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What happened to Green Day? Uno, Dos, Tré and Dookie turned to shit.

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E

Ethelwulf

Member
Green_Day_-_Dookie_cover.jpg


This is one of those bands that, no matter how old I get and how many new and different music I discover, I always like to go back and listen. Seriously, songs like Welcome to Paradise (released 24 years ago), Longview and Brainstew are just some that never get old. Even better as time passes by. Then there’s this beauty called Nimrod. What a fantastic album. All songs are great in there if you ask me. Warning, another diamond. I personally appreciate the change in play style with more acoustic riffs. Even American Idiot has some great songs.

Then everything changes. 21st Century Breakdown. What is this? Uno Dos and Tré? I guess they are ok but what happened to the simple but rather powerful punch they used to have? I’m thinking of songs like The Grouch, When I Come Around and even Waiting. Not there anymore.

I guess they’re just getting older although this shouldn’t be a problem. What about Radiohead, Pearl Jam and Slipknot? Corey Taylor has some awesome solo performances, even covering Pulling Teeth and She. Yes, those songs where amazing and even Corey, a guy that has nothing to do with happy punk knows it.

tumblr_mmouqeoNfY1reujrmo1_400.gif


So, what are your thoughts guys? What happened? Am I just older or they really dropped quality?
 
S

Skellig Gra

Member
It's very hard for any band to keep putting out high quality content over an extended period of time. There aren't unlimited good ideas. People also get older and lose the edge they once had.
 
M

March of the Crabs

Member
Green Day has always been terrible. Always tried to cash in on the good punk bands of the 90s. Even songs on Dookie just stole a bunch of melodies and riffs from NOFX songs.
 
S

SeppOCE

Member
They've certainly dropped in quality but they were never really amazing or top quality in the first place. They're a lot older and still making the music they want to make. Music that probably still gets crowds going at their shows. For me they have enough older music I can enjoy to not have to worry about whether or not their new stuff is amazing or if it's not worth my time.
 
F

Futureman

Member
They were easily my favorite band for a long while. Don't really ever listen anymore but I can enjoy pretty much anything from their first album up to American Idiot.

I listened to the triple album thing a few times and it was just too much. They should have taken the 10 best songs high energy songs from those albums and made one short, fun pop rock record.

I would say it's just age and burning out somewhat after releasing so many albums over the years. Apparently they just played at 924 Gilman in May and it was a great show though, so I'd still at least listen to a new album if they ever put one out (apparently they are, just looked it up).
 
V

Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
21st Century Breakdown tried to hard to be another American Idiot instead of just being it's own thing.

Then they were OK we won't do that again, but instead just released a fuck ton of music in what essentially was a music dump disgused as an album for each of them vs just making a coincise album.

The band also balloned with American Idiot having a fuck ton more people playing and even doing that musical.

What they needed to do is wait another year or two till like 2010/11 to really have separation from the whole AI album. Then they should released something more akin to a modern day Warning.
 
C

CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls

Banned
Ethelwulf said:
What about Robert Plant, Eddie Vedder and Radiohead? Don't get me wrong I do agree that getting old has a lot to do with it, but can't be the only thing, right?
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Those bands and artists don't depend on late adolescent angst and skateboard culture to make music. Punk bands only have a finite amount of time to be significant before their schtick conflicts with their SES.
 
K

King_Moc

Banned
I've never liked them, but it seems to me like they were unable to adapt to going from being the alternative, to being the mainstrea.
 
S

Skellig Gra

Member
Ethelwulf said:
What about Robert Plant, Eddie Vedder and Radiohead? Don't get me wrong I do agree that getting old has a lot to do with it, but can't be the only thing, right?
Click to expand...

There are always exceptions to the rule. You have to realize that these are outliers. Hell most bands can't even put out more than 1 good album.
 
V

Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
META said:
Those bands and artists don't depend on late adolescent angst and skateboard culture to make music. Punk bands only have a finite amount of time to be significant before their schtick conflicts with their SES.
Click to expand...

No reason they couldn't have let AI stand on its own a little while longer then came back with a 2010s decade version of Warning (the album) and it would have been better than the cluster fuck that was Breakdown and the Triple Album.
 
E

Ethelwulf

Member
META said:
Those bands and artists don't depend on late adolescent angst and skateboard culture to make music. Punk bands only have a finite amount of time to be significant before their schtick conflicts with their SES.
Click to expand...


Hollywood Duo said:
There are always exceptions to the rule. You have to realize that these are outliers. Hell most bands can't even put out more than 1 good album.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree with this although that triple album is too bad. Would have been better not to release it at all imo.
 
S

Simon Belmont

Banned
Hollywood Duo said:
There are always exceptions to the rule. You have to realize that these are outliers. Hell most bands can't even put out more than 1 good album.
Click to expand...

I don't even think those count. David Bowie is the only genuine 'relevant through the ages' act I can think of. It's very difficult to be a chameleon.
 
Pilgrimzero

Pilgrimzero

Member
I saw them in concert once. Before it got started the lead singer pointed out that his family was in the crowd. His mother, father etc. And also his GRANDMOTHER.

Cool right?


Well halfway through the show when things are rocking he yells out at the end of a song; "SOMEBODY FUCK ME!!!!"

And I'm like dude, your grandmother is here!

Yea I get that its part of the show and I'm sure granny understood that, but still it was kind of funny.

Great show BTW.
 
njean777

njean777

Member
META said:
Those bands and artists don't depend on late adolescent angst and skateboard culture to make music. Punk bands only have a finite amount of time to be significant before their schtick conflicts with their SES.
Click to expand...

Eh depends on what type of punk you are making. I would say political punk can still be relevant even after you get old.
 
N

nel e nel

Member
I saw Billie Joe on Broadway in the American Idiot musical a few years back.

7a774caaae898f035674898feb3988d3.jpg


And yes, the cast sang "Time Of Your Life" for the curtain call.
 
K

King_Moc

Banned
META said:
Those bands and artists don't depend on late adolescent angst and skateboard culture to make music. Punk bands only have a finite amount of time to be significant before their schtick conflicts with their SES.
Click to expand...

Is that what punk is? By its very nature, it shouldn't be something that can be labelled that easily. Do the likes of Sonic Youth, The Clash, The Stooges, Wire etc fit those terms? Did they do music for late adolescent teens? Nope.
 
D

drtomoe123

Member
Regardless of whether you like them or not, American Idiot was one of the most important rock albums of the past few decades. That's pretty impressive when you consider what they had already did with Dookie, Insomniac, Warning, etc...

The triple albums would have been a much better release if they narrowed the best songs down to a single record. Still, they're like the Foos in the sense that everything they do from this point on is just icing on the cake.
 
matt360

matt360

Member
Lulzwagon said:
Green Day has always been terrible. Always tried to cash in on the good punk bands of the 90s. Even songs on Dookie just stole a bunch of melodies and riffs from NOFX songs.
Click to expand...

What melodies did Green Day steal from NOFX? I kinda doubt this is true.
 
S

soxinthebox

Member
King_Moc said:
Is that what punk is? By its very nature, it shouldn't be something that can be labelled that easily. Do the likes of Sonic Youth, The Clash, The Stooges, Wire etc fit those terms? Did they do music for late adolescent teens? Nope.
Click to expand...
I didn't think sonic youth, the stooges or wire were considered punk.
 
M

March of the Crabs

Member
matt360 said:
What melodies did Green Day steal from NOFX? I kinda doubt this is true.
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Off the top of my head Basket Case (is that the "do you have the time..." one?) ripped off the chord progression of The Longest Line so closely that sometimes NOFX will seamlessly play a few bars of that song when playing The Longest Line live. There were 2 or 3 more I can't remember but I'll come edit this post if they come back to me.
 
E

ElectricBlanketFire

Member
Lulzwagon said:
Off the top of my head Basket Case (is that the "do you have the time..." one?) ripped off the chord progression of The Longest Line so closely that sometimes NOFX will seamlessly play a few bars of that song when playing The Longest Line live. There were 2 or 3 more I can't remember but I'll come edit this post if they come back to me.
Click to expand...

Pop punk with similar chord progressions? Get out of town.
 
matt360

matt360

Member
Lulzwagon said:
Off the top of my head Basket Case (is that the "do you have the time..." one?) ripped off the chord progression of The Longest Line so closely that sometimes NOFX will seamlessly play a few bars of that song when playing The Longest Line live. There were 2 or 3 more I can't remember but I'll come edit this post if they come back to me.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting a quick reply. I'll give it a listen.

Edit: I dunno man, I don't hear it at all. Similar sure, but so are 1000 other punk songs, like people have been saying. The progression isn't even the same, the palm muting is done in completely different parts. Maybe some of the other songs are more apparent, but these two in particular don't really sound alike at all to me.
 
M

March of the Crabs

Member
matt360 said:
Thanks for posting a quick reply. I'll give it a listen.

Edit: I dunno man, I don't hear it at all. Similar sure, but so are 1000 other punk songs, like people have been saying. Not even similar enough to notice. The progression isn't even the same, the palm muting is done in completely different parts. Maybe some of the other songs are more apparent, but these two in particular don't really sound alike at all to me.
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I'm at work so I can't check but I swear the chord progression under the solo of The Longest Line is suspiciously identical to the one used throughout Basket Case. I could be completely wrong though. Happens to the best of us :)

njean777 said:
Eh depends on what type of punk you are making. I would say political punk can still be relevant even after you get old.
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TONS of bands from that era are still going strong (Strung Out, Lagwagon, Bad Religion, NOFX) but none of those did the whole whiny teenager shtick Green Day did which might have something to do with it. Hell, The Buzzcocks formed in 1976 and are still going strong.
 
J

jtb

Banned
A triple Green Day album might go down as the single dumbest idea in the history of mankind. And I like Green Day.
 
E

ElectricBlanketFire

Member
As a former huge Green Day mark, here's how I'd rank them:

1) Nimrod
2) Kerplunk
3) Insomniac
4) Dookie
5) American Idiot
6) 1,039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
7) Warning
8) 21st Century Breakdown
9) Uno
10) Dos
11) Tre (never listened to it)

Favorite songs in no particular order:

Scattered
J.A.R.
Armatage Shanks
Uptight
Having a Blast
Church On Sunday
Christie Road
2,000 Light Years Away
Nice Guys Finish Last
Haushinka
She
Coming Clean
Jesus of Suburbia
Going to Pasalaqua
Disappearing Boy
Only Of You
Suffocate
Westbound Sign
Minority
Do Da Da
Desensitized
 
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