'', but were dissatisfied with the experience.<ref name="Steininger">{{cite web |last=Steininger |first=Alex |title=Interview with Bill Stevenson |publisher=In Music We Trust |date=August 1998 |url=http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/11h01.html |access-date=February 13, 2010}}</ref> Both All and the Descendents signed to [[Epitaph Records]], who released ''Everything Sucks'', the subsequent All albums ''[[Mass Nerder]]'' (1998) and ''[[Problematic (All album)|Problematic]]'' (2000), and the All/Descendents double live album ''[[Live Plus One]]'' (2001). It was rumored that Epitaph would not sign All without getting the Descendents as well,<ref name="Raggett5">{{cite web |last=Raggett |first=Ned |title=Review: ''Everything Sucks'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r240874|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=February 13, 2010}}</ref> but Stevenson explained that the arrangement was made because Epitaph head [[Brett Gurewitz]] would allow both bands to make albums at their discretion:

<blockquote>
When we signed with Epitaph it was for both bands. It was a thing of knowing Brett forever, and so I just sat down and said, "Well, we want to make records!" At the time we were leaving Interscope. We weren't happy with Interscope at all. So we sat down and told them we wanted to make both All and Descendents records whenever we want, at our choosing. Brett and I worked out a deal like that, so it was really flexible and we could basically do whatever we wanted.<ref name="Steininger"/>
</blockquote>

The Descendents supported ''Everything Sucks'' with a series of tours from September 1996 to August 1997 covering the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, touring with [[Swingin' Utters]], [[the Bouncing Souls]], [[the Suicide Machines]], [[Shades Apart]], [[Guttermouth]], [[Less Than Jake]], [[Handsome (band)|Handsome]], [[Electric Frankenstein]], [[Social Distortion]], [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]], [[H2O (American band)|H<sub>2</sub>O]], and others.<ref name="Tours">{{cite web |title=Show Archive |publisher=Descendents |work=descendentsonline.com |url=http://www.descendentsonline.com/archive/shows/ |access-date=February 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207044805/http://www.descendentsonline.com/archive/shows/ |archive-date=February 7, 2010  }}</ref> Music videos were filmed for "[[I'm the One (Descendents song)|I'm the One]]" and "[[When I Get Old]]", and both songs were released as singles in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|title = I'm the One|publisher = [[MTV]]|work = mtv.com|url = http://www.mtv.com/videos/descendents/307179/im-the-one.jhtml#artist=770|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090807143653/http://www.mtv.com/videos/descendents/307179/im-the-one.jhtml#artist=770|url-status = dead|archive-date = August 7, 2009|access-date = January 31, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = When I Get Old|publisher = [[Epitaph Records]]|url = http://www.epitaph.com/videos/player/596|access-date = January 31, 2010|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100108051619/http://www.epitaph.com/videos/player/596|archive-date = January 8, 2010|df = mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = I'm the One|publisher = [[Epitaph Records]]|url = http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/64/Im_The_One|access-date = January 31, 2010|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090221112207/http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/64/Im_The_One|archive-date = February 21, 2009|df = mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = When I Get Old|publisher = [[Epitaph Records]]|url = http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/65/When_I_Get_Old|access-date = January 31, 2010|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090418035045/http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/65/When_I_Get_Old|archive-date = April 18, 2009|df = mdy-all}}</ref>

=== Third reformation, ''Cool to Be You,'' reunions, ''Filmage'', and ''Hypercaffium Spazzinate'' (2004–2017) ===
[[File:The Descendents.jpg|left|thumb|Descendents in 2010]]
In the early 2000s, Aukerman took a break from biochemistry and reunited with the Descendents to record a new album. The recording sessions for ''[[Cool to Be You]]'' took place with Aukerman in February 2002 at [[The Blasting Room]] in [[Fort Collins, Colorado]], with additional recording done in April at Planet of Sound in [[Wilmington, Delaware]], and were produced by Stevenson.<ref name="Cool to Be You">{{cite AV media notes |title=Cool to Be You |others=Descendents |year=2004 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[Fat Wreck Chords]] |id=FAT672-2 |location=[[San Francisco]]}}</ref> The band recorded the music for the songs live in the studio with minimal [[overdubbing]], and Aukerman's vocals were recorded over the instrumental tracks.<ref name="Interviews"/> However, these recordings were not released for another two years. Stevenson explained that the gap of eight years between Descendents albums was due to the band members having children and to his father's death.<ref name="Interviews"/>
{{Listen
 |filename     = Descendents - `Merican.ogg
 |title        = {{"'}}Merican" from ''Cool to Be You'' (2004)
 |description  = {{"'}}Merican" addresses positive and negative aspects of American history, celebrating cultural figures such as Otis Redding, Duke Ellington, and Walt Whitman while condemning slavery, Joseph McCarthy, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Vietnam War.}}
For the release of ''Cool to Be You'' the Descendents signed to [[Fat Wreck Chords]]. Label head and musician [[Fat Mike]] was a longtime fan of the band, and his enthusiasm for working with them was a major factor in their decision to sign to the label.<ref name="Interviews"/> Stevenson commented that "If you've got the owner of the label saying he wants to put out a record by what is probably his favorite band of all time, that's rad. That's the best possible position for a band to be in."<ref name="Interviews"/> The album was preceded by the ''[['Merican]]'' [[extended play|EP]] in February 2004, followed by the full-length album in March. ''Cool to Be You'' was released in both [[compact disc|CD]] and [[LP album|LP]] formats, with a cover illustration drawn by Chris Shary depicting the band's Milo [[caricature]] drawn on [[graph paper]].<ref name="FAQ"/>

In October 2008, founding member Frank Navetta died after "becoming ill over the course of a few days". The official website of the Descendents gave its grief to Frank, "We're very sorry to announce that founding member of The DESCENDENTS, and close friend Frank Navetta died on October 31, 2008 after becoming ill over the course of a few days. This is obviously a huge loss for the DESCENDENTS family. His contribution to the band, and to music in general can not be overstated. Frank will be truly missed."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/31088 |title=Frank Navetta of the Descendents (-2008) |website=Punknews.org|access-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref>

In 2010 the Descendents reunited again for a series of gigs. According to Milo, the reunion is not an official reformation. He classified these as "one-off shows", usually occurring when he is able to take advantage of vacation breaks as working as a biologist to perform with the Descendents.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ReQvaSneGQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/9ReQvaSneGQ| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=Descendents Interview 2011|last=Dulcerija|date=October 12, 2011|access-date=December 27, 2017|publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

A documentary called [[Filmage]] documenting the story behind the Descendents and All<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmagemovie.com|title=FILMAGE: The Story of DESCENDENTS/ALL|website=Filmagemovie.com|access-date=December 27, 2017}}</ref> premiered at Bloor Hot Docs cinema in Toronto on June, 15th 2013 as part of the NXNE Music and Film festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brokenpencil.com/news/nxne-film-review-filmagethe-story-of-the-descendentsall/ |title=Filmage world premiere (2013) |website=brokenpencil.com|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> Directed by Matt Riggle and Deedle LaCour, Filmage had a limited theatrical run in Los Angeles starting September, 26th 2014 and was released in the US and Canada on VOD, Digital and Blu-ray/DVD September, 30th 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-filmage-story-descendents-all-review-20140926-story.html |title=Filmage release (2014) |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 26, 2014 |access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref>

In May 2015 it was announced by Stevenson that the band had been working on some demo songs for a new album, which could possibly be released mid-2016. On April 22, 2016, it was announced that the band's next album, ''[[Hypercaffium Spazzinate]]'', along with an accompanying EP with five bonus tracks from the recording sessions entitled ''[[Hypercaffium Spazzinate|Spazzhazard]]'' would be released through Epitaph in July.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/descendents-played-their-first-hometown-show-in-almost-two-decades-this-week/|title=Descendents Played Their First Hometown Show in Almost Two Decades This Week|work=Noisey|publisher=Vice|author=Ritchie, Ryan |date=April 22, 2016|access-date=April 23, 2016}}</ref>

On June 7, the debut single from ''Hypercaffium Spazzinate'', "Victim of Me", was released on all streaming services.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1881399/descendents-victim-of-me/mp3s/|title=Descendents – "Victim Of Me"|date=June 7, 2016|website=Stereogum.com|access-date=June 21, 2016}}</ref> In July 2016, Milo announced he would be leaving his scientific career to pursue the Descendents full-time, citing burnout with biochemistry and getting laid off from DuPont.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Brodsky|first1=Rachel|title=Descendents' Milo Aukerman: You're Never Too Old to Think Farts Are Funny|url=http://www.spin.com/2016/07/descendents-milo-aukerman-interview-words-of-wisdom/|website=Spin.com|access-date=July 14, 2016|date=July 11, 2016}}</ref>

=== New singles and ''9th & Walnut'' (2018–present) ===
In a March 2019 interview with ''[[OC Register]]'', Aukerman revealed that Descendents were working on a new album: "When we put out the last record we thought, 'OK, I bet we could put out another record after this one and not wait a decade to do it.' It was such a rewarding experience and you know what? Our fans deserve better. They deserve more than a record every decade or so. We started writing almost immediately after that record was done. I have been writing and Stephen (Egerton) has really picked up the mantle, too. Between us I think we have like 20 songs written and Bill (Stevenson) and Karl (Alvarez) have been writing songs as well. We've done some basic tracking, but it's still a work in progress but I hope we'll have something out by the end of the year."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/three-punk-rock-vocalists-with-phds-talk-new-music-tacos-and-politics-ahead-of-the-sabroso-fest-in-dana-point|title=Three punk rock vocalists with PhDs talk new music, tacos and politics ahead of the Sabroso fest in Dana Point|website=Ocregister.com|date=March 29, 2019}}</ref>

In 2020, they released a single to streaming services, entitled "Suffrage" and including two songs, "On You" and "Hindsight 2020".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Descendents|date=October 27, 2020|title=Suffrage (Single)|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/3SMJ9cTpoekr5svjB0AcK9?si=JbIBaxqLSA6ovTze9xOFow|access-date=October 27, 2020|website=[[Spotify]]}}</ref>

On May 4, 2021, the band put out a single called "Baby Doncha Know" and announced their eighth album that would be released on July 23 titled ''[[9th & Walnut]],'' named after the intersection in [[Long Beach, California]], where their first rehearsal space was located. The album was recorded primarily during a 2002 session featuring the original lineup of Stevenson, Frank Navetta, and Tony Lombardo, with Milo Aukerman recording his lead vocals for the album at home in [[Delaware]] during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. It contains eighteen songs written by the band between 1977 and 1981, including re-recorded versions of "Ride the Wild" and "It's a Hectic World". The album serves as the band's first recording since ''Everything Sucks'' to feature this "classic" lineup.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 4, 2021|title=Descendents Return with New Album '9th & Walnut'|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/descendents_return_with_new_album_9th_and_walnut|access-date=May 4, 2021|website=[[Exclaim!]]}}</ref>

==Artistry==
===Musical style and instrumentation===
{{Listen
 |filename     = Descendents - Myage.ogg
 |title        = "Myage" from ''Milo Goes to College'' (1982)
 |description  = Bassist [[Tony Lombardo]]'s use of [[eighth note]] [[chord progression]]s, played in [[run (music)|run]]s, provides a foundation for the [[melody]] of the songs on the album.<ref name="Filmage: Tony's bass style">''Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All''. Event occurs at 16:30.</ref> He and guitarist [[Frank Navetta]] played all [[downpicking|down strokes]] rather than [[alternate picking]], to give the songs a more aggressive sound.<ref name="Lombardo Short">"The Lombardo Short". ''Filmage:The Story of Descendents/All''. Event occurs at 0:10.</ref>}}
Over the years, the Descendents style of music has changed from short under a minute hardcore style songs to average length 2–3 minute punk rock songs. The lyrical content of the Descendents made them being cited at the time as one of the most significant punk bands of the 1980s hardcore punk movement. Critics have cited that their earlier music style which reflected [[hardcore punk]] being influential to modern day [[skate punk]] and [[pop-punk]]. [[Steven Blush]], author of ''[[American Hardcore: A Tribal History]]'', remarked that their "cheeky love songs disguised as hardcore blasts became the most aped formula in rock."<ref name="Blush"/> Ned Raggett of [[AllMusic]] in his review of ''Milo Goes to College'' called it "an unpretentious, catchy winner. The playing of the core band is even better than before, never mistaking increased skill with needing to show off; the Lombardo/Stevenson rhythm section is in perfect sync, while Navetta provides the corrosive power. Add in Aukerman's in-your-face hilarity and fuck-off stance, and it's punk rock that wears both its adolescence and brains on its sleeve."<ref name="Raggett">{{cite web |last=Raggett |first=Ned |title=Review: ''Milo Goes to College'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/milo-goes-to-college-mw0000118064 |access-date=February 4, 2010}}</ref>

Bill Stevenson attributed the change of their sound to the band's invention of the "Bonus Cup": "We took ⅓ of a cup of instant coffee grounds, added some hot water, threw in about 5 spoonfuls of sugar, and proceeded to play 10 second songs. The Bonus Cup became a part of everyday Descendents life."<ref name="Hallraker"/> Aukerman later recalled: "We started drinking too much coffee; 'cause of that and the addition of me, the music became very quick and all about bursts of energy. It's interesting: we started very melodic, then moved to hardcore, but melded the two at a certain point and became [[melodic hardcore]]."<ref name="Blush"/>

During the band's first reformation, the songs got longer, darker, and experimental. ''Enjoy!'' was marked by the use of [[toilet humor]], with references to [[defecation]] and [[flatulence]] in its artwork, the title track, and "Orgofart". It also displayed a darker, more [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]]-influenced sound in songs like "Hürtin' Crüe", "Days Are Blood", and "Orgo 51", with other songs recalling the pop-influenced punk of the band's previous efforts.

===Lyrics===
The songs on ''Everything Sucks'' and ''Cool to Be You'' address topics including love and relationships, sociopolitical commentary, the death of parents, [[nerd]]iness, and [[flatulence]].<ref name="Interviews"/><ref name="Paul">{{cite web |last=Paul |first=Aubin |title=Review: ''Cool to Be You'' |date=March 23, 2004 |website=Punknews.org |url=http://www.punknews.org/review/2785 |access-date=September 8, 2010}}</ref> {{" '}}Merican" addresses positive and negative aspects of [[History of the United States|American history]], celebrating cultural figures such as [[Otis Redding]], [[Duke Ellington]], and [[Walt Whitman]] while condemning [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]], [[Joseph McCarthy]], the [[Ku Klux Klan]], and the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name="Luerssen">{{cite web |last=Luerssen |first=John D. |title=Review: ''<nowiki>'</nowiki>Merican'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r678521|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=February 16, 2010}}</ref><ref name="Campbell">{{cite web |last=Campbell |first=Al |title=Review: ''Cool to Be You'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r683734|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=February 16, 2010}}</ref> Stevenson wrote "One More Day" about the death of his father, who he had taken in and cared for throughout the last year of his life: "He and I always had a terrible relationship. We spent a good part of my adult life being somewhat estranged from each other. He became ill and I took care of him for a little while. And then he died. That song is just about his and my relationship. Just to get that out of me and not holding it inside anymore, is a huge relief for me [...] Every single time I hear that song, it just freaks me out. I've never, ever written a song that's freaked me out that much."<ref name="Interviews"/>

==Milo character==
[[File:Descendents - Milo Goes to College cover.jpg|thumb|right|The original version of the Milo character, as drawn by Jeff "Rat" Atkinson for the cover of ''[[Milo Goes to College]]'']]A [[caricature]] of singer [[Milo Aukerman]] has been a [[mascot]] for the Descendents since the early 1980s, appearing on the covers of six of the band's eight studio albums. The character was created by Rodger Deuerlein, a classmate of Aukerman and drummer [[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]]'s at [[Mira Costa High School]] who taunted Aukerman by drawing comic strips and posters depicting him as the class [[nerd]].<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="Filmage: Milo character">{{cite AV media |last1=LaCour |first1=Deedle (Director) |last2=Riggle |first2=Matt (Director) |year=2013 |title=Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All |title-link=Filmage |medium=DVD |time=24:08 |location=Manchester |publisher=Rogue Elephant Pictures}}</ref> "He usually used me to make campaigns for people running for class office. [...] I remember him making one that said 'Don't be a nerd like Milo, vote for Billy!' or something like that."<ref name="FAQ"/> For the cover of the Descendents' first album, ''[[Milo Goes to College]]'' (1982), Stevenson asked friend Jeff "Rat" Atkinson to draw his own interpretation of Deuerlein's Milo character: "I go 'Roger does the drawing{{' "}}, recalled Atkinson, "He goes 'No, you gotta do it.' I said 'Okay, what kind of Milo do you want?' So I draw him a Milo. First was the [[crew neck]] T-shirt, then I drew the [[polo shirt]] Milo, then I drew the Milo with a tie, because he goes to college. Bill goes 'Oh, that's it', and it becomes the cover of the first record."<ref name="Filmage: Milo character"/> For the band's 1985 album ''[[I Don't Want to Grow Up]]'', the character was reinterpreted as a baby.<ref name="I Don't Want to Grow Up"/> When the band's name was changed to [[All (band)|All]] upon Aukerman's departure in 1987, bassist [[Karl Alvarez]] created the character [[All (band)#Allroy|Allroy]] to serve an equivalent function for the new band.<ref name="Bonus Cut">"Bonus Cut". ''Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All''. Event occurs at 11:39.</ref>

In addition to appearing on much of the Descendents' merchandise and promotional materials, the Milo character has been reinterpreted by other artists for all of the band's releases since 1996:
*Reading a newspaper on the cover of ''[[Everything Sucks (Descendents album)|Everything Sucks]]'' (1996).<ref name="Everything Sucks"/> The full illustration, used for the lyric sheet and the "[[I'm the One (Descendents song)|I'm the One]]" single, depicts the character sitting atop the tank of an overflowing toilet as it floods the room around him and a [[mushroom cloud]] forms outside the window.<ref name="Everything Sucks"/> This illustration is credited to "Grey Stool", though Aukerman notes it was created by "the kind people at [[Epitaph Records|Epitaph [Records]]]".<ref name="FAQ"/>
*As an elderly man in a wheelchair on the cover of the "[[When I Get Old]]" single (1997)<ref name="When I Get Old">{{cite AV media notes |title=When I Get Old |others=Descendents |year=1997 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[Epitaph Records]] |id=86506 |location=Los Angeles, California}}</ref>
*Dressed as [[Uncle Sam]], in two versions, on the cover of ''[['Merican]]'' (2004), as drawn by Jeff Hagedorn<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="'Merican">{{cite AV media notes |title=[['Merican]] |others=Descendents |year=2004 |type=CD liner |publisher=[[Fat Wreck Chords]] |id=FAT671-2 |location=San Francisco, California}}</ref>
*Drawn on [[graph paper]] on the cover of ''[[Cool to Be You]]'' (2004), as illustrated by Chris Shary.<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="Cool to Be You"/> Shary also drew the character as an old man for the cover of the Descendents [[tribute album]] ''Milo Turns 50'' (2013),  published by ''[[Filter (magazine)|Filter]]'' magazine, and a more detailed depiction of the character as the promotional artwork for ''[[Filmage]]'', a 2013 [[documentary film]] about the Descendents and All.<ref name="Filmage: Milo character"/><ref name="Milo Turns 50">{{cite web |title=Free Download: ''Filter Magazine Presents: Milo Turns 50'' Full Descendents Covers Album |date=January 7, 2013 |work=filtermagazine.com |publisher=[[Filter (magazine)|Filter]] |url=http://filtermagazine.com/index.php/media/entry/free_download_filter_magazine_presents_milo_turns_50_full_descendents_cover |access-date=February 25, 2015}}</ref>
*As an [[Erlenmeyer flask]] on the cover of ''[[Hypercaffium Spazzinate]]'' (2016)''.''
*As a [[ballot box]] on the cover of Suffrage (2020), the full illustration also depicts a hand with a spiked wristband depositing a vote into said ballot box''.''

== Legacy and influence ==
The Descendents have been cited as hugely influential to a large number of modern-day punk bands such as [[Blink-182]], [[MXPX]], [[NOFX]], [[Green Day]], [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]], [[Propagandhi]], [[Rise Against]], [[the All-American Rejects]], [[the Bouncing Souls]], [[the Offspring]], and [[the Ataris]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jimdero.com/OtherWritings/Other%20Weasel.htm |title=Screeching Halt |access-date=February 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204074252/http://www.jimdero.com/OtherWritings/Other%20Weasel.htm |archive-date=February 4, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/descendents-mn0000206407/related|title=Descendents – Similar Artists|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=December 27, 2017}}</ref> "Everything about how I sing and play guitar came from this band [...] Blink is absolutely a product of The Descendents," said Blink-182 vocalist/guitarist [[Tom DeLonge]] in 2011,<ref name="delonge">{{cite news|url=http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/Article/Tom-DeLonge-from-Blink-182-Lists-Top-5-Most-Influential-Bands-021243098729859|title=TOM DELONGE'S TOP 5 MOST INFLUENTIAL BANDS|author= Bear Frazer|date=October 7, 2011|publisher=[[Red Bull]]|access-date=March 5, 2015}}</ref> while vocalist/bassist [[Mark Hoppus]] called "Silly Girl" from ''[[I Don't Want to Grow Up]]'' (1985) "the first song that really altered my life. [...] It spoke to me in a way that nothing did."<ref name="hoppus">{{cite news|url=https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/news/mark-hoppus-recalls-life-changing-song-010000013.html|title=Mark Hoppus recalls life-changing song|date=November 13, 2011|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|access-date=March 5, 2015}}</ref> In 2014, ''Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All'', a documentary on the band, premiered. The film features interviews with Hoppus, [[Dave Grohl]] of [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] and [[Foo Fighters]], and [[Mike Watt]] of [[Minutemen (band)|Minutemen]].<ref name="filmage">{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/filmage-story-descendents-all-film-735887|title='Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All ': Film Review|author= Stephen Dalton|date=September 26, 2014|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=March 5, 2015}}</ref>

''Milo Goes to College'' has been included in several lists of noteworthy punk albums. ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' has listed it several times, ranking it No.&nbsp;74 in a 1995 list of the best [[alternative rock|alternative]] albums and No.&nbsp;20 in a 2001 list of "The 50 Most Essential Punk Records", and including it in a 2004 list of "Essential Hardcore" albums.<ref>{{cite book |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |last=Weisbard |first=Eric |author2=Craig Marks |year=1995 |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |isbn=0-679-75574-8 }}</ref><ref name="Reynolds">{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Reynolds |title=The 50 Most Essential Punk Records |journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |date=May 2001 |volume=17 |issue=5 |publisher=Spin Media LLC |location=New York, New York|page = 50 |issn=0886-3032}}</ref><ref name="Beaujon">{{cite journal |last=Beaujon |first=Andrew |title=Essential Hardcore |journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |date=April 2004 |publisher=Spin Media LLC |location=New York, New York|page = 50 |issn=0886-3032 |url=https://www.spin.com/2004/04/essential-record-guide-hardcore/ |access-date=February 6, 2010}}</ref> In these lists, critic [[Simon Reynolds]] described the album as "Fifteen Cali-core [[paroxysm]]s that anatomize dork-dude pangs with [[haiku]] brevity", while Andrew Beaujon called it "Super clean, super tight, super poppy hardcore about hating your parents, riding bikes, and not wanting to 'smell your muff.'<ref name="Reynolds"/><ref name="Beaujon"/> In 2006 ''[[Kerrang!]]'' ranked it as the 33rd greatest punk album of all time.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Goodman |first=Elizabeth |title=Offspring the Fifth Best Punk Band Ever? |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=November 30, 2006 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/staff-blog/offspring-the-fifth-best-punk-band-ever-20061130|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205124644/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/staff-blog/offspring-the-fifth-best-punk-band-ever-20061130|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 5, 2011| access-date=April 13, 2013}}</ref> The German edition of the ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] ranked it at 349.{{CN|date=December 2023}}

In 2016, a Descendents branded [[India pale ale|IPA]] entitled "Feel This Coffee" was released by the [[San Diego]] branch of [[Mikkeller|Mikkeller Brewery]]. It is named after a track from their 2016 album Hypercaffium Spazzinate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/descendents-coffee-based-feel-this-india-pale-ale/|title=Descendents to Release Coffee-Based 'Feel This' IPA|website=Loudwire.com|access-date=December 27, 2017}}</ref>

==Band members==
'''Current members'''
*[[Bill Stevenson (musician)|Bill Stevenson]] – drums, occasional backing vocals (1978–1983, 1985–1987, 1995–1997, 2002–2004, 2010–present), vocals (1979–1980, 2002)
*[[Milo Aukerman]] – vocals (1980–1983, 1985–1987, 1995–1997, 2002–2004, 2010–present)
*[[Stephen Egerton (guitarist)|Stephen Egerton]] – guitar, backing vocals (1986–1987, 1995–1997, 2002–2004, 2010–present)
*[[Karl Alvarez]] – bass, backing vocals (1986–1987, 1995–1997, 2002–2004, 2010–present)

'''Former members'''
*[[Frank Navetta]] – guitar (1977–1983, 2002), vocals (1977–1980, 2002); died 2008
*David Nolte – vocals (1977–1979), guitar (1977–1978), bass (1978–1979)
*[[Tony Lombardo]] – bass (1979–1983, 1985, 2002), vocals (1979–1980, 2002)
*Ray Cooper – vocals (1982–1983), guitar (1982–1983, 1985–1986)
*[[Doug Carrion]] – bass (1985–1986)

===Timeline===
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  bar:Cooper     from:09/04/1982 till:12/31/1983 color:vocals
  bar:Cooper     from:09/04/1982 till:12/31/1983 color:guitar width:3
  bar:Cooper     from:02/01/1985 till:09/01/1986 color:guitar
  bar:Egerton    from:09/01/1986 till:12/31/1987 color:guitar
  bar:Egerton    from:02/01/1995 till:10/01/1997 color:guitar
  bar:Egerton    from:04/01/2002 till:08/01/2004 color:guitar
  bar:Egerton    from:08/01/2010 till:end        color:guitar
  bar:Lombardo   from:04/01/1979 till:12/31/1983 color:bass
  bar:Lombardo   from:04/01/1979 till:07/01/1980 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Lombardo   from:02/01/1985 till:06/01/1985 color:bass
  bar:Lombardo   from:04/01/2002 till:04/30/2002 color:bass
  bar:Lombardo   from:04/01/2002 till:04/30/2002 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Carrion    from:07/01/1985 till:09/01/1986 color:bass
  bar:Alvarez    from:09/01/1986 till:12/31/1987 color:bass
  bar:Alvarez    from:02/01/1995 till:10/01/1997 color:bass
  bar:Alvarez    from:04/01/2002 till:08/01/2004 color:bass
  bar:Alvarez    from:08/01/2010 till:end        color:bass

}}

==Documentary==
In 2013 Rogue Elephant Pictures, an Austin Texas-based film company, announced the pending release of ''[[Filmage|Filmage: The Story Of The Descendents / ALL]]'', a film by Deedle Lacour and Matt Riggle. The documentary film has more than 40 interviews with band members past and present and keynote commentary by associated musicians such as [[Keith Morris]] of [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]], [[Mike Watt]] of the [[Minutemen (band)|Minutemen]], [[Kira Roessler]] of Black Flag, members of [[Rise Against]], and many more. The film was released on June 15, 2013.<ref name="Dalton">{{cite web |last=Dalton |first=Stephen |title=''Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All'': Film Review |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=September 26, 2014 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/filmage-story-descendents-all-film-735887 |access-date=February 19, 2015}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{main|Descendents discography}}
'''Studio albums'''
* ''[[Milo Goes to College]]'' (1982)
* ''[[I Don't Want to Grow Up]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Enjoy! (Descendents album)|Enjoy!]]'' (1986)
* ''[[All (Descendents album)|All]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Everything Sucks (Descendents album)|Everything Sucks]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Cool to Be You]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Hypercaffium Spazzinate]]'' (2016)
* ''[[9th & Walnut]]'' (2021)

'''EPs'''
* ''[[Ride the Wild / It's a Hectic World]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Fat EP]]'' (1981)
* ''[[Sessions (Descendents EP)|Sessions]]'' (1997)
* ''[['Merican]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Spazzhazard]]'' (2016)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
*{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4075|label=Descendents}}
*{{Official website|http://www.descendentsonline.com|Descendents Online}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/flipsidedescendents.html |title=Flipside – Descendents Interview |year=1986 |publisher=Operation Phoenix Records |access-date=October 15, 2006 |archive-date=August 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822222848/http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/flipsidedescendents.html |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/suburbanvoicedescendents.html |title=Suburban Voice – Descendents Interview |year=1985 |publisher=Operation Phoenix Records}}

{{Descendents|state=expanded}}
{{Black Flag}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Descendents| ]]
[[Category:Punk rock groups from California]]
[[Category:Hardcore punk groups from California]]
[[Category:Melodic hardcore musical groups from California]]
[[Category:Pop punk groups from California]]
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[[Category:People from Lomita, California]]
[[Category:Epitaph Records artists]]
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[[Category:SST Records artists]]
[[Category:1978 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1978]]
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