Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, 63, the Offspring’s lead guitarist, announced Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, that he is stepping away from live performances for a while to deal with a health issue, in a statement posted to the band’s social media accounts.
“It is with deep sadness that I have to announce that I need to step away from live performances for a while to deal with a sudden and fairly serious health issue,” he wrote.
Noodles gave no details about his condition, offered no timeline for his return and named no temporary replacement. He said his bandmates “have my back” and will keep the shows going while he is out.
He hopes to return “sooner rather than later,” he said in the same statement, which he closed by thanking fans for their support.
Representatives for the group said in an emailed statement to the Los Angeles Times: “We are all supportive of Noodles as he navigates this challenging time.”
Four Dates on the Calendar
Noodles played his last show Sunday, Oct. 18, in San Diego, and the band had four dates on its calendar when he announced his break.
The Offspring were scheduled to play the Wiltern in Los Angeles on Saturday, Oct. 24, followed by SEMA Fest in Las Vegas on Nov. 6 and the Corona Capital 2026 festival in Mexico City on Nov. 21. The group takes a break after Mexico City, then returns at the Kia Forum in Inglewood on Jan. 16, 2027, as part of iHeartRadio ALTer EGO 2027.
The band has been on the road all year behind “Supercharged.” The main North American arena leg of the Supercharged Worldwide tour wrapped earlier in 2026 after a run through the U.S. and Canada, and the group played the Aftershock festival at Discovery Park in Sacramento on Oct. 1. The band is still supporting the album, now without him.
“Get Well Soon Brother”
Guitarist Joe Satriani wrote on the post: “Get well soon brother.”
Garbage, Slightly Stoopid, The Early November, Sublime and the Los Angeles radio station ALT 98.7 KYSR FM also sent well-wishes, and Simple Plan frontman Pierre Bouvier called Noodles a legend. Fans flooded the comments with messages of support.
From Garden Grove to “Smash”
The Offspring formed in Garden Grove, in Orange County, in 1984. Noodles joined the following year, shortly after singer and co-founder Dexter Holland helped launch the group. The band cut a demo in 1988 and recorded its debut album in 1989.
“Smash” changed that trajectory in 1994, carrying “Come Out and Play” and “Self Esteem” out of the Southern California punk scene and onto mainstream radio. The band became an MTV staple in the late 1990s with “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” “Why Don’t You Get a Job?” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” Noodles has played on every one of the band’s studio albums, through “Supercharged,” the 11th, released in 2024.
Ed Sheeran’s Offspring Skull Tattoo
Ed Sheeran joined the band onstage at BottleRock Napa Valley on May 26, 2024, for “Million Miles Away,” a track from 2000’s “Conspiracy of One” that the group had not played live since 2016.
Sheeran has the Offspring’s skull logo tattooed on him. Holland told the Napa crowd that Sheeran had said an Offspring record was the first CD he ever bought as a kid.
