“I Like Green Day’s Old Stuff”
That is a phrase I’m getting completely fucking sick of. Guess what? I love their old stuff. But guess what!? Just because it’s old, doesn’t mean it’s better or you’re going to be any cooler for listening to it. In case you haven’t figured it out, their newest album, “21st Century Breakdown”, is a masterpiece. Anyone who denies that is just plain ignorant.
Just because your older brother got you listening to Dookie when you were nine years old or whatever doesn’t mean that particular album is the end all be all of all things Green Day. Also, just because young kids are dressing in black and wearing a bunch of eyeliner to Green Day shows does not mean that you can’t appreciate their newer music at your age. Kids are kids and they’re having fun. You should be happy for both them and the band that is doing so well right now because of their popularity that spans so many age groups. If you are bitter about youngsters crowding Green Day gigs and think they don’t know what the hell they’re doing, then maybe you’re just old.
When Dookie came out, there was a similar reaction on a smaller scale. Many of Green Day’s fans who had been with them since their 1st and 2nd albums decided to jump ship. They decided that they weren’t going to support a band that appealed to so many more people. As if the band was their property and they didn’t appreciate newcomers getting into them.
Think about that mentality for a second. If you love that band so much…then why the hell aren’t you doing everything you can to earn them as many new fans as possible? Sure, the new wave of Green Day fans probably don’t know all the words to “2,000 Light Years Away”. At the show at the LA Forum it appeared that only about myself plus four other people knew the words to “Disappearing Boy”. Does that mean everyone else should have got the fuck out? Hardly.
My point is, I don’t believe you. I don’t believe it’s a matter of taste. I think you shunned the more recent Green Day albums because they broke new ground and acquired millions of new fans, many of them very young. You miss your Dookie days and you’re jealous that these kids are having their own version now, so you go around acting like it is somehow watered down or less significant. Get over it. Dookie was a fucking incredible, timeless album. So was American Idiot. So is this new one. As far as I’m concerned, so is just about everything they put out.
Okay, except maybe for that U2 collaboration. I can’t stand U2.
How many other bands are still making incredible music after 20 years and still putting on amazing live shows? How many bands at the caliber of Green Day today bring their fans on stage to sing, dance, and play guitar with them?
The point of this rant is simple: don’t you dare try to hate on Green Day. They are the biggest band in the world right now, whether you like it or not. You might as well do yourself a favor and like it.
I know that most of you reading this are probably Green Day fans, not the bitter Bobbies I’m talking about in this post. Yes I just made up “bitter Bobbies”. For you true Green Day fans, I’m sure you understand what I’m talking about. I don’t mean to be negative, I just get frustrated with the people that have closed their minds and seem hellbent on depriving themselves of some of the best music being produced in the world right now.
Lord help them.
82,383Tags: 21st century breakdown, green day
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:46 am
as a Green Day fan, i like their old stuff. I ALSO LIKE THEIR NEW STUFF, nice work, well composed
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:47 am
Found myself nodding in agreement the whole time while reading this.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:09 am
i agree whole heartedly. i cant stand people who talk about green day “selling out” they havent sold out theyre just really successful and making better more polished deeper music than dookie or insomniac. those albums were great, classic.s but theyre last two albums will go down in rock and roll history as some of the greatest music of all time. that music is what will make them legends years from now.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:13 am
I totally agree. i think people also try to sound so brilliant because of the fact they liked the old green day. i love everything they’ve made. and music is music. just an example from my life, this girl used to be a huge paramore fan and now she isn’t because of twilight. i think that’s almost what is happening to green day. people don’t like them because they got bigger cause of ONE album, but if the music is good, who cares? their whole thing about I DON’T CARE IF YOU DON’T got me into Green Day cause i couldn’t say that. but seriously, i found myself worked up by the last line of your rant. love green day.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:16 am
I totally agree with you. people really need to stop bitching about how they don’t like Green Day’s new music. they really need to learn to accept the fact that new material will always come about eventually.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:17 am
and im not saying their old stuff is bad. i like their old stuff as well as their new stuff. =D
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:21 am
I agree with you. Ive been a greenday fan since day 1 and thats never gonna change = ]. 21ST CENTURY BREAKDOWN IS 1 OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ALBUMS. So to those “bitter bobbies” get ovr it =P
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:25 am
i do miss dookie day, a lot… =(
but i think their new music is cool… i love them anyway, even they just playin the phonebook =)
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:30 am
You are so right. I agree with every word!!! Good on you for sticking up for Green Day.
I don’t know whats wrong with some people. Maybe all the ignorant assholes not supporting them should piss off if they don’t like it instead of bitching and just let all the real fans be.
Their old and new stuff is awesome!
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:57 am
It IS possible to not dig Green Day’s newer sound. One must admit that their current sound is VERY different from the Dookie sound.
Many people actually do prefer simpler music in a rawer form. Green Day’s new album is musically brilliant, yes, but it’s also over-produced, too clean sounding, and has an overall different sound genre-wise. This is of course just Green Day maturing and expanding as artists and as men, but I think it’s unfair to say everyone who dislikes their newer stuff just dislikes the new wave of fans. That’s close-minded.
Green Day has changed. No one can deny this. People miss the sloppy power chords, the bright colored hair, the non-politically aware music, the music that appealed to lazy punks who don’t give a shit about the world. Nowaddays Green Day is a very well put together spectacle. Very organized and very expensive sounding and looking. The piercings came off, the hair was dyed back to natural colors, more and more musicians were added to the live show to provide a fuller sound, and the antics got fewer and fewer. They got political and even a little environmental too. That’s not a bad thing, but that’s just not everyone’s cup of tea.
I personally like all of Green Day’s stuff with a passion, but I won’t condemn people for not liking Green Day’s newer stuff. They are well in their right to love Green Day’s older stuff while not digging the new stuff. Green Day are not gods that should be unconditionally worshiped by all as much as many of us fans feel they should be.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:31 am
THANK YOU! I got into Green Day in the dookie era when I was 9. Have been a die hard ever since… I love their old and new stuff! Bless you for writing this!!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:57 am
FINALLY!!!! I’ve been saying this (OVER AND OVER AGAIN) for five years now! I tip my hat to you, seriously. (If I had one, which I don’t but I’m sure you get the point…lol)
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:02 am
Thank you! Great blog, couldn’t have said it better myself. people who shun a band, any band because they have to share them with a bigger audience is just pathetic and needs to crawl and into a hole and stay there until they decide to get a grip on themselves!
Green Day have always been amazing and now they’re even better! Green Day rock!
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:06 am
Okay i agree with almost all of this. I am a huge green day fan, and prejudging the new albums is pissing me off. But you can’t deny that their music has changed, and in my opinion, its for the better, but not everyones.
and also, saying things like “don’t hate on green day” and “do yourself a favour and like it”, is just as ignorant as saying “I like greendays old stuff” !
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:49 am
I have to say that i love both old and new but i think that many people have different views and that they maybe think that the old stuff is better… just because they “prefer” the old stuff doesnt mean that they “don’t like” the new. But i do have to agree with you that when people close their minds to such BRILLIENT music…..
Thank you for noticing this stuff
K
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:38 am
I like both the old and the new. I totally understand this. Kids think they’re soooo cool because they like older Green Day. Well guess what?! I’m soooo cool because I like the old stuff and I appreciate the new stuff. What really peevs me the most is when young kids go to the concert with mommy and then their mom bitches about Billie Joe swearing. If you or your kid is a fan and you didn’t know Billie Joe cursed then you’re a fucking moron. Get over it people!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:52 am
i totali agree to thes people saying wah wah wah all these 13 years olds liking greenday they sold old. um think bout it douche bags out there how old were u wen u like dookie wen they were kol? wulda been close to it
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:17 am
wow i could have said that any better myselffff.
i totallyyyyy agree 110%.
goood job:)
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:38 am
well said. Followed GD for a long long time, my 23 year old son is a huge fan as is my 13 year old. Green Day was both of their first concerts! Its nice to be able to enjoy a band with my kids who are from two different generations, they have music that appeals to everyone, and that in itself is amazing! In this crazy world where so many musicians come and go overnight, Green Day has real staying power! I look forward to enjoying their music for a long time to come!
(I do like the U2 song, but I am a partial New Orleans resident and that song did amazing things for the spirit of the city!)
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:53 am
You’re an incredible band … Brazil is waiting for you!
Manaus too!!! ♥ I love
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:07 am
Yees! i think like you about some things but , i´m 15 years old and i know the lyrics of “2000 lights years away” o other songs from their first cd when they aren´t famous like Kerplunk! o 1039 smoothed out slappy hours, i love Green Day i´m not the biggest fan but i like more than other persons who think that.
And i think that American Idiot o Dookie are a PERFECT cd´s and have an incredible songs but my favourite CD their best cd are Warning, i love it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:18 am
That is so true! Thank you for writing this. It really makes me sick all the people that all of a sudden hate Green Day and that say their only good album is Dookie.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:41 am
good point well made on the most part. however, when you listen to dookie and kerplunk, they are very similar musically and so you can say that those fans that abandoned green day were wrong to do so. but dookie and the new record are worlds apart in terms of musical content and therefore people do have the right to say that they prefer green days old stuff. That is the main reason why older fans dislike the newer music, because it is different, not because it has attracted new fans.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:51 am
I love all Green Day’s stuff,
IT’s all equally amazing XD
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:27 am
It makes some people feel cool to only like bands that no one’s ever heard of. The second they get popular, these kids are out. I can’t hate on the high school kids that are coming to Green Day shows now, because I used to be them. So they don’t know songs off of 39/Smooth. So what? I didn’t know they’d done anything before Dookie the first concert I went to.
The only, only thing that makes me sad about them being so huge, is that I know the small club tours are over. I give them a ton of credit for being able to translate that feel to a huge arena, but man I’d kill to see them at a club again.
I also have to give them a ton of credit for producing the way they do. The list of bands I used to like, that have put out CDs that I hate, is getting ever longer. And it’s not an exclusivity thing, it’s not a “those damn kids are listening to it” thing, I just am genuinely disappointed in their recent work. Green Day’s managed to put out music that I love, that’s still Green Day, without just making the same CD over and over again (*coughPennywisecough*)
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:11 am
I can’t stand prentious people who think the coolness value should be attributed to a lack of sucess. It is those people who have nothing to turely call their own so the assume ownership of someone else’s hard work. I realize that people want to feel special and different and liking a band everyone else likes doesn’t nesessarily acomplish that, but how come liking big bands prior to their sucess isn’t some kind of an ego boost? “Yep, I picked a favortite band, and right after the world confirmed that I chose wisely!” If sucess drives a wedge between you and your music, maybe it wasn’t the music you were after in the first place. If you’re looking for some kind of low self-esteem street cred’ join a gang, if not then be proud of Green Day, at least a really cool ROCK band is present in the mainstream. (P.S. I hate U2 too.)
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:17 am
THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:23 am
I can’t stand pretentious people who think the coolness value should be attributed to obscurity. It is those people who truly have nothing to call their own and have to latch onto other people’s hard work. I realize that people want to feel special and different and listening to a band that everyone else does too doesn’t necessarily accomplish that. What I don’t understand is how come liking a band prior to their success doesn’t allow for some kind of ego boost? “Yep, I chose a favorite band and immediately after the world confirmed that I chose wisely.” If success drives a wedge between you and your music then maybe it wasn’t the music you were after in the first place. It’s kind of on par with saying, “I hope you don’t get that promotion, you’re too cool to move forward in your career.” If you’re looking for some kind of low self-esteem street cred’, then join a gang, if not then be proud of Green Day, at least a really cool ROCK group is relevant in the mainstream. (P.S. I hate U2 also, I never liked them and issue them my greatest disrespect!)
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:46 am
I was just at a Green Day concert on monday here at the Europe leg and let me tell you, I’ll take the new fans any day if they are as passionate and enthusiastic as this audience was! I don’t care if they don’t know all the lyrics to 39/Smooth or Kerplunk (or even, *gasp!*, Dookie) - I don’t know all the lyrics to 21st Century Breakdown, so who am I to judge.
This shit always happens when bands come from a ‘cult’ status, like in their first records, to a status of great international fame spaning decades, inevitably the earlier fans jump ship, call the band sell outs and don’t think the new fans are the true thing. You’re screwed from the start - you’re either one of the bitter fans who started out with the band, or you’re one of the fans who sold out along with it, or you don’t know what GD’s all about because you were born 15 years too late - talk about negative perspective!
Me, I just really love their music, from the first to the last record with all the changes and mutations. Growth is also part of music, and if Green Day were still playing the same music to the same fans as they were when they started out, they wouldn’t be Green Day, they’d just be stuck.
Haha, I’m sorry, I’ve just been reading & hearing a lot of stuff like the things you’re reacting to lately. TL;DR version is - YES, I AGREE COMPLETELY
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:46 am
You are dead on! *standing ovation*
I’ve been listening to Green Day since I was 8, but listening to 21st century gave me goosebumps, it’s incredible. I’ve loved everything put out.. and not because I feel I’m required to as a Green Day fan, but because they are incredibly talented people. Keep blogging. You’re amazing.
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:05 am
i completely agree.
im a fifteen year old girl and i love all of green days songs/albums.
just cause i wasnt born when the first one came out doesnt mean i dont love it or them……. and i love the new album too
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
Can I hug you?
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:39 am
I’m one of the young fans, I didn’t know green day existed before American Idiot came out. I mean, when dookie came out, I wasn’t even born yet, but I love that album !
I love the new album too, it’s just brilliant !
Green Day is for the moment the biggest band in the world.
Fuck U2
Bono is a piece of shit
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:25 pm
You said everything i’ve ever felt!! haha Green Day is the best band ever in my opinion. : )
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I agree so much… down to the U2 line. I don’t think I ever listened to that song because of Bono. But yes, “21st” is a good album and we’re judging stuff external to the quality of the music, which somehow diminishes the music in general, which doesn’t maske sense.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
THANK YOU. I feel like you’re writing from my mind.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I like their middle stuff.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
BEAUTIFUL thanks for speaking the truth!
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I gotta hand it to you….this post is amazing! KUDOS DUDE!! i agree with you 100%
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I agree with you, i mean sure like some people stated not everyone just stopped liking green day because they got bigger, some people really just don’t like the new stuff. But there are still plenty of people who are all about the “oh i don’t like green day anymore, they hella sold out blah blah blah gilman blah blah” and that type of thing is just annoying. I mean i listened to green day when i was younger because i grew up in the bay area and they were on the radio all the time, but i didn’t really start getting into them until around american idiot because when that came out i was 13 and when i was 12 was when i really started getting into music, before then i liked them but i didn’t appreciate music much until i got into middle school and started listening more to artists i grew up on. There is absolutely nothing wrong with people now suddenly listening to green day because they like “know your enemy” sure i prefer some of their older stuff to newer, but there are still those stupid people out there who think that it’s only cool to like old stuff. My favorite song is one of their oldest one, but then some of my other favorites are song off out “21st century breakdown”. People just need to get over the fact that Green Day got big, but isn’t it every musicians dream to have their music touch the lives of fans all over the world? Well that’s what Green Day is doing…And i agree with the U2 thing, although i will admit i do love me some old U2 from the 80s, i’m a sucker for bloody sunday
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
You’re so totally ryt man. I’m so sick when i see posts like,”green day was better off with dookie”. The fact is that they were the best then and still they are the best now
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Preach on and thank you. You took the words right out of my head !
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:50 am
Actually, the old stuff is better than the new stuff. Blog fail.
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:21 am
I COMPLETLY agree with you! Green Day’s old stuff is great but American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown are musical masterpieces! I went to one of their shows this summer and had the best time. I really hate when people say they “sold” out, when in reality, they just got some younger fans. Now what’s wrong with that? Nothing. Green Day rocks and I hope they keep making music for a long time, and I sure as hell will still be a fan
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:23 am
THANK YOU! This is so very true and you put it in words I could never seem to find or express. Well done. I’ll be referring jackasses who say old green day was better to this.
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:19 am
While I wholeheartedly agree with every word, I have to admit, it does annoy me when people refer to American Idiot as “Green Day’s first album”
October 4th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Ok for starters i’m 14 and I love all of green days stuff. From their first album to fox burrow hot tubs and even the network. And yes their dookie sound is different from their new album but Green Day still kicks ass. They could probably do polka music and it would still be amazing because Green Day can rock anything and just because their sound changes doesnt mean they suck now because they don’t. If all of their music never changed many people would get board with it. But green day slowly changes to an extent that fits with the hell we live in and when they do change they rock the world with it every time. As for the age thing im my opinion anyone can love green day no matter what age, gender, clique or anything and you should like green day not because thousands of people do you should like them because their music has a point behind it. A point that connects with us all in some way or another.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
The way I see it, they developed as musicians which is great. Playing the same style of music over and over again can get boring after a while. I’m one of their younger fans but I love all of their music from Dookie,American Idiot, 1039/ Smoothed Out Slappy Hour, 21st Century Breakdown, and every other album (even The Saints Are Coming with U2…).
October 12th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
21st Century Breakdown sucked because it was a repeat of their last fucking album. Don’t hate people because Green Day isn’t cool any more. Can you blame them ther’ye 40 FREAKIN YEARS OLD! They are aren’t the same young group of misfits they were in the 90’s. They got mature, and as a result their music became mature too. Yeah, I hate American Idiot and 21st Nervous Breakdown (Rolling Stones’ joke in case you too young) but I can admit it is very well written. But you know what? It’s not the nostalgic 90’s Green Day fans love. So don’t act like your an old Green Day fan, cause a true old Green Day (even if they like their new stuff) could understand why other “old fans” consider their new stuff garbage. Just because YOU like the album doesn’t mean WE’RE the ones who are being close-minded. It’s actually you.
In Case you start blasting me why I think it is a repeat here some things:
East Jesus Nowwhere = Holiday
21 Guns + Restless Heart Syndrome = Boulevard of Broken Dreams (don’t lie)
¡Viva La Gloria!= Letterbomb
¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl) + Peacemaker= are like the same concept of Misery (from Warning, in case your not a GD fan)
Static Age= SAME EXACT CHORUS FROM ‘CHURCH ON SUNDAY’! (from Warning)
Mass Hysteria= SAME EXACT TUNE FROM ‘DEADBEAT HOLIDAY’ (again Warning)
The rest of the album is boring, slow 4 minute pretentious ballads that drag on and on and don’t appeal to some fans that like the 2 1/2 minute all killer no filler songs. Again don’t get offended.
In my opinion the album is a half assed regurgitation of American Idiot but instead of following Jimmy (The Jesus of Suburbia/ the son of rage and love) we follow the dopey Christian and Gloria in a boring journey that goes absolutely ‘East Jesus Nowhere’ (sorry I had to). So sorry to the person who made this long close-minded article but a true “old” Greeen Day fan would know exactly why some “old” fans hate their new stuff.
October 22nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
21st cb is one of the most utterly boring pieces of shit i have ever heard. and that new single east jesus nowhere is one of the most annoyingly awful songs ive ever heard and i can’t believe GD have swooped that low!
November 1st, 2009 at 5:53 am
I cant fucking agree more