The Green Day Fangirls' Confessions Thread

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Beerjeezus said:

That’s not true, I didn’t mind. What complaints are there?

I didn't say you minded LOL. But seeing people already acting like he's going to leave again or even suggesting that him coming back proves that he is unstable or speculating that he will post something offensive and then have to leave just seems extra. Why all this negativity? Can't people just be happy that he's back?

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

1 hour ago, Lady Mix-A-Lot said:

I didn't say you minded LOL. But seeing people already acting like he's going to leave again or even suggesting that him coming back proves that he is unstable or speculating that he will post something offensive and then have to leave just seems extra. Why all this negativity? Can't people just be happy that he's back?

I mean it's not out of the realm of possibility — probably just trying to temper expectations is all. He's always been a little unhinged and unpredictable online. I don't see why any fan would be upset about him returning though!

[pacejunkie punk]

27 minutes ago, AlissaGoesRAWR said:

I mean it's not out of the realm of possibility — probably just trying to temper expectations is all. He's always been a little unhinged and unpredictable online. I don't see why any fan would be upset about him returning though!

This. It’s a case of once bitten twice shy. But I love that he’s back of course

[Rumpelstiltskin2000]

This is a lovely photo of Billie with a beard (as is the one he posted yesterday) 

Apologies if posted previously 

[Slave To The Network]

I'm not seeing any complaints either. We're all thrilled that Billie's back. There's just a little bit of caution about getting hopes too high for him sticking around. He can come and go as he pleases, but we know there would be disappointment if he left again soon. But that's on us, not him.

I found these pictures and realized they are from the RevRad concert I saw in 2017!  I saw this Billie!! I was squealing when I noticed the show they are from.  I'd forgotten he'd worn the red shirt I love at my concert.

[Hermione]

15 hours ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Knowing him he might inexplicably take his account down again.  There’s something almost toxic about a person that wildly unpredictable (I’d hate to have to live with him) but I have experience with people that arbitrary in their behavior so I’m used to putting up with a lot 😕  Who knew my dysfunctional family would prepare me for this moment 😄

Taking a break from social media when you want/need to isn't being wildly unpredictable or toxic, nor does it tell you anything about what it would be like to live with him. It's healthy not to be on social media if you're not enjoying it. Sorry but the only toxic thing is failing to recognise that just because we are "devoted" to him as fans that doesn't entitle us to anything, unless way pay money for music/merch/shows. Being a fan is fun but it isn't a relationship. You're not being "undervalued" or not getting something "in return", these are just other words for feeling entitled to something you're not entitled to. If he posts on social media it's a nice bonus to appreciate. If he doesn't do it that doesn't mean he's doing something wrong or we're being hard done by, he has zero professional or moral obligation to do it. There's a difference between missing him being on there and feeling he owes us being on there, one is healthy and one isn't.

[jengd]

2 hours ago, Hermione said:

Taking a break from social media when you want/need to isn't being wildly unpredictable or toxic, nor does it tell you anything about what it would be like to live with him. It's healthy not to be on social media if you're not enjoying it. Sorry but the only toxic thing is failing to recognise that just because we are "devoted" to him as fans that doesn't entitle us to anything, unless way pay money for music/merch/shows. Being a fan is fun but it isn't a relationship. You're not being "undervalued" or not getting something "in return", these are just other words for feeling entitled to something you're not entitled to. If he posts on social media it's a nice bonus to appreciate. If he doesn't do it that doesn't mean he's doing something wrong or we're being hard done by, he has zero professional or moral obligation to do it. There's a difference between missing him being on there and feeling he owes us being on there, one is healthy and one isn't.

Totally agree, I think some are a little inclined to forget this is not Billie’s personal account, this is what he shares with fans if and when he wants to.

[pacejunkie punk]

7 hours ago, Hermione said:

Taking a break from social media when you want/need to isn't being wildly unpredictable or toxic, nor does it tell you anything about what it would be like to live with him. It's healthy not to be on social media if you're not enjoying it. Sorry but the only toxic thing is failing to recognise that just because we are "devoted" to him as fans that doesn't entitle us to anything, unless way pay money for music/merch/shows. Being a fan is fun but it isn't a relationship. You're not being "undervalued" or not getting something "in return", these are just other words for feeling entitled to something you're not entitled to. If he posts on social media it's a nice bonus to appreciate. If he doesn't do it that doesn't mean he's doing something wrong or we're being hard done by, he has zero professional or moral obligation to do it. There's a difference between missing him being on there and feeling he owes us being on there, one is healthy and one isn't.

I saw no words of entitlement in my post when describing his behavior as I saw it. Alissa also described him as “unhinged and unpredictable” as I did and that seemed to be okay somehow. We can disagree but I’m allowed to how it makes me feel and I’m not the only one that thinks this past year without him around was a shitty year to be a fan.

And I would argue that there is a relationship here and it is akin to one of a business and a customer. If you were a loyal customer receiving XYZ for your investment (whether it’s time, money, loyalty etc) and now you’re only receiving X that’s going to cause the customer to feel as though they are receiving less value for their investment and thus feeling undervalued. They might then take their business elsewhere, perhaps reluctantly. That’s the relationship I’m describing here. People can be emotionally invested in their brands and companies too, businesses know that and try and build that kind of loyalty. Green Day Inc. is a business like any other. We’re all customers.

[Hermione]

1 hour ago, pacejunkie punk said:

I saw no words of entitlement in my post when describing his behavior as I saw it. Alissa also described him as “unhinged and unpredictable” as I did and that seemed to be okay somehow. We can disagree but I’m allowed to how it makes me feel and I’m not the only one that thinks this past year without him around was a shitty year to be a fan.

And I would argue that there is a relationship here and it is akin to one of a business and a customer. If you were a loyal customer receiving XYZ for your investment (whether it’s time, money, loyalty etc) and now you’re only receiving X that’s going to cause the customer to feel as though they are receiving less value for their investment and thus feeling undervalued. They might then take their business elsewhere, perhaps reluctantly. That’s the relationship I’m describing here. People can be emotionally invested in their brands and companies too, businesses know that and try and build that kind of loyalty. Green Day Inc. is a business like any other. We’re all customers.

The instagram posts were never something we were receiving in exchange for something though. It was never part of a business/customer arrangement, we never gave him anything in exhange for doing them. It's just an optional thing he can choose to do or not. If he only did it as part of some business/marketing obligation it would suck anyway! I just think it's best to enjoy that he's back and whatever cool pics he posts.

[solongfromthestars]

There's nothing wrong with a celebrity, or anyone for that matter, only using social media when they want to. Bands had fans and fans loved bands long before the internet, let alone social media, was a thing. I know people have got used to them being on social media so it sucks when they aren't, but we used to get next to nothing between albums and it's a bonus, not a given, that we get more now.

The purpose of celebrities being on social media also isn't to entertain, interact or connect with specific people, regardless of how devoted they are. It's first and foremost promotional and secondly it's a nice thing to do for everyone, casual and hardcore fans alike. It's not a product we've paid for so they're obliged to supply. Is it good for their business? Absolutely. Is it necessary? No, especially given how successful they already are and how well Hella Mega went despite the pandemic.

I completely get that Billie posting can brighten someone's day and it's disappointing if that source of happiness is gone, but I don't personally understand why anyone would lose interest in a band purely because of their absence from social media. They're a band, not models or influencers. Their product is music. I'm going to get that product regardless of whether or not they're on Instagram and even if they never release anything else, that's sad, but it's not like they've let me down. I haven't paid them to produce something they've failed to deliver.

The best and healthiest way to view celebrities on social media is as a nice bonus we can enjoy while it lasts without getting overly invested in it.

[pacejunkie punk]

18 minutes ago, Hermione said:

The instagram posts were never something we were receiving in exchange for something though. It was never part of a business/customer arrangement, we never gave him anything in exhange for doing them. It's just an optional thing he can choose to do or not. If he only did it as part of some business/marketing obligation it would suck anyway! I just think it's best to enjoy that he's back and whatever cool pics he posts.

It is absolutely part of the arrangement or he would just use his private account.  This one is specifically created to engage fans and you are giving your devotion in exchange.  It’s not as optional as you think. Musicians and other celebrities are told to engage through social media, some are even run by their managers and assistants. You may not like to think you’re being manipulated in this way but you are. It is all part of building brand loyalty whether you (or even he) thinks of it that way.  

Even with the curtain drawn back, I enjoy the engagement, it adds to my fan experience and I’m glad he’s doing it, but let’s all go into this with eyes wide open.  He’s not doing this completely by choice, there are business considerations and pressures from above.

[Beerjeezus]

Of course it is a marketing/promotional activity and depending on his contract he’s either obligated to do it or it’s strongly suggested.

[Guest]

I guess I just am not interested in having some kind of weird parasocial relationship with a celebrity I don't personally know and have never met? 🤷‍♀️You all know I love Billie to death, love Green Day to death, love their music, love what they stand for, and have a huge crush on Billie, but I have no desire to personally interact with him. I expect stuff like music and concerts and merch because that's the band's  job (and my choice to pay for it if I so choose); I don't expect Billie to personally interact with me online. Sure, I love Billie and so does everyone else on this site and so do millions of other people, but he is one person and can't possibly befriend all of us. And seeing some people acting like he owes them some kind of personal relationship gives me some clue why he left social media the first time.

[pacejunkie punk]

23 minutes ago, Beerjeezus said:

Of course it is a marketing/promotional activity and depending on his contract he’s either obligated to do it or it’s strongly suggested.

It’s entirely possible that after a year long break, the people who examine the metrics said to him, “sales and fan engagement have tanked this past year, get back on social media.”

[Beerjeezus]

10 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

It’s entirely possible that after a year long break, the people who examine the metrics said to him, “sales and fan engagement have tanked this past year, get back on social media.”

I’m very curious if that’s what happened. They were pushing their products a lot this past year and hella mega was a success, so I’d like to know how much of a difference it makes when it’s Billie personally telling people to buy the coffee.

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Beerjeezus said:

Of course it is a marketing/promotional activity and depending on his contract he’s either obligated to do it or it’s strongly suggested.

Exactly. This is merely promotional activity for the product (music and concerts). I am sure his managers do want him to be on social media to help keep the band's activities in the public eye. But that is not the same as building direct personal relationships with fans, nor is that something he owes us in any way. Just seems strange to me when people act personally affronted by Billie not giving them free internet content. And I don't get why people say things have been boring for the past year or that they are losing interest. I feel like it has been a great past couple of years to be a fan. Since the last album we have gotten No Fun Mondays, the Network album, an awesome tour, some new singles, the BBC Sessions album, various other appearances and events, etc. Just a few years ago there would hardly be anything between albums. Again, none of this is directed personally at you or anyone else; I just am having a hard time understanding how some people are feeling.

[Hermione]

48 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

It is absolutely part of the arrangement or he would just use his private account.  This one is specifically created to engage fans and you are giving your devotion in exchange.  It’s not as optional as you think. Musicians and other celebrities are told to engage through social media, some are even run by their managers and assistants. You may not like to think you’re being manipulated in this way but you are. It is all part of building brand loyalty whether you (or even he) thinks of it that way.  

Even with the curtain drawn back, I enjoy the engagement, it adds to my fan experience and I’m glad he’s doing it, but let’s all go into this with eyes wide open.  He’s not doing this completely by choice, there are business considerations and pressures from above.

Just because sometimes people are obligated to (which they would choose whether to agree to or not) doesn't mean he is or should be. Just because it's enjoyable for us it doesn't mean he has to. Whatever his motivations for doing it, we're not owed him doing it. If he doesn't want to post on instagram he doesn't have to and we're not being stiffed of anything if he doesn't. It's a bonus not something owed. That's all I'm saying.

[pacejunkie punk]

6 minutes ago, Beerjeezus said:

I’m very curious if that’s what happened. They were pushing their products a lot this past year and hella mega was a success, so I’d like to know how much of a difference it makes when it’s Billie personally telling people to buy the coffee.

Brand loyalty works in even more mysterious ways. He doesn’t have to tell you to buy the coffee. Post a few selfies and “personal” posts and you fall in love and want to buy coffee just to please and support him in return. That’s how the game is played. I’m not saying he does that deliberately for only that reason, but that’s how business works.

[Beerjeezus]

1 minute ago, Lady Mix-A-Lot said:

Exactly. This is merely promotional activity for the product (music and concerts). I am sure his managers do want him to be on social media to help keep the band's activities in the public eye. But that is not the same as building direct personal relationships with fans, nor is that something he owes us in any way. Just seems strange to me when people act personally affronted by Billie not giving them free internet content. And I don't get why people say things have been boring for the past year or that they are losing interest. I feel like it has been a great past couple of years to be a fan. Since the last album we have gotten No Fun Mondays, the Network album, an awesome tour, some new singles, the BBC Sessions album, various other appearances and events, etc. Just a few years ago there would hardly be anything between albums. Again, none of this is directed personally at you or anyone else; I just am having a hard time understanding how some people are feeling.

But that’s exactly how social media works - it is MEANT TO eastabilish a relationship. You won’t buy the product because he tells you to, you’ll do it because you’ll think he’s a cute little guy.

[Guest]

I never bought anything to please the person who sells it in my life LOL. It's not even like Billie will personally know you as an individual bought it LOL. This level of personal obsession with a stranger is starting to give me the creeps LOL.

[Beerjeezus]

1 minute ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Brand loyalty works in even more mysterious ways. He doesn’t have to tell you to buy the coffee. Post a few selfies and “personal” posts and you fall in love and want to buy coffee just to please and support him in return. That’s how the game is played. I’m not saying he does that deliberately for only that reason, but that’s how business works.

You just beat me to it  Yes, it is about keeping the brand on your mind and associating it with the fun content dopamine.

[Hermione]

4 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Brand loyalty works in even more mysterious ways. He doesn’t have to tell you to buy the coffee. Post a few selfies and “personal” posts and you fall in love and want to buy coffee just to please and support him in return. That’s how the game is played. I’m not saying he does that deliberately for only that reason, but that’s how business works.

Yes, but how much and in what ways a business or band promotes itself is up to them. If they do less marketing (whether through instagram posts or whatever else) that doesn't mean we're being short changed of something. We aren't paying them (or doing anything else for them) to do promotion or to post on instagram.

[Rumpelstiltskin2000]

7 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Post a few selfies and “personal” posts and you fall in love and want to buy coffee just to please and support him in return.

In my opinion that's unhealthy. Sorry

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Beerjeezus said:

But that’s exactly how social media works - it is MEANT TO eastabilish a relationship. You won’t buy the product because he tells you to, you’ll do it because you’ll think he’s a cute little guy.

Um no, I won't buy the coffee because I think he's a cute little guy LOL. And just because I see Billie post something online, that does not make me feel like I have a relationship with him. I am here because I like his music and I like the person that he is and what he stands for. Feeling like you are showing some sort of devotion or loyalty to Billie by doing things you think he wants you to and then expecting him to give you something in return for said devotion is quite frankly not healthy. We are fans of a band. This is not a cult LOL.

Also, since when did you get so into brand loyalty? I thought we both hated capitalism LOL.

[solongfromthestars]

I'm sure almost every celebrity is pressured by their management to post on social media. They are obliged to at least consider doing what their employer asks and they won't always be doing things because they want to (I'm very passionate about that subject and everyone probably already knows I wrote my dissertation on it ). Knowing they're obliged to obey their employer isn't the same thing as thinking they're obliged to please fans though.