Dexter Holland

About

Bryan Keith “Dexter” Holland (born December 29, 1965) is an American musician, best known as the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, main songwriter and composer, and only constant member of the punk rock band the Offspring. He co-founded the record label Nitro Records, sold in 2013, with former bandmate Greg K. and also holds a PhD in molecular biology.

Bryan Keith Holland was born in Garden Grove, California, on December 29, 1965. He attended Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, graduating as class valedictorian in 1984. He was the best student in his year at mathematics, which he found “just as exciting as punk rock”. He acquired the nickname “Dexter” for his academic prowess, taken from the slang term “Poindexter”.
Holland attended the University of Southern California, where he earned a B.S. in biology and an M.S. in molecular biology. He suspended his studies to focus on music when the Offspring found success in 1994, but later resumed and earned a PhD in molecular biology in May 2017. He defended his thesis, “Discovery of mature microRNA sequences within the protein-coding regions of global HIV-1 genomes: predictions of novel mechanisms for viral infection…