The rock and roll hall of fame is one of the most prestigious titles in the music industry. Many legends have been inducted over the years, including Guns N Roses, Heart, Rush and the king of horror Mr Alice Cooper but to name a few. 2015, however is the year that Green Day join them!
To be inducted, the band or artist has to have been in the music industry for 25 years and over, and/or have to have made a significant contribution to the industry. A handful of bands/performers get selected each year, and there is an induction ceremony that usually falls in the april after they have been chosen.
This is Green Day's first year of being eligible, which is a great achievement.
When told about the induction, Billie Joe found it hard to process the information:
"I had to go for a walk," he told Rolling Stone "I wound up at this cafe and I sat down and my son met up with me. I told him and he was like 'Oh my God. No way.' It just took some time to sink in. We're in incredible company and I'm still trying to make sense of this. It's just incredible."
The ceremony will take place on April 18th in Cleveland, OH
My blog has been pretty quiet as of late. I have had no laptop as the motherboard on my last one gave up the ghost. I'm not really sure what that actually means but thats what i was told in the shop!
So yeah this is my apology to you all and i hope that you all still want to read this. Hopefully i will have a lot more to talk about...after all, 2015 is the year of Green Day! :D
Hey all, it's been a while since I last posted on here...not because I have been busy but because there has been so little that I could post about. The boys have been on a break over the festive period, and should now be rehearsing for their Australian leg of the 99 Revolutions Tour. Nothing has been said so far about anything being planned to celebrate the two major milestones (Dookie's 20th anniversary and American Idiot's 10th anniversary), however there have been a couple of...shall we say 'interesting' instagram posts from Mike relating to the band: earlier this month he posted a picture of him and his wife Brittany with the rather cryptic caption: "What's the opposite Broke up? #xoxo@batmansmom #forever#lifeisgrand2014isofftoagreatstartinthedirntsandgreendaysworldcantwaittoshare.................DotDotDot"
Also just last week he posted another cryptic picture of the band in the early days, with the caption
"been jamming with these guys lately #yep"
This gives us room to speculate. What's gonna happen next? As I mentioned before, predicting what the band are going to do is a waste of time because we will never know (take the Trilogy for instance), but it makes me wonder if an album is in the pipeline, not for the immediate future but maybe sooner than we think...
Billie mentioned in his post-rehab Rolling Stone interview that nothing was going to be rushed because he didn't want to get overwhelmed, he also mentioned something about wanting to go back to their roots with the less polished kind of sound.
(NOTE: what I am about to say is purely my opinion, and is open for discussion)
I think that when Green Day do release something new, they should steer clear of the rock opera. It's been done to death and it would be too repetitive. I am not in any way saying that they were not good albums because they really were masterpieces but i think another one would make the band predictable. I like what they did with Tre, the lyrics were more meaningful and deep...kind of more personalised. Whether they were aimed at something about the way he was feeling or not they still feel like a window into his heart, and with the situation that he was in over a year ago that's what I would like. Brutal Love just blew me away and continues to do so, so I would like something else like that.
In terms of sound, I am not too fussed. It would be great for them to go back to the Kerplunk kind of sound but their ability to play has improved tenfold from that album so it would be interesting to see how that kind of thing would sound if it was a little bit more polished. People have been complaining that the sounds used on the Trilogy (mainly Dos) didn't work for them, especially Nightlife. I however think that kind of thing was a refreshing change so it would be nice to see what else they could bring to the table.
Obviously I don't want anything rushed because personally I think that it affects the quality and you can tell when it's been rushed, however I would like to hear some news soon because I am missing them. I can't wait for the Green Day world to explode once again!
As we all know the 99 Revolutions tour is over for the time being, so the Green Day world has been extremely quiet save for instagram posts from the boys. However, the most unusual duet has surfaced in the form of Billie Joe Armstrong and Jazz beauty Norah Jones. This picture was posted online on Wednesday evening:
I'm guessing this is a promo shot of the two...a promo shot for what? Well, it turns out they have released an album of Everly Brothers tracks called 'Foreverly'.
It is essentially their own spin on the album 'Songs Our Daddy Taught Us'- originally released in 1958. In an interview with Stereogum, Billie said:
"It all started with Stevie Wonder. We sang together with Stevie Wonder and his band and a whole bunch of people, that’s how Norah and I first met. Then … well, I got into the Everly Brothers’ record a couple years ago and I thought it was just beautiful. I was listening to it every morning for a while off and on. I thought it would be cool to remake the record because I thought it was sort of an obscure thing and more people should know about it, but I really wanted to do it with a woman singing because I thought it would take on a different meaning — maybe broaden the meaning a little bit — as compared to hearing the songs being sung by the two brothers."
The first single from the album is called Long Time Gone: a song that really shows the softness of Billie's voice that we don't often hear. The two voices go together perfectly, and the great thing about this album is that it brings attention to old songs that the people buying this album - myself included - would never have heard before. It surprised me just how great it actually is and I am looking forward to the rest of the album.
First blog post in a while, i have been a bit busy with uni work...tough year and all that. Anyway.
After what seemed like forever away, a refreshed Green Day hit the road for their 99 Revolutions Tour. First stop was Pomona, California on March 10th and working their way through the US and Canada, and now heading through Europe.
I was fortunate enough to get tickets to their only UK stop: the Emirates Stadium in London.
June 1st, a delightfully warm day surrounded by fellow Green Day fans. We were all awaiting the arrival of our heroes. All Time Low and Kaiser Chiefs had got us all warmed up and it was almost time for the best moment of 60,000 people's lives. (FACT: Green Day broke the record for attendance at the Emirates as all 60,000 seats were filled that night, beating people as big as Bruce 'The Boss' Springsteen) Queen's hit Bohemian Rhapsody blasted through the huge stadium and almost every single body in that venue sang along:
It was one of the most memorable things i have ever been a part of (well apart from the show itself)...every time i see videos of it I get goosebumps. As soon as the 'Good, the Bad and The Ugly' theme song came on I knew it was time. The whole place exploded and the applause seemed to get louder the moment Billie Joe walked on stage.
The set list was awesome, though I did think they could have played a few more songs from the trilogy. There was still a good mix of old and new stuff. One of the songs that surprised me was Waiting. I had always wanted to hear it live as it is one of my favourite of their songs and it was one of the first that made me love them. It sounded so good:
"God I fucking love this fucking country, Jesus Christ" was what Billie Joe said during Boulevard of Broken Dreams as he watched the crowd sing his lyrics in awe. He had us all in the palm of his hand and he was loving it. You could see that he was grateful for all of the love that was currently surrounding him. He invited a young boy onto the stage, who held up a sign that said 'Green Day rocks!'. Two other fans got that opportunity: one boy to sing Longview, and a girl to play Knowledge (who also got kisses and cuddles from Billie...lucky girl)
The show was not short of the usual repeated cries of HEEEYYY OHHHHH and banter that we have all come to love from the band. He certainly knows how to get the crowd pumped.
Brutal Love was the last song of the night, i don't think there was a single person in that place that did not feel emotional during that song (I cried...quite a lot). It was absolutely beautiful, Billie Joe's voice was so powerful and passionate, and the stadium was lit with thousands of white lights like stars. It was an incredible moment.
I can't wait to see them again at Leeds. I'm looking forward to seeing what they have up their sleeves. Only time will tell, but I can say that if it is anything like this show it is going to be incredible.
SETLIST:
99 Revolutions
Know Your Enemy
Stay The Night
Stop When The Red Lights Flash
Letterbomb
Oh Love
Holiday
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
Stray Heart
Nice Guys Finish Last
Waiting
Missing You
Burnout
Sassafras Roots
Hitchin A Ride
Welcome To Paradise
Longview
Going To Pasalacqua
Knowledge
St Jimmy
When I Come Around
Basket Case
She
King For A Day
Shout (I Can't Get No Satisfaction, Teenage Kicks, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life)
X Kid
Minority
So the other day an interview in Rolling Stone magazine with Billie Joe emerged. It was his post rehab explanation if you will. Here is the cover:
I would first like to take a moment to mention how well he is looking, he turned 41 a couple of weeks ago and you would not be able to tell. Anyway fangirl moment over.
The interview was the frankest interview with Billie that I have ever read. There was nothing sugar coated - he said exactly what he felt he had to say. To have the courage to come out with it like that after the time he has been through these last six months is just incredible.
I would also like to take a moment to complement the quality of the journalism here...considering I am a journalist in training...extremely well written!
Anyway. A thing that made me smile about this article was where Mike says that he wants to be sitting on a park bench with Billie when he's older, just feeding the birds and having conversations. That is what you call a strong friendship. I just think Mike is amazing to help Billie through everything like that and stick by him like that. Judging by what Billie said in the interview, i don't think there would be many friends who could do that.
After reading the interview, i can see that there is not much more to say about the matter because I think just about everything is covered here, meaning this hopefully won't get raked up again when the band make their triumphant return in the next few weeks. There are a few things about this that make me really sad - the interview is honest, which is why it makes me so sad. Like when he talks about the time he got really bad after a show and drank his body weight in alcohol after a show which also involved drinking before and during - and then waking up hungover on the West Side Highway in a park. I mean...that is some serious stuff. I didn't realise just how bad things were for him, i figured them to be bad because of him going into rehab - when that was first announced after iHeart i didn't think it was serious until i read the actual press release. I couldn't believe it. I'm sure most, if not all of their fans feel exactly the same.
The rehabilitation for him sounded really scary - he had to have a nurse go to his home and make sure he wasn't having seizures because of the withdrawals. It must be so hard for him, and Adrienne and the boys. I couldn't imagine what they are going through, even now. He may be out of rehab and ready to get back out there but he has to take baby steps to get through it.
The thing that really got to me is the part where the interviewer asks him if he owes an apology to the fans and he said that he let us down. I actually cried when i read that part. He did nothing to let us down. He let a bad habit grab hold of him and it held too tightly. I don't feel in any way ashamed to call him my hero - if anything, i admire him all the more for coming through this. And to have the courage to come out and speak so honestly about it all. I'm just so so glad that he is getting better and he is going to stop drinking. I can't wait to see him back on that stage with Mike, Tre and Jason, where he belongs! Bring it on!
All I will say is have some tissues ready when reading it! You will cry!
WE LOVE YOU BILLIE JOE! WE ARE PROUD OF YOU AND ALWAYS WILL BE. Idiot forever!
Booking tickets to see Green Day is always very exciting. This will be my third time of seeing the band, and after reading a status on my friend Ally's Green Day Facebook page: 'I'm Not Fucking Around... G.L.O.R.I.A', I have started thinking about songs that would make up my perfect setlist. I'm obviously not going to make up a whole setlist because that would take way too long, but here are a few that I would love. So yeah, here goes:
One song I would like would be Redundant. I have always adored the song, I think the lyrics are beautiful and it would make for a really great acoustic performance, like this video proves:
If I were to think of songs from the Trilogy, the first song that comes to mind would be Brutal Love. The song gives me goosebumps anyway, it's so beautiful and it really shows off Billie's talent. I have a feeling that if they did play that i would shed a few tears!
Another good one from the trilogy would definitely be Dirty Rotten Bastards. Like Homecoming and Jesus Of Suburbia, it is made up of different parts and I think it is the perfect song for crowd interaction especially.
Delving back into the older stuff, a song I would love to hear live one day would be Blood Sex and Booze. I don't think i have ever heard them play it and I'm not sure if that would be a song that they would perform now, they have such a collection of great songs and for some reason that never seems to come up anywhere. It's a shame, so that's why I think they need to play it.
I have always wanted to hear Peacemaker live. Simply because it is my favourite song from the 21st Century Breakdown album. I think because it is a song that the band have not played since the release of that album, it would be quite a nice surprise to hear it.
Finally, if I were to choose the setlist, i think Nightlife would definitely appear. I'm not sure what we could expect from that...what would happen if for some reason Lady Cobra couldn't appear? would Billie do the rap? That would be really funny to see! I have chosen this one because it's obvious change in direction when it comes to sound. It would be a great part of the show that the band could maybe make a big thing out of? I don't know but I think it should be played.
I hope you have all had a nice Christmas and got loads of Green Day goodies :D I know I did haha
ANYWHO....
Over the past week it was announced on the Idiot Club that the US Green Day tour dates were going to be rescheduled for spring 2013. A good moment for the fandom, but all of that excitement died when that post was taken down and people started recieving emails from Ticketmaster saying that their date had been cancelled.
Last night on the Green Day Community there was some speculation about some rescheduled dates that had been floating around, but obviously nobody knew whether they were right because nothing had been confirmed.
It was this morning that one of the best instagram posts for a while came out. Billie posted a message on his instagram:
“Dear friends I just wanted to thank you
all for the love and support you’ve showed for the past few months. Believe
me, it hasn’t gone unnoticed and I’m eternally grateful to have such an
amazing set of friends and family. I’m getting better every day.
So
now, without further ado, the show must go on.. We can’t wait to get on
the road and live out loud! Our passion has only grown stronger. Happy new year We love you all Rage and love XX BILLIE JOE
P.s.. Green day tour in march”
It is so nice to hear that he is getting better. People have been thinking the worse and I have heard the dreaded question "what if they never come back?" a few times, but this completely silences stuff like that!
The part of this message that really makes me happy is where he says "Our passion has only grown stronger" which means that on that new tour in March, faces are going to be melted! They are going to give it their all and be back on that stage where they belong. It also means that the Emirates Stadium show in June is going to be fucking immense! Couldn't be more excited for that!
I'm just so proud of him for getting back on his feet, because I guess addiction is a hard thing to come back from. It makes me smile knowing that he knows how much we all love him and support him, and I can't wait to see my heroes again because I have missed them so so much. I would love to be able to thank them for everything that they have done for me, but until that day comes I will just continue to love them and fangirl where appropriate! Smiley face.
2013 is going to be the year of Green Day for sure, so get ready guys!
It seems like only yesterday when Green Day announced plans for a trilogy. It was an exciting day for the fan community because the band had been teasing us for a while with studio updates and stuff but we had no idea what surprises they had planned for us.
Uno, released September 24th, was the first in the trilogy, the fast paced party warm up album received mixed reviews because of the considered drastic change in direction, and who could forget the bad press about first single 'Oh Love'? It was like a marmite album: either you loved it or you didn't. Still, it seems there were people out there who did love it because it went straight to number one on the Billboard chart and got number two on the UK charts. Personally i absolutely loved it! I was on holiday on the day it leaked out and my best friend downloaded it for me so i could listen to it! That was a good day...sunshine and Green Day!
The promo for the album was so much better than it was for 21st Century Breakdown. The band were everywhere: playing club shows, on the cover of magazines, on the radio, on Instagram and at festivals...however it was at a festival where everything came to a massive halt, in the form of a 'breakdown'.
We all know about Billie's little rant at iHeart now, i think everyone does:
It unfortunately was the start of a downward spiral that would see Billie Joe Armstrong enter rehab for substance abuse.
Now, this is quite a sore subject for me. This man is my hero, has been since i was 12 years old, and will be until the end. Seeing this happen and how people have been talking about him really upset me because it's like he has turned into some sort of monster. He has obviously had problems and has just worked himself silly, becoming sick because of it. Hearing people call him a druggie and whatever really upsets me. Journalists always seem to talk about it as well. Everytime the subject of Green Day comes up in a magazine it just HAS to be mentioned! I know it's a recent thing and it's a bit of a blow to the band but i wish they would shut up about it! No matter what anyone says about him, all I want is for him to get better, come back and rock everyone's arses off!
So anyway, promo for the trilogy has consequently suffered. So much so that shows planned from November right through to February have had to be postponed or cancelled.
Released November 12th, Dos was number two of three. This brought another side of the band to the table, like Green Day meets Foxboro Hot Tubs. It is dirty, suave and sexy, with a collaboration from Lady Cobra (Mystic Knights of the Cobra) thrown in there too - she appears on Nightlife, the RnB offering on the album...such an addictive song! Definitely one of my favourites. This placed at number 10 in the charts. Considering what has been happening with Billie, it's still a good position...would it have been better if Billie had been around to promote it? We will never know.
So, Tre is released officially released on Monday. It was streamed on various websites earlier in the week and has subsequently leaked so i'm sure many fans have already heard it. I have and my verdict is...it's bloody brilliant! The best of the trilogy! (A review will come soon) The albums may be a drastic step in direction for Green Day but it shows just how versatile they are and their talent just shines through. Billie's voice has gotten more powerful since the musical, and it really shows, especially on Tre. There are a couple of filler tracks there but all in all it has been success!
I am just looking forward to the tour. I am going to see them on 1st June at the Emirates Stadium, and i couldn't be more excited if i tried! I just know it's gonna be incredible, especially with Billie being back on his feet by then. I'm just gonna be like 'homina homina jghiughroifhokrhvjirjghofuf'! the fangirl in me is really gonna come out! There is a good few songs that would be on my dream setlist but i guess we will just have to wait and see! All I can say is that June cannot come quick enough!
Just as a final thought for this post, here are my favourites from the trilogy. Smiley face!
UNO: Kill The Dj, Angel Blue, Stay The Night, Sweet 16, Rusty James
DOS: Baby Eyes, Nightlife, Wow! That's Loud, Lazy Bones
TRE: Brutal Love, 99 Revolutions, Dirty Rotten Bastards, X Kid
On Monday, all Green Day fans were waiting for the inevitable...and it happened. Yes I'm talking about the leak of the next album in the trilogy: Dos.
I can't say that I resisted the temptation to give it a listen, at all. Personally I blame social media for that but, as it has leaked around it is going to end up all over the internet anyway so i thought 'if you can't beat them, join them'! The journalist in me couldn't resist writing a review so here it is: Dos - Track by Track:
See You Tonight - Reminds me a little of a Bob Dylan sort of song. The acoustic guitar and the soft harmonies are a brilliant combination.
It's Fuck Time - A silly song that has been a feature in almost every recent Green Day/Foxboro Hot Tubs gig. It gets to the point and shoots from the crotch!
Stop When The Red Lights Flash - Definitely a pump up song. Infectious melody and awesome lyrics: "Stop when the red lights flash, I'll trade you blood for dirty cash/life in the catacombs, you make me feel like i'm at home"
Lazy Bones - I have a feeling that with Billie could maybe be tapping into his personal feelings with this one. It feels like a window into a potential problem but it's one of those tracks that you can just really enjoy listening to. It may be wrong but it's just my opinion...Oh and Mike's backing vocals are just awesome!
Wild One - Sexy and swarve! It's nice to hear Mike's backing vocals more with this album! It's a grower!
Makeout Party - Amazing solo and some very naughty lyrics! Sounds very Foxboro Hot Tubs/old rock and roll.
Stray Heart -First single to be released. Rolling bassline right through showing Mike's shining talent. Different than what we are used to but still awesome!
Ashley -Typical Green Day song, sounds a little like something that could belong on Nimrod. Brilliant nonetheless
Baby Eyes - Personal favourite of mine. There's not much i can say except it's amazing! I think Billie may have a fascination with killing though! ("Baby baby i was born to kill")
Lady Cobra - This is where the sound starts to get interesting...very Foxboro meets Green Day
Nightlife - Introducing Lady Cobra from the Mystic Knights Of the Cobra...this song doesn't even sound like Green Day, but that's why it is such a stand alone track for me. I didn't expect to like but i do because it is awesome and catchy as hell!!
Wow! That's Loud - Another personal favourite of mine. Some great guitar riffs thus proving that they have a lot more to offer than simple three chord punk. Also showing that Jason White belongs in the band!
Amy - Such a sweet tribute to Amy Winehouse. Showing appreciation for someone he didn't know but respected deeply for her amazing talent. Beautiful lyrics and beautiful music.
Overall I would give this album a 10/10. To me it is a perfect album, they really showed that they could expand even further with their music and even though I really rated Uno, Dos came and knocked it out of the water. Fantastic album *****
When the tickets for the June 1st show in London went on sale, I didn't think i would get the opportunity to go. I had no one to go with plus ticket prices were a little high. I felt so disappointed because I could see everyone's Facebook statuses saying things like 'OMG I'M GOING TO SEE GREEN DAY IN JUNE!' and I knew I couldn't write any such thing. I was ignoring adverts in magazines and any mention of it made me feel worse.
Yesterday though, that all changed. My friend Katie text me telling me that All Time Low and Kaiser Chiefs had been announced as the support acts for that show. DAMN! I was already missing out on ATL's UK tour and I knew i wanted to see Kaiser Chiefs again because they were awesome last time.
I got into my friend David's car ready to get to Uni and i discussed it with him. I told him that there was no way I wanted to miss out on this, the band are showing no signs as of yet of announcing any more UK dates and frankly I didn't wanna wait. So i decided that I was booking them and he was coming with me no matter what. I didn't even wait until I got to a computer I just did it through my iPhone!
The feeling I got when it had been confirmed was that of...well I can't even describe how i felt. I wanted to cry with happiness and jump for joy. I get to see a band that have been my inspiration for twelve years of my life...for a third time. New albums, new material, new tour.
I just know now that I am gonna be wishing the days away until June 1st arrives...which I don't wanna do because I have so much more to look forward to: Warped Tour, Frank Turner, American Idiot, Rancid, Olly Murs, two more GD albums and the rest of my final year of being a student. Until showtime arrives I will be grinning like a cat that got the cream!
Last night, two new songs from album number two of the trilogy: Dos, appeared on the web: Stray Heart and Lady Cobra. I think Stray Heart is going to be the first single to be released but I need to find an official source to back that up.
We have all heard Stray Heart before through the secret live shows that the band were playing at the start of last year, and fans thought that the song was going to appear on Tre, so it's great to get a full studio version. It was premiered on Radio 1 along with an interview with Mike.
(this is the cover for it, which i personally think is really cool...taken from greenday.com)
On hearing the song my first initial thought was 'this is very Foxboro-esque', it would make a great first single because it really puts the kind of sound out to the critics, kind of like a 'see what I mean?' approach - Uno didn't really use that approach with 'Oh Love' so it was a bit of a guessing game for the fans which, judging by all of the criticism surrounding the song, was not a positive step. I think it shows a lot of character which is great because it can hardly be described as boring!
The thing I love the most about the song is the bassline. It's freaking awesome! It makes the song really stand out from the others and it adds the 'garage-y' character that we all know and love. The vocals have a mixture of husk, lust and passion which is definitely reminiscent of Reverend Strychnine Twitch, which works really well.
All in all i think the song is great, it gives another fresh approach to the band's ever growing talent and it gives us all something to look forward to with Dos.
Here's the audio for people who missed it:
Lady Cobra is just something completely different altogether!
We got a clip of it during an interview on Radio 1 with Zane Lowe about a month or so ago but last night the full track was premiered exclusively on the Idiot Club.
It will lead onto a track called Nightlife and it features Lady Cobra from punk rap band Mystic Knights Of The Cobra. Overall I would say that this song delves a lot more into the garage sound. I'm generalising here of course because we are yet to hear anything else from the album, but you can hear a fresher sound from Green Day than we have had on any of their older albums, as well as the trademark punky pop feel that we love! It's a welcome change!
I think this is the song that gets me the most excited for Dos' release because it's like nothing i have heard from the band, yes it's got the FBHT similarity but i lot more polished. The vocals sound more clean cut and the drums are awesome!
34 days and counting until release day! Can't wait! This album is just going to be epic!
Well i suppose everyone has heard about what happened at the iHeart festival the other day. I feel that the writing of this article is probably redundant as it has been done to death by news sites and various other internet sources but it's relevant to what my blog is about: Green Day.
Billie Joe had a little bit of a breakdown on stage, because he was told that they only had one minute left to play.
Here it is:
Following this, an apology has been issued to Clear Channel and other people who were involved, and consequently he has ended up getting treatment for substance abuse and public appearances, shows and promo from the band have been put on hold until further notice.
This tweet came from his wife Adrienne:
@mnnesotagirl: "Sometimes we just need a moment to reset ourselves... Thanks for all the love & support #gdfamily"
Alanis Morrisette even performed a beautiful version of Basket Caseas a tribute to him, ending by saying "I love you Billie Joe":
The thing that has pissed me off about the way all this has been brought
out, is people saying that he is just doing it for publicity as it all
happened a few days before Uno was released... He obviously has a problem that he needs to sort out, and this is the first time that his problems have publicly surfaced. Why would he put his family and friends through all of this just to sell an album? Why would he do that to his fans who have been loyal to him all the way through his career? Why would his wife tweet about it? Surely she couldn't have been in on it? These are the things i would like to ask. He has been slagged off so much for it, and I really don't like it. Yes I admit that it was an overreaction to what i now understand was a misunderstanding, but the man is only human and he has been under a heck of a lot of pressure as of late as well as other things that may have happened. He was a ticking time bomb really.
The one thing I want is for people to let him be. He needs time to get better and when he is he will come back and rock the socks off of everyone! He is still my hero and i still admire him for everything that he has done.
So, now that Uno has been released, let the excitement for Dos commence. Earlier this week we heard a preview of what we presume is a song called Lazy Bones on Green Day Angry Birds. Boy, does it sound good?!
It's nothing like what i would have expected. When i heard Billie talking about the sound of the album being like a party sound, this is not the sound i would have imagined. It does have the 'Foxboro Hot Tubs meets Green Day' sound to it but it's...better! Lyrically, i think the songs that the band have come out with have been the best. There's no complicated story to them it's just stripped down and still kind of raw. Lazy Bones so far is my favourite lyrically:
"I'm too tired to be bored, i'm too bored to be tired and the silence is so deafening it's like picking at a sore. I'm too mental to go crazy, i'm too drunk to be pure and my mind is playing tricks on me and I can't sleep tonight"
Musically, they seem to get better all of the time. The fact that Jason is there playing with them makes all of the difference. I love the fact that the bass is a lot more clear because you can really appreciate how much of an amazing bass player Mike really is. The drums are awesome as per usual and Billie's vocals just sound...well...like heaven! (Yes, I went there!)
It's another reason for us to think that Dos is gonna be incredible. Roll on November 12th :)
Hi guys! It's been a while... So I have just come back from a three week long holiday in Portugal with my best friends, so i have been a bit out of the loop with what has been happening in the Green Day world but today is the day that we finally get a new album...so i have reviewed it just for you guys. By the way i apologise if it's rubbish, haven't done this in a long time so...here goes...
Their new album “Uno” is the first in a trilogy, with Dos and Tre to
follow in November and January. This sees the band embark on the biggest
project of their 25 year career
.
Uno, described as the warm up to the party, lives up to its
description. It has the pop punk feel of Dookie and Kerplunk but with a
new touch.
A lot of fans have been saying that the music has changed too much
and are quite disappointed with it but personally I find that hard to
believe. Yes they have changed their direction but it’s not drastically
different.There is still that distinct Green Day feel to the songs but
they are trying to keep their music fresh to maybe attract a different
kind of audience.
The last two albums were epic concept albums, whereas this is just a
stripped down simplistic sound, which is a welcome change. There seems
to be a lot more guitar in this music in terms of the solos, and it is
just so great. The rhythm section is a heck of a lot clearer on this
album, and the vocals are a lot clearer and stronger than they have been
for a while.
My favourite song on the album is track number 10 called Sweet 16.
It’s a heartfelt love song filled with memories and beautiful vocals. It
is the track that really stands out to me, it may not be the fastest
but it is the one that always gets stuck in my head.
Another strong song is their single Kill The DJ. This song is a bit
of a stand alone track, it’s sort of like the piggy in the middle to the
rest of the album but it’s one heck of a catchy song! It’s one of those
songs that you could be bopping away to without even realising you’re
doing it. It’s infectious!
There isn’t a song on this album that I really dislike, but i feel
that Oh Love is the weakest song. If this album was a preparation to a
party, surely you would want the last song to be upbeat…it doesn’t
really make any sense! It’s still a really good song and I am not by any
means saying i dislike it but i don’t think it really belongs with the
rest of the album.
If i were to give a rating out of 10 i would give it 10. It is my
favourite of their nine albums, and i feel so excited for what is still
to come!
Green Day fans everywhere were delighted on Monday night when Radio 1 premiered their brand new single Kill The DJ. Fans had already heard a snippet of it in the trailer for Uno, as well as it being played at the Echoplex a couple of weeks ago, however it was still quite different from what we were all expecting.
Kill The DJ is not as straight-forward as Oh Love. The concept of the song is not actually about wanting to kill a dj even though the lyrics state otherwise: 'the voices in my head are saying shoot that fucker down' - it is about wanting to put a stopper on the continual media that seems to rule the lives of this generation. Billie Joe Armstrong told mtv.com:"It's a metaphor for the information overload"
The sound is like nothing you would expect from Green Day, it doesn't have the usual power that their past music has, but it does have the same sort of attitude that we all know and love. It is essentially a dance song with a Green Day twist. It's smooth, suave and sexy with the added Armstrong growl that drives the female fans crazy. It has the Foxboro Hot Tubs rock and roll vibe that seems to suit the band down to the ground
Mike Dirnt (Bass) calls it their 'first time attacking a four-on-the-floor beat' comparing it to songs from Michael Jackson's Off The Wall album as well as the Blondie classic 'Heart Of Glass' and you can really hear it throughout the song. It is the most infectious song that the boys have ever released and you can't help but tap your feet!
Although I haven't really heard any of the other songs from Uno, I would say that we should all be prepared for more surprises because we are sure as hell gonna get them! I hope you are all ready, because i certainly am, in fact, the sooner September 24th gets here, the better!
Here's the explicit version for those who haven't heard it yet...enjoy!
It's been a while since i posted, and quite a bit has happened, nothing too major but newsworthy nonetheless. So here they are:
Firstly: On friday it was announced (and I mentioned it in my last post) that Billie Joe would be mentoring on The Voice. The only thing we know is that he will be on Christina Aguilera's team, which is a very interesting pairing...in an interview with the pair, they were asked if they would duet on the show and Billie said he would write something...that again should be interesting. You can watch this interview below.
After reading a lot of feedback about this i can see that there are quite a lot of people who think what he is doing is bad. He has been called a sellout and slated for it. Personally i think that what he is doing is great, he has never done anything like that before. The most punk rock thing to do is to do what you want and not care about what other people think about it and that's exactly what he is doing. I think he is gonna be one of the most brutally honest mentors they have ever had! Bring it on!
Secondly: The Idiot Club posted the cover to the new single, Kill The DJ:
It has a particular 'funky punk' feel to it, the skulls from the 21st Century Breakdown era have been used once again (cue breath of relief from Green Day fans -myself included- who have them as tattoos!)
The way this cover looks tells me that the song will be retro, like 90's style rock but with the trademark Green Day sound still peaking through. The single is rumoured to be released on 14th August but has not been officially confirmed as of yet.
Thirdly: Along with the Kill The DJ cover, the Idiot Club also posted new promo shots of the band, there were seven in total but I have chosen the best two of the bunch (below). You can find the others on the Green Day Authority website: www.greendayauthority.com and follow the 'photos' link.
Have to say, the boys are looking pretty good at the moment! Their styles have certainly changed from the 21st Century Breakdown era, they are looking less...for lack of a better word...formal! It suits them! I admit that i fangirled slightly at these pictures...moving on!
Fourthly (and quite importantly): Last Monday (30/4/12), www.altpress.com released a video premiere of Let Yourself Go, recorded from the Austin, Texas show last November - which was the first secret show in which they previewed their new material:
This track sounds a lot more like traditional Green Day than Oh Love, which will please most fans, it's aggressive, loud and utterly fantastic! It certainly shows the musical progression of the band as they approach the Uno Dos Tre era. Looking forward to the studio version! Bring it on! :)
Finally: Last night, the boys played a 'secret' show at the Echoplex in Los Angeles. Billie announced it on Twitter (i would tell you what it said but it seems he has deleted it for some reason...)
The tickets sold out in minutes, filling the 350 capacity venue. There were some rumours that they were going to play the whole trilogy back to back but they ended up playing two hours of old and new stuff, with songs such as Christie Road, Dominated Love Slave, Oh Love, Kill The DJ, Wild One and Nuclear Family.
For anyone who is curious to hear it, here is a video for Kill The DJ from said show:
I would love them to come play in Liverpool but somehow I don't think that will happen! They need to announce UK tour details soon!
So there it is, there is a lot still to look forward to in the not so distant future but until then...peace out! R&L <3
Green Day have always been called sellouts, ever since they first signed to Reprise records all those years ago. It has been going on all the way through their career, but it has started again just recently when they released their new single Oh Love, and when Billie was chosen to be mentor on The Voice. All I wanna know is why? All the band are trying to do is earn an honest living, they are one of the hardest working bands in the industry and they have made it this far without needing to be on these reality TV shows or having everything handed to them on a plate! Their new single has been completely pulled to bits, yes it is a little different from what we are used to and no it isn't the strongest of first singles ever but it is still a good song! It is something new and refreshing...they can't just stay the same throughout their career because that would be really boring! With some of the appalling music in the charts today it is nice to hear something that doesn't completely suck!
As for Billie selling out by being on the voice...how? Just because he is branching out and doing something a little different? Let's face it, his talent has finally been recognized! He isn't doing anything wrong so why criticise him? Nobody criticised Tom Jones, or Jessie J, or Adam Levine for it! I know this is all my own opinion but seriously! Leave the guy alone!!
Today, July 16th 2012, is the day when we can FINALLY welcome Green Day back...and...what a welcome!
Oh Love has officially been premiered! Wow, what can i say other than IT'S AMAZING!
It's a fresh sound for them, clean and very polished. The beginning is smooth with the acoustic guitar but it kicks in on the first chorus. Like the calm before the storm. The guitar solo in the middle is what really blew me away...wow! I think Rob Cavallo was definitely the best choice for producing the albums, Butch Vig was OK but in my eyes no one compares to Cavallo.
The lyrics...as with every Green Day song, are awesome. It makes me wonder who he is talking about when he sings the line: "Talk my way out of falling in love, falling in love with you" I'm sure all will be revealed in time!
I think the lyrics are a lot more personal than on the last two albums, you can see that he hasn't taken the concept album route again which is good because it shows that they are headed in a brand new direction.
Billie's voice is sounding stronger than ever, I think the Broadway stint has done him tonnes of good! He seems to be able to hit the notes much better! I can't wait to hear it live properly!
If you want to hear it, here it is below! I wanna know what you all think!
*aaaaaaaand breathe*
(Just an after thought, if Billie was on twitter at the same time as the single was released, i wonder how he would react to everyone's tweets? I reckon he would find it hilarious how hysterical we all were! haha!)
With Oh Love being released to the masses in just 6 days time, the boys have confirmed the artwork...tah dah!:
No Green Day teaser release would be complete without a trailer...a 14 second trailer to be exact, here it is:
The trailer made me laugh. It has been made as a sort of parody to Youtube videos and their adverts that disrupt your videos, and i'm sure many fans (myself included) tried to click the cross! It's official, we have been trolled by Green Day! Bazinga!
The snippet of the song sounds amazing, the riff is so powerful - sounding unlike any Green Day song i have heard before. At first I was unsure about the choice for the single but i feel as though this could be a strong one and could end up being huge.
As for the artwork, I like it! It's clever and has that bombastic punky style that carries right through the trilogy of covers.
Oh Love is expected to be played at 6:00 pt, which i think is about 2:00pm here, so set your alarms!
Oh and Kerrang will feature the boys on the cover of their July 18th issue so save some pennies!
