Green Day
It's all relative. Some groups sell two million CDs and have arrived. But when Green Day's "Insomniac" peaked at the two mil mark, it was seen as a disappointment. That's because its predecessor "Dookie" sold over eight million copies. There wasn't all that much difference between the two albums except "Dookie" had more successful singles. Green Day's Punk, Metal and Ska mixture was intact.
It wasn't easy growing up. Bassist Mike Dirnt's mom was a heroin addict. Dirnt lived with foster parents but they divorced when Dirnt was seven. He went back to live with his mom until he moved in with guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong's family. Armstrong's dad had died when Billie Joe was ten. The two became close friends starting their first band when they were fourteen.
In '89, drummer Al Sobrante was added and Green Day became the band's name. They also got a deal with Lookout Records who released Green Day's first three efforts: EP "1,000 Hours," the full length "39/Smooth," with John Kiftmeyer replacing Sobrante, and "Kerplunk," with Tre Cool (Frank Wright III) on drums. These recordings built a solid Punk following that attracted major label attention. Signed by Reprise, "Dookie" won heavy MTV support and Green Day found themselves with an out of the box hit, "Longview." "When I Come Around" had a friendly pop-Punk sound that ruled the Modern Rock charts. As the fourth single it benefited from the group's extensive touring through the summer of '94. Green Day was also one of the highlights of Woodstock '94.
"Insomniac" rolled out a year later. Maybe they should have taken some more time off. While it had "J.A.R." the album just didn't have "Dookie's" impact. Claiming exhaustion (see, they should have taken more time off) Green Day cut short a European tour and returned home. Then they wrote and recorded "Nimrod." It contained the masterpiece "Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)." Along those same lines, Dirnt got into it with Third Eye Blind's Arion Salazar backstage at an Irvine Meadows, CA, concert. However, it still remains uncertain just who hit Dirnt with a beer bottle fracturing his skull.
 Billie Joe Armstrong |
Life goes on and "Warning" landed in "00 loaded with great songs. But it was "American Idiot" that re-established the group. The '04 released landed them on top of the album charts for the first time.
Following the highly lauded "American Idiot" the time was ripe to show Green Day live. Already well-known for energetic performances, the group's "Bullet In A Bible" DVD delivered the goods. Green Day, and especially Armstrong, demonstrated an intimate understanding of stadium Rock and how to put on a memorable show. The '05 DVD chronicled a pair of London shows before adoring fans.
Green Day won praise and got slammed all within a couple of weeks in the fall of '06. First, they performed during the pre-game show on ESPN's Monday Night Football to celebrate the reopening of the Louisiana Superdome (nearly destroyed during Hurricane Katrina) in New Orleans. They played a live version of their recently recorded hurricane charity single, a cover of Scottish Punk band, the Skids, "The Saints Are Coming." The two bands also perform U2's "Beautiful Day," and "Wake Me Up When September Ends." Performance footage was sold online to benefit Music Rising, an organization co-founded by the Edge that replaced musical instruments lost in '05's Gulf Coast storms.
Not to let the good feelings last too long, the Killers frontman Brandon Flowers weighed in criticizing Green Day for choosing to film their DVD Bullet In A Bible in the United Kingdom. Flowers insisted that seeing "a bunch of (English) kids screaming, 'I don't want to be an American idiot' . . . really lit a fire" in him. He was right of course, there are plenty of people in the U.S. who don't want to be American idiots either.
The third time's the charm. After two good, if unexceptional, albums, Green Day nail it with "Dookie." As is often the case, a major success like "Dookie" casts a shadow over everything else. But the follow up "Insomniac" is nearly as good. That said, "Dookie" has undeniable Rockers, "Longview," "Basket Case" and the listener friendly "When I Come Around."
There have been a number of bands that have a "Dookie-like" payday. They often spend the remainder of their careers recycling. Not Green Day. "American Idiot" (the title says it all) has none of that Post-Punk cheap shot stuff. Standing stark naked politically, in view of George Bush's '04 election, Green Day comes out snarling through garage Rock chords. "American Idiot" defines the hubris that is the current coin of the realm. "On Holiday" drills the point home. "Jesus Of Suburbia," "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" and "She's a Rebel" deliver an inescapable energy and lyrical poignancy. This is one of Rock's all time great albums. No question. It's uncompromising and uncompromised.
"Insomniac" features the classic "Geek Stink Breath" and the riff Rocker "Brain Stew." "Nimrod" shows the group's sound expanding. There are even some slow songs with strings. That's not what you buy Green Day for, even if it does have "Prosthetic Head."
Green Day's debut "39/Smooth" and the follow up "Kerplunk" are good with "Kerplunk" possessing stronger songs.
Green Day's lilting guitar Rock is sharp on '00 release "Warning." "Misery," "Church On Sunday" and "Hold On" are among the highlights. Good work.
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