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Green Day Biography
Review The Artist (114)
Source: www.GDA.com
Childhood friends Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar,lead vocals) and Mike Dirnt (bass, vocals; born Michael Pritchard) formed their first band 'Sweet Children' when they were 14 years old in Rodeo, California. By 1989, the group had added drummer John Kiftmeyer (aka: Al Sobrante) and changed their name to Green Day after one of their songs. That year, the band independently released their first EP, 1,000 Hours, which was well received in the punk scene. The band soon signed to local independent label, Lookout! Records (run by Larry Livermore) and their debut album "39/Smooth" was also released that year. Shortly after its release, Kiftmeyer announced that he was going to college and suggested his former drum tutor Tre Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright, III) to take over as the band's permanent drummer(vocals too). Throughout the early '90s, Green Day continued to cultivate a cult following, which only gained strength with the release of their sophomore album, 1992's 'Kerplunk'.
The underground success of 'Kerplunk' led to a wave of interest from the major record labels. Eventually the band decided to sign with Reprise Records and their major label debut 'Dookie' was released in the spring of 1994. Thanks to relentless touring and somewhat surprising MTV support for initial single "Longview," Dookie became a mainstream hit. The album continued to gain momentum throughout the summer, with the second single "Basket Case" spending five weeks on the top of the American modern rock charts. At the end of the summer, the band stole the show at Woodstock '94, which helped the sales of Dookie increase. By the time the fourth single "When I Come Around" began its seven-week stay at number one in the modern rock charts in early 1995, Dookie had sold over five million copies in the US alone. Eventually this figure would top eight million records sold in America, and selling over eleven million copies internationally. Along with Dookie's commercial success, the band also received critical acclaim when they won the 1994 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.
Green Day quickly followed Dookie with 'Insomniac' in the fall of 1995. Prior to the album's release they again hit number one again on the U.S. modern rock charts with "J.A.R.," (a tribute to their friend Jason Andrew Relva, which appears on the soundtrack to the film 'Angus'). 'Insomniac' performed well initially, entering the US charts at number two and selling over two million copies by the spring of 1996. However, none of the subsequent singles -- including the radio favourite 'Brain Stew/Jaded' -- were as popular as those from Dookie. In the spring of 1996, Green Day abruptly cancelled a European tour, claiming exhaustion. Following the cancellation, the band spent the rest of the year resting and writing new material. The end result is what many call the best album of their career: 'Nimrod'.
'Nimrod' was well received by fans and critics alike, managing to land at #10 on the Billboard charts having sold 80,000 copies in it's first week. However, Green Day's comeback single "Hitchin' A Ride" only made it to #5 on the modern rock charts despite being placed in heavy rotation on MuchMusic and MTV. In response to this the band released what is arguably their most successful single ever. Although it would not make it to number one in the mainstream charts (it's highest position was #2), "Time of Your Life" is now probably the most well known song Green Day have ever written. Featuring Billie Joe on acoustic guitar & vocals, and Petra Hayden (of That Dog) on violin, "Time Of Your Life" became the song to play in any remotely sad situation. The song was even used on the last ever episode of the hit TV show Seinfeld (the most watched finale in the history of TV). Along with Seinfeld, the song was also played during two different episodes of hit drama E.R, making it possibly the most heard song that year on television. Despite gaining the band more critical respect than they would have received with another Dookie or Insomniac, 'Nimrod' only sold about two million copies, and was seen as a commercial flop in comparison. During the 'Nimrod' era the band also vastly improved their live show and even one "Best Live Performance" at the Kerrang awards.
After nearly two years out of the media spotlight Green Day returned in late 1999 to play Neil Young's "Bridge School Benefit Concert", their first live acoustic performance. Green Day began recording their follow-up to "Nimrod" shortly after, which would eventually become "Warning:". Early in the recording process, the band decided to fire producer Scott Litt, and produce the album themselves. This would be the first time since "Kerplunk" that anyone other than Rob Cavallo had produced the band. After they finished recording, Green Day decided to do something else they hadn't done before and headlined the 2000 Vans Warped Tour. Green Day played an amazing set and brought more fans to the tour than any other year in Warped's history (their Toronto performance alone attracted 7,000 more fans than they had any other year).
Released in the fall of 2000, "Warning:" was by far Green Day's most ambitious album to date and first single "Minority" sat at the top of the Billboard Modern Rock Chart after just four weeks. Although "Warning:" contained some of the band's best songs to date (in particular the excellent third single "Waiting"), many fans didn't take too well to the band's new punk-folk sound. Although it has since been certified platinum sales status, "Warning" is arguably Green Day's least successful album. After "Warning:" the band released a greatest hits album entitled 'International Super Hits' and a b-sides compilation called "Shenanigans" as well as their first DVD 'International Supervideos" which chronicles the band's music videos thus far. The band subsequently embarked on a huge 'Greatest Hits' world tour which lead to many people believing the end was nigh for Green Day seeing as most bands only release a "Greatest Hits" albums near the end of their career.
However, these rumours soon died down when after another long hiatus the band announced that a new album was in the works. "What's It Going To Sound Like?" people wondered from all over the Green Day community. "Is it going to be another 'Warning' or are they going to go back to their Punk Rock roots?". Those questions have recently been answered with the explosive new single "American Idiot" which incidentally is also the title track to the new album. For the first time in Green Day's history, Billie Joe has let loose some great politically motivated lyrics and from what we have heard of this album already it looks like Green Day might have made the best album of their career!
In 2005, Green Day toured in England. The tour was called "Bullet in a Bible". Green Day rocked over 300,000 people. Green Day got the name "Bullet in a Bible" from a bible in a war museum that had a bullet stuck in it.
Green Day has released a single called "Working Class Hero". The song also has a video.
Thanks to Michelle for submitting the biography. |
Would you please submit the latest Green Day biography to me? Thank You.
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Review about Green Day
stickin up for the sex pistols | Reviewer: ben | 7/10/2008 ok sean i'm just gonna tell ya real quick that you are wrong about the sex pistols. the guitarist for the pistols steve jones was actually a very good player and the drummer for the pistols paul cook is also really good. you would notice that if you listened to the music and i have a feeling that you have heard maybe one song by the pistols. johnny rotten isnt supposed to sound like the voice of an angel it's the rebellious presence he has in his vocals. johnny rotten is punk and sid vicious was the only member who was addicted to any kind of drugs and he could play his instrument he was just too fried most of the time. as for green day i'm not quite sure how we can say all these things to prove they are not punk when the clash have done the same things as green day yet the clash retains a punk label. you can say green day does ballads and that isnt punk but the clash have more than a few ballads and are still punk. you can say green day has gotten political and that isnt punk first off the clash were very political and second punk can be political does it have to be no but it can be political. all this said green day is no longer punk because here is a very big difference between green day and the clash: the clash strayed from the mainstream and american idiot was geared for the mainstream. punk or not punk green day is still a damn good band.
Sex Pistols? | Reviewer: Sean | 7/5/2008
Why does everyone compare every punk band to the sex pistols?
sex pistols made one album and lasted 2 years. They were a bunch of drug-addled and talentless wankers.
Compare Mike Dirnt to Sid Vicious and that basicly shows how good the so called "greatest punk band ever" were.
Green Day are amazing, and can play instruments and Billy Joe can actually sing.
Jonny Rotten was a mere shouter - nothing more.
Green Day < Sex Pistols
American Idiot is a GOOD ALBUM! | Reviewer: Anonymous | 7/2/2008
But it is NOT PUNK! Have you ever listened to Longveiw? That's punk! It's about jacking off, and smoking pot. If a punk band dabbles in politics, they are no longer punk.
Also punk can never be sad.... I'm looking at you good Riddance!
green day is awesome 06/26/08 | Reviewer: taylor | 6/27/2008
i love green day it is the best band ever.all these years i had never took a intriest in green day but when i finally started 2 listen 2 the music it really spoke 2 me. i think green day is am amazing. i understand billie joes passion for music. i understand his soul. and whoever says otherwise is a fool. if ur not a fan of green day i incourage u 2 just sit down and just listen 2 what the songs mean. please just listen!
green day | Reviewer: katie | 5/2/2008
green day is the best band in the world and they show that in there concerts...ofcource...i have all there cds, and 793 pictures of them on my wall. billie joe is soo hawt...i love every single one of there songs and i dont have a favorite cd i love them all the same...green day are true punks even though they used to be pop punk...they are great at concerts and billie joe looks great naked lol...i have all the dvds with them in it
I love Green Day to death!!!:)
Green day | Reviewer: Anonymous | 4/14/2008
I think it's funny how they call themselves "punk" and how American Idiot is seen by many little pre-teen punk wannabees as real "punk." They completely contradicted themselves with that album. They're writing songs about anti-establishment, anti-war, anti-government... then their videos are broadcast on mtv? They perform on American Idol? that is sooo punk I must say. Then having 100 thousand brits sing "Don't wanna be an American Idiot ..." Those kids don't know the meaning of the song. Green Day sold out, and they are not punk.
Real punk bands are bands you will NEVER hear about. That is true punk.
punk is dead | Reviewer: ben | 4/5/2008
okay disregard the last post i made. i made that post at a time when i had not listened to the album american idiot in a long time. as i write this i have listened to it recently and realized that i overlooked a number of things i wouldntve if i had written my last post after listening to the american idiot album. just as popular belief is implying i have come to realize green day is not punk. american idiot while much of it does have a punkish sound received highly polished production. no punk record can ever receive polished production the live performance is generally very close to what you hear on record. and green day also has heavy arena rock leanings theyre particularly fond of queen. american idiot was also deliberately commercial punk is supposed to be anything but commercial. and lets not forget that they performed on american idol i dont have to say thats not punk. i dont know how i missed all this. dont get me wrong american idiot is a great record and green day was punk at one time but that ended after their insomniac album in 1995. so now that weve settled that what genre is green day? pop-punk i guess but that feels too easy maybe arena rock but you can put anyone into that genre. but green day definitely is not punk. sadly my friends punk is dead.
green day is punk. | Reviewer: ryan | 4/5/2008
Listen, people. What it is it that punk means? I'd say it means anti- establishment. "American Idiot" has some of the most anti-establishment lyrics ive heard since Anarchy in the UK. I dont really care if they wear eyeliner or WHATEVER because their appearance really has nothing to do with whether their in the "punk" culture or not. Granted, some of their music has a different sound to it, but why would you want to put out pretty much the same stuff record after record? And if you actually listened to, say, the Ramones ( who are considered the founders of punk music) and then Green Day you'd find a LOT of similarities.
Green Day IS punk! | Reviewer: ryan | 4/5/2008
Listen, people. What it is it that punk means? I'd say it means anti- establishment. "American Idiot" has some of the most anti-establishment lyrics ive heard since Anarchy in the UK. I dont really care if they wear eyeliner or WHATEVER because their appearance really has nothing to do with whether their in the "punk" culture or not. Granted, some of their music has a different sound to it, but why would you want to put out pretty much the same stuff record after record? And if you actually listened to, say, the Ramones ( who are considered the founders of punk music) and then Green Day you'd find a LOT of similarities.
blink 182 /green day/ real punk manifesto | Reviewer: ben | 2/26/2008
yo myles apparently its not a good idea to be an anonymous poster cuz im not a chick. i am familiar with sum 41 i own all killer no filler as for blink 182 they are way overrated dude ranch yeah id say its a more hardcore take on punk (not neccesarily hardcore though) with a little pop sprinkled in but i dont really like it. blinks fans are assholes you should read the blink page its really the most revolting thing ever dont fuck with blink fans. as for green day not being punk REAL punk bands like sex pistols or the clash when you compare american idiot to that stuff it is really similar of course you wont that out with your tiny brains. and i totally agree with the last reveiwer wear eyeliner if you want but dont call it punk. sex pistols ramones dead kennedys all the bands that started the punk thing they are the real punks.
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