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I agree. I mean, the original release is undeniably over-compressed, Ted Jensen did a terrible job at mastering it. But the uncompressed version is perfectly clear, bright and pounding. Absolutely fantastic mix job. For comparison, check this out. The top track is the title track from the original release, the bottom one is the HDTracks uncompressed version. The red sections indicate clipping. I think it says it all.

This will go down in history as the most accurate description of anything, ever.

I think what PleasedtoMeetMe is saying (tell me I'm wrong if I'm putting words in your mouth) is that Green Day had this almost psychotic stage presence during Dookie and Insomniac and that level of insanity is something that people who identify with songs like Basket Case can reasonably relate to. It was at least interesting to see that side come out even if the context of the situation (iHeart) wasn't good. I've come to appreciate what they've done in almost all of the eras as far as their stage "persona" or attitude goes. Dookie they were snotty and high off their ass and it worked. I enjoy watching those shows immensely. Insomniac was darker, vindictive and cynical and I think we can all relate to it on some level. AI saw them turn in to these people that looked larger than life. And they acted like it in a way too. Some people call it arrogance but I loved the sheer confidence and attitude that they attacked AI with. 21CB was clearly an attempt to become better on a technical level and it also worked very well, especially live. I think the trilogy era rubs people the wrong way because it no longer feels like they have an identity as a band. They kind of got stuck between wanting to go back to their roots, mid-life crisis, and extreme drinking problems and it didn't work.

To be fair, I don't think anyone's holding it over his head. It was a significant event in his life, and for many of us as Green Day fans, and it's only natural that we're going to talk about it. Many see it as a good thing because it caused him to get the help he needed. I don't see anyone holding it against him or anything, from what I've seen the vast majority of the fanbase (here at least) has been, at the very least, reasonably supportive.

3 HQ - FBHT at SXSW on March 15, 2014: (Click images for HQ.)

you're dead to me, i'm afraid.

I still say Nimrod. is the gold standard for production, but 21CB is right up there. The vocals are a tad overproduced, especially on a few standout songs, but dial that and the compression back and it's fucking golden.

21CB is not over-produced, it's their best sounding record.

That girl is Kathleen Hannah a punk legend...

I get the argument that many concert goers are casual, but to assume that many won't know or want anything but singles is incredibly naive

I wish they'd vary it up a bit. To do the same few songs out of such a big collection all the time is a bit annoying.

I liked the trilogy so there are some songs I wish they'd play

no.

Donnie Darko? Maybe I'm just a twisted person

A strong shot of Insomniac should do it. And maybe a head enema.

Cause her voice is pretty and what WhiteTim said, she's a legend.

"When I was growing up..." But you were 5 when Dookie came out?

There are no bad songs, only could've-been-better songs.

It's 37 songs....completely different. 7/12 doesn't equal 7/37

Good god, just stop with this already.

Folks say they didn't pay attention to the trilogy on the tour but they played the same amount of trilogy songs as they did to AI during AI touring and 21st songs during that tour... The band treats the trilogy as one album... They averaged about 7 or so songs of trilogy songs which is about average...

End of thread

Yeah I did! I heard about the show via the Big Cats twitter page a few hours before. The show was not packed by any means, it was pretty chill. His band played 2nd out of 3. During and after the show he was just hanging out with some friends on the left wall near the stage. No one was really coming up to him or anything. After he played I just went over and said hi. He seemed very down to earth and friendly. He seemed surprised and excited that I had heard about the show through his Little Rock band, then asked my name. Seemed to be in a good mood. I didn't talk Green Day with him, I was mostly curious about this new band (he said this was their first official show and they would probably put something out down the road.) I also chatted with him about The Replacements, because, like him, I am a huge fan, so there was that commonality there. Only Green Day thing: As we were talking he was packing up his messenger bag. When he closed it up, there was a AI Heart Hand grenade patch on the front. That was cool!

I want a balloon

No, that's also an ignorant thing to say. Studying in Europe or Asia or Australia will open up narrow American minds that think there's no value in it. Sure, the classes I took in Spain were noticeably inferior quality, but I learned more just by living in another country and speaking another language than I could have if I stayed in the US. Mike and Tre have said it best, their education has come from traveling the world, and it's an experience you can't replace or learn in a textbook, sensitivity to other cultures. That's what makes Americans frequently ignorant and overly patriotic and convinced our country is the best ever, we're just so isolated from the rest of the world, physically and mentally.

So all college kids are "entitled little pricks"?! I have a Masters degree and I can guarantee you I am certainly NOT an "entitled little prick". I grew up working class and my parents worked hard to get me and my siblings through school and then I and all my siblings worked jobs while attending University. People like you drive me nuts. Maybe some education would help you to be less narrow minded and understand you know a lot less than you think rather than making sweeping statements of stupidity about people trying to improve their lives.

What on earth are you talking about? There's so much wrong with this post I can't even...

Sorry if already posted, but that pic is too cool:

My tattoo is finally finished. So happy with it.

This.

I know it feels hard to voice your opinions on this thread. There is so much pressure to give in to the point of view what everyone on this thread talks about every day. They can also be quite mean. Don't worry though. Make yourself heard.

Xkid sounds like something that should play during movie credits of some comedy/drama

"Hope there's more in your pants than a bus route" would be worse.

I just listened to Wild One all the way through for the first time. I'm not proud of myself.

The reason I enjoyed watching it was because it had been a long time since I saw Billie go ape shit like that. When I was growing up Green Day were the 'bad boys' of rock. People called them 'snotty punks' and at that time there was no Good Riddance (at least not the version that became a massive hit). They weren't known for wearing eyeliner or being political or playing rock operas, they were trouble. Up until Good Riddance, I dont think anybody would have guessed that Billie had an ounce of softness in him. I love American Idiot, I even love 21st Century Breakdown. I have no problem with the eyeliner or the rock operas or the big political statements, but it was a shock to see him in that state of mind. I dont think he was exactly in the right, but when I saw it I remember thinking "fuck yeah Billie, tell em like it is". There are much better examples like for instance when he dropkicks the fan in 1998, but when I first watched it I saw it as Billie not taking shit. He was obviously in a bad state of mind and needed help, but I dont think you can tell me that the show would have gone any better had he not been drunk. He's said several times that he was not excited to play and was stressed out about how it would go. He probably got fucking wasted to try to enjoy himself and ended up enjoying himself a little too much up until the smashing of the guitar and the "god fucking love you all, we'll be back!". Had he not been drunk he probably would have been more level headed about it, but I still think he would have lost his shit in one way or another. Billie has always been disrespectful of curfews and ending times, this is no exception. I dont exactly see it as a "meltdown", I see it as a man being pushed to his limits and blowing up. He had probably been keeping that inside for quite some time. Also, there's no way in hell he was only drunk during the performance. Id say he was on some anti-anxiety meds as well, probably took way too many with being stressed out about the show. We all know Billie is a good man who makes great music, I think it's unfair to hold this over his head for the rest of his life after all he's given us.

I feel the same way, though I think I can't get into Longview because my older brother used to play it all the time and I just got so sick of it. I love the bass line and drum beat and how it fits together in theory but I get kind of bored of it to be honest. Just can't sit through a minute of just bass and drums and a pissed off Billie, I guess. I need loud guitars for it to work and keep my attention, apparently.

It does on iTunes I feel like this is funny, but I just don't understand.

Hunk: noun informal 2. a large, strong, sexually attractive man

'American Idiot' made the top 10 on this best concept albums list. The writer said she received it on her 10th birthday. Damn that makes me feel old. http://concerttour.org/ten-best-concept-albums-ever-made.php

*opens Q&A thread for first time* ... *never returns*

I'll be honest Billie saying "I'm not Justin Beiber you motherfuckers" at a highly corporate event was one of the greatest things ever. I dunno maybe I'm just being cynical and I'm really pissed off

That hat

It's from Rock Am Ring.