Dexter Holland on the women in his life

Dexter Holland has been in the music industry for more than 30 years, most notably as lead singer of punk-rock band the Offspring. But, says the 59-year-old father of three, he nearly chose a different career path as a doctor, had his mother put her foot down.

Dexter Holland: “I have fond memories of coming home from kindergarten and reading with [Mom] on the couch before the older two got home.”Credit: Getty Images

My maternal grandmother, Anna, was a nurturing stay-at-home mom who raised her family in 1940s Los Angeles. Her husband worked as a plumber. She was always over at our house.

My paternal grandmother, Miriam, was a partier. When I’d visit, she’d be wearing her muumuu and smoking cigarettes. She always had a drink in her hand and a bottle of prescription medication nearby.

My mom, Yvonne, got a piano from her parents when she was 11. She told us it was the first time she ever cried from happiness. She played until she was 18. There were always pop records in the house from Tom Jones to the Everly Brothers and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Mom worked as a school teacher for 30 years. She had four children – I am the third born. I was nine when she went back to study to get her teacher’s degree. I have fond memories of coming home from kindergarten and reading with her on the couch before the older two got home.

My sister Sheryl is six years older than me and introduced me to John Denver, the Carpenters and Barry Manilow. I was scornful of her music when I was younger, but now I totally get it. Sheryl is a music lover and became a school teacher, too. She still lives in the same house we grew up in. I grew up around strong women and was raised to always respect them.

I had my first girlfriend, Ann, in the fifth grade. There was no affection, it was very sweet love. Growing up, I had a serious celebrity crush on Farrah Fawcett – I had posters of her on my bedroom walls.

I was 15 when I wrote my first song about a girl. I wrote it on the piano. Mom made me take lessons until I was 16. Then I decided it wasn’t cool to do it any more and gave it up for punk rock.

Mom was very supportive of my desire to become a musician, but I think she assumed it would be a phase. I was enrolled to go to college and had plans to study medicine, but then the band took off. In her eyes, as long as I had a back-up plan, I’d be fine.

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