Kevin John Wasserman[1] (born February 4, 1963)[3] better known as Noodles, is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the Offspring.[2] He earned the nickname "Noodles" for his frequent noodling (improvising) on the guitar.
Biography
Before joining the Offspring, Noodles played in a local band called Clowns of Death along with some friends, including drummer James Lilja. Lilja got recruited by Dexter Holland to join his band Manic Subsidal, on an agreement that Lilja would play in Manic Subsidal, if Holland joined Lilja's band Clowns of Death. After Holland played with Clowns of Death, he asked Noodles to join their band.[4][5] After drummer Ron Welty joined the band in 1987 to replace James Lilja, the band started recording their debut album in 1989.[6][7] After recording a demo in 1988,[8] the Offspring signed a deal with a small-time label, Nemesis Records, for whom they recorded their first full-length album, The Offspring, in March 1989.[8] This album would eventually be re-issued in 1995, by bandmate Greg K. and Holland's own record label, Nitro Records.[9] At one of the band's earlier shows, he was stabbed in the shoulder by a skinhead.
During the band's early days, Noodles worked as a janitor at Earl Warren Elementary School in Garden Grove. Before Smash was released, he had been planning to quit the band, but the surprise success of "Come Out and Play" forced him to reconsider.[12][13]
On their DVD release Huck It (2000), as part of a mock interview, Noodles claims to like the "finer things in life", such as red wine, classical music, cigarettes, poetry and pasta. He occasionally goes snowmobiling and snowboarding.
Equipment
Guitars
Noodles generally plays Ibanez guitars, and he has now had four signature models, each of which is a Talman. His first was the NDM1, which has a duct tape finish.[14] Second was the NDM2, which has the Offspring's logo with glasses on the pickguard. His third
signature guitar, the NDM3, had P90 pickups. His latest signature guitar is the NDM4. It also has P90 pickups and has a sunburst finish on it. He prefers DiMarzio Tone Zone pickups.[15]
For early Offspring albums, Noodles used a Mesa/Boogie Mark IV. In 2013, he was turned on to VHT amplifiers by the band's guitar tech and has since used Mark IVs and VHTs in unison.[15]