“I used to pretend to be in their band in the mirror and sing along to the album when I was nine”: Ed Sheeran picks up an electric guitar for a high-octane appearance with The Offspring

Ed Sheeran recently joined The Offspring on stage for a special performance of Million Miles Away. It was also the first time since 2016 that the band has played the song live. 

The surprise collaboration took place last Sunday at the BottleRock Napa Valley festival in Napa, California. Frontman Dexter Holland introduced Sheeran to the crowd and revealed that the popstar is a big fan of the band. “Ed told us that one of our records was the first CD that he ever bought when he was a kid,” said Holland. 

“That really meant a lot to us, so we thought, ‘Wow, we'd love to have you come out to join us on stage.’ We're gonna play one of the songs you wanted to play.”

Sheeran backed this claim via an Instagram post and revealed how this unexpected collaboration came about. “The first album I ever bought was the @offspring - Conspiracy of One. I used to pretend to be in their band in the mirror and sing along to the album when I was nine, mostly to their song Million Miles Away as it was the first song of theirs I heard,” he wrote. 

“I mentioned it in an interview and Noodles / Dexter got in touch with me when we found out we were all playing the same festival, to see if I wanted to get on stage and sing it. It was an instant yes obvz.

“Really felt like living out a childhood dream thank you for having me up there guys. Music is a wild ride, every day I’m so grateful to be living my dream in reality.”

For the occasion, Sheeran brandished his Lowden GL-10 and an Offspring tee. Sheeran used the same guitar when he joined The Darkness on stage in London last December. Lowden is also Sheeran's go-to brand for his signature Sheeran acoustic guitars. 

The Offspring - "Million Miles Away" feat. Ed Sheeran [Live at BottleRock Napa Valley 2024] - YouTube

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The Offspring certainly seem to be on a guest appearance kick. Just last week, Queen's Brian May joined the punk legends at STARMUS Festival in Slovakia for a special rendition of their 1997 hit Gone Away and Queen's Stone Cold Crazy.