Green Day Q&A Thread

[Goofygoldfish]

13 hours ago, Melodramfool said:

Is the idiot nation still working? 
I signed up back in 2013 so I had an account but isn't working anymore

It's still there, just very very quiet! Very few people go on. I just popped in to check, and 2 members on including me and 9 guests. Not much Green Day chat really happening either. There has been a bit more as tickets went on sale, and a load of old members couldn't get on, but can now. Don't know what that was about! 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Goofygoldfish said:

It's still there, just very very quiet! Very few people go on. I just popped in to check, and 2 members on including me and 9 guests. Not much Green Day chat really happening either. There has been a bit more as tickets went on sale, and a load of old members couldn't get on, but can now. Don't know what that was about! 

For me, this forum is enough 😂 but I was wondering what was going on because I read "If you are already a member of Idiot Nation you still may log in" 
I had my account and I can't log in. Maybe 'cause I didn't renew my subscription 

[green day is]

On 10/6/2019 at 10:13 AM, cav9mm said:

How much typically is a decent pickup + amp ?

Seymour Duncans are 100 to 300. Idk the exact model that's in blue, might be more expensive. Plus maybe 50 to 100 at the guitar shop to get them installed unless you know how to drill and solder yourself.

Tbh you don't have to worry about pickups if you've never played before, though. Whatever comes in the bjguitars replicas will be just fine until you've stuck with it a while and have a more discerning ear.

For amp - again if you've never played before you don't have to worry that much about it. You can get a cheap 30W for like 70-100 or something and it'll be fine. Once you've been at it for a while, upgrade to the best amp you can afford since that's where 99% of your sound comes from.

And finally, advice I'd give to anyone - if you have someone in your life who already plays guitar at a high level then have them go with you to a pawn shop or Bookman's or something to have a look around. Never know if you might find higher-end gear in good condition (eg; pre-owned but never "used") at a low price there. But make sure you have someone who can recognize potential problems, don't trust the guy in the shop trying to sell you on it lol.

[Little Boy Named Booze]

Can anyone find this trick or treat shirt on the store ??
NVM Green Day deleted the video

 

[Rumpelstiltskin2000]

4 hours ago, Little Boy Named Airplane said:

Can anyone find this trick or treat shirt on the store ??
NVM Green Day deleted the video

 

There's a link here from their Twitter

 

[pacejunkie punk]

This is something I’ve wondered about for a long time since I first noticed it. It’s been years since Billie has sung the line “am I just stoned” in any live performance of Basket Case.  He literally never sings it anymore even when he’s doing a faithful rendition like for awards shows and TV.  At first I thought he was just messing around like he does with songs live but by now it seems deliberate. I can’t recall a time in the modern era (at least since 2010 maybe?) that he’s included that line. 
 

So can anyone tell me A) Is this deliberate and why (it’s certainly no more dated or offensive than half the other things he sings about) and B) when’s the last time he sang it? I’d like to find the most recent instance of that line being included and the first time it was dropped.  

ETA: I found one where he sang it on GMA 2012.  Was that the last time?

 

[Todd]

1 hour ago, pacejunkie punk said:

This is something I’ve wondered about for a long time since I first noticed it. It’s been years since Billie has sung the line “am I just stoned” in any live performance of Basket Case.  He literally never sings it anymore even when he’s doing a faithful rendition like for awards shows and TV.  At first I thought he was just messing around like he does with songs live but by now it seems deliberate. I can’t recall a time in the modern era (at least since 2010 maybe?) that he’s included that line. 
 

So can anyone tell me A) Is this deliberate and why (it’s certainly no more dated or offensive than half the other things he sings about) and B) when’s the last time he sang it? I’d like to find the most recent instance of that line being included and the first time it was dropped.  

ETA: I found one where he sang it on GMA 2012.  Was that the last time?

 

I just checked 67 recordings of Basket Case that I have from after GMA 2012, and he doesn't sing it in any of them. So I'd say it's safe to assume that was the last time.

[pacejunkie punk]

16 minutes ago, Todd said:

I just checked 67 recordings of Basket Case that I have from after GMA 2012, and he doesn't sing it in any of them. So I'd say it's safe to assume that was the last time.

Thanks for going the extra mile, I just picked a random handful from each tour and this was the only one I found. I’d love to ask him why he stopped.

[Beerjeezus]

This is interesting and so random - I didn't notice 

[Squashie]

I've noticed this too @pacejunkie punk and I'm curious why he cuts the line out.

[jengd]

I just assumed he feels uncomfortable singing it these days.

[Beerjeezus]

1 minute ago, jengd said:

I just assumed he feels uncomfortable singing it these days.

So would I, but it doesn't go together with being okay with stuff like posting the cocaine picture... maybe he just got so used to doing the verbal keysmash instead? Although you might be onto it. Now that it's been brought up, I'm realizing they haven't been playing many drug-referencing songs for a while. Brain Stew was gone do a while, idk when Geek Stink Breath was last played. Maybe there's more.

[Todd]

I don't think it has anything to do with being uncomfortable. Billie Joe, uncomfortable with a word? Come on. I'd assume he just picked it as a spot to interact with the crowd? Nothing but "Get your hands up in the air!" and "Let's go (city name)!" in all those recordings I listened to. Basket Case is a classic, everyone knows the words. This is the point in the set where he'll have the most people dancing and singing along in front of him, and the chorus is so high-energy, it's the perfect place to engage with the crowd like that. 

[Miko]

I don't think there is a bigger explanation than just Billie Joe wanting to interact with the crowd. Strange ''did you know'' fact indeed but yeah.

[pacejunkie punk]

8 minutes ago, Miko said:

I don't think there is a bigger explanation than just Billie Joe wanting to interact with the crowd. Strange ''did you know'' fact indeed but yeah.

If it was just the first time I might agree, but it’s just that one line, omitted from both the first and final verse where it would be sung, and it’s been that way every time for years no matter what else he sings in its place there. It just seems different from when he changes other songs live and adds orders to the crowd or hey-ohs, like his intention is to remove that lyric.

[deadair]

Anyone know the exact date and venue of Tre's first show with Green Day?

[Montclare]

1 hour ago, deadair said:

Anyone know the exact date and venue of Tre's first show with Green Day?

http://www.greendayauthority.com/tour/show/1677/

[Beerjeezus]

4 hours ago, pacejunkie punk said:

If it was just the first time I might agree, but it’s just that one line, omitted from both the first and final verse where it would be sung, and it’s been that way every time for years no matter what else he sings in its place there. It just seems different from when he changes other songs live and adds orders to the crowd or hey-ohs, like his intention is to remove that lyric.

Maybe he thinks it works better without that line. Omitting it doesn't really change the message, but it's different. The stoned line downplays it a little and otherwise it's a serious song.

[jengd]

14 hours ago, Todd said:

I don't think it has anything to do with being uncomfortable. Billie Joe, uncomfortable with a word? Come on. 

I mean just for the connotations it has for himself as a recovering addict, I don’t think he’s worried about the actual lines.  On the other hand, you could well be right and it’s just become habit now to sing the place where they are now but @pacejunkie punk may have a point too.   Someone will have to ask him!

[pacejunkie punk]

5 hours ago, jengd said:

I mean just for the connotations it has for himself as a recovering addict, I don’t think he’s worried about the actual lines.  On the other hand, you could well be right and it’s just become habit now to sing the place where they are now but @pacejunkie punk may have a point too.   Someone will have to ask him!

The only reason why I don’t think it’s the drug reference that’s an issue is because he has no problem singing “and mary jane to keep me insane doing someone else’s cocaine” in JOS. But @Beerjeezus makes an interesting point about it changing the tone of the song slightly and making it more heartfelt and less of a joke and that’s a possibility. Anyway, it’s a question I’d love to ask 🤔

[Montclare]

The one that I find interesting that's similar is WICA.  The actual line is, "I'm a loser and a user".  Then live he changed it to "a drug user" fairly early on.  Then he changed it back, but after rehab, switched back to "drug user".  It almost felt like a 12 step type thing to me.  Then it went back to just "user" during RevRad.  There was one performance this year where he switched it back to "drug user" again.  Just found that interesting.

[Hermione]

I don't see any reason to think Billie is uncomfortable singing lyrics referencing drugs in his songs. He has never ceased singing (or writing) about drugs. Even if he was uncomfortable with certain lyrics I highly doubt a weed reference would be one of them lol. He used to always change "when I come around" to "how now brown cow" and there's loads of other lines that he always or nearly always changes for no apparent reason, he just likes to make little changes to songs and when there's one he likes he tends to stick with it.

[That Dude]

On 11/25/2019 at 9:11 AM, pacejunkie punk said:

This is something I’ve wondered about for a long time since I first noticed it. It’s been years since Billie has sung the line “am I just stoned” in any live performance of Basket Case.  He literally never sings it anymore even when he’s doing a faithful rendition like for awards shows and TV.  At first I thought he was just messing around like he does with songs live but by now it seems deliberate. I can’t recall a time in the modern era (at least since 2010 maybe?) that he’s included that line. 
 

So can anyone tell me A) Is this deliberate and why (it’s certainly no more dated or offensive than half the other things he sings about) and B) when’s the last time he sang it? I’d like to find the most recent instance of that line being included and the first time it was dropped.  

ETA: I found one where he sang it on GMA 2012.  Was that the last time?

 

Some really weird Billie faces in that one! 

Very interesting find.   Most bands that have been around the block and lived to tell about it denounce the drugs and debauchery, or at least say it was fun while they were young, but it can't last because it's so bad for you.    The only musician I can think of that still thinks drugs are cool is Fat Make of Nofx.   I went through a Nofx phase and lots of their behind the scenes stuff blatantly shows him snorting coke as the other members try to ignore it.   I worry about Mike sometimes.   But hey.  

Like others have said, it's one of those songs with major crowd interaction.   Who DOESN'T know this song?  Billie could stay silent the whole time and the crowd would carry this one.  

and Green Day's concerts are so casual-fan oriented (nothing wrong with that, just saying), that the crowd could sing the whole show.....or at least 70 percent of the show.   

[Signe]

Looking for a video. Its a live performance from some Award show (MTV perhaps) and during the performance there was something wrong with Billies sound-thing (that thing they have attached to the back of their pants) and Mike fixes it while Billie keeps singing.

Does anyone recognize this?😂

[Beerjeezus]

1 hour ago, Signe said:

Looking for a video. Its a live performance from some Award show (MTV perhaps) and during the performance there was something wrong with Billies sound-thing (that thing they have attached to the back of their pants) and Mike fixes it while Billie keeps singing.

Does anyone recognize this?😂

I do, but I thought he was pulling BJ's pants up. They were dangerously low.