It's Revolution Radio's Anniversary

[HAPPY ZOMBIE UNICORN]

I have mixed feelings about this record. On one hand I adore it, I think it’s one of those records where finding a filler track is basically impossible. I loved it since first listen when it came out, there are really good songs in it, less good ones, but each track has an identity and a musical meaning that makes the song worth to be there, at least to me. 

On the other hand, three years since it’s release, it is probably the GD record I’m less likely to listen to front to back (considering the trilogy records as separate releases). There are songs like Bang Bang and Forever Now that became some of my favorites, and others that most probably end up in the skip list, in some cases, like Still Breathing, despite the fact that I consider them really good songs. 

I have been thinking about why this is the case, and probably this is because most of the skippable songs are good but not the greatest, they are quite heavy either or both from a musical and emotional perspective, but not as entertaining and easy to listen to as songs like BoBd or Good Riddance. The songs have a meaning and reason to be there, but the record as whole is missing a solid identity to me. Spacing from the classic rock of Somewhere now to Youngblood is great, but at the same time I think the record doesn’t manage to have a flow the other GD releases have. 

In other words I think this is a record that I like, with songs that I love, I think it was probably a necessary record for GD, but I would not want another record like this. 

Probably this makes no sense and is quite contradictory, but this how after three years I feel about this  Anyway, happy birthday RevRad!

[The Grohl]

RevRad was such a special time. It felt like a triumph after the mess that was the Trilogy and the aftermath. And I will never forget how one amazing GD fan (Karen) gave me her spare ticket so I could see the band during the club tour. Seriously, it was a huge act of kindness that I still am so grateful for. And it showed me just how wonderful this community can be.

[GDInsaniac]

shout out to all the peeps who were at the rough trade show three years ago today! Greatest show I’ll ever see!!

[Billie Joes Eyelids]

18 hours ago, walking_c0ntradicti0n said:

I've loved this album ever since it came out 
I do love bang bang and forever now but because of specific sentimental attachments I hope they keep Still Breathing on the setlist

No because Billie cannot sing that song live.

[pacejunkie punk]

30 minutes ago, Billie Joe's Eyelids said:

No because Billie cannot sing that song live.

And since he’s now declared it to be a feel good song and no fun I think we can be pretty assured that it’s going bye bye 👋 

[Beerjeezus]

I'm kind of sad about how he talks about SB being written as a feelgood song. It's how I feel about it, but admitting it was the intention kind of makes it seem less heartfelt, which is SB's biggest strength.

[whatshernameamy]

I remember how excited I was to hear the announcement of new Green Day when Rev Rad was announced. I'd had a rough July that year and specifically remember tweeting about needing new GD in my life that month. This era came as I was getting out of the emotional summer and Still Breathing really hit home for me. This was also the first tour I went to two stops. Getting to see them in Worcester on St. Patrick's Day was so much fun. Not to repeat what many have said but it did feel like a comeback and that they were ready to have fun and put on great shows. I may sometimes forget about many of the songs but as soon as I hear them they make me happy again. It will remind me of the thing that gave me something to be excited about in 2016.

[pacejunkie punk]

1 hour ago, Beerjeezus said:

I'm kind of sad about how he talks about SB being written as a feelgood song. It's how I feel about it, but admitting it was the intention kind of makes it seem less heartfelt, which is SB's biggest strength.

I don’t think when he says that he means to imply that it was contrived or insincere in some way. We know the song came from a true place and it reflected how he was feeling at the time.  He might be shooting his mouth off a little now but he’s just trying to say that he’s in a different mood now and wants to express different feelings. But I don’t think he would want to ruin the song for anyone who feels it still resonates with them. 

[UNICORN VOMIT]

19 hours ago, HAPPY ROOTING UNICORN said:

Part of the verses melody is derivative of a Struts song, so others are credited in the songwriting together with Billie. But he did write the lyrics and the rest of the music. Saying “he didn’t write it” is not true. 

Can you explain the Struts reference - im a big fan.

[Chin for a Day]

9 minutes ago, UNICORN VOMIT said:

Can you explain the Struts reference - im a big fan.

Dear god woman, are you going senile? You know this, he borrowed a riff from could have been me

[UNICORN VOMIT]

Just now, Adorkable said:

Dear god woman, are you going senile? You know this, he borrowed a riff from could have been me

Is it credited on the album.

 

ps you are a fucking bitch you know im old and senile🤣

[Chin for a Day]

3 minutes ago, UNICORN VOMIT said:

Is it credited on the album.

 

ps you are a fucking bitch you know im old and senile🤣

Yes! Put that memory in over drive.

Love you too babe

[UNICORN VOMIT]

Just now, Adorkable said:

Yes! Put that memory in over drive.

Love you too babe

Ive never read it & that was a shameless plug for best board buds😍

 

[Slave To The Network]

Such a terrific album! I wish I hadn't waited like 2 years to listen to it... I truly didn't know what I was missing.

btw @Nightlife do you know what video that "stick it to the man" gif is from?

[Thatsername]

8 hours ago, pacejunkie punk said:

And since he’s now declared it to be a feel good song and no fun I think we can be pretty assured that it’s going bye bye 👋 

Well he also said he hates long songs and then played JOS😄 Billie is a walking contradiction, so you never know. I personally loved Still Breathing live and although I agree that it’s unlikely that they will play it this tour, I hope we will hear it live again one day. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Green Day In Seattle said:

 @Nightlife do you know what video that "stick it to the man" gif is from?

No idea but looks like some award show during the 21CB era. 

Edit: found it! 

 

[jengd]

One of my favourite things about this era was just how much fun the band were having on stage every night, they really seemed to be relishing getting the chance to tour again and play for adoring audiences and I loved how they ended most shows, hugging each other, carrying Billie off, whatever it was, it was so good to see

[Vintage Disciple]

7 hours ago, Nightlife said:

No idea but looks like some award show during the 21CB era. 

Edit: found it! 

 

That's it!  My son and his friends were all saying stick it to the man all the time after that!  😂

[The Bellie]

On 10/7/2019 at 2:52 AM, BUBBYBUB said:

I think it was a great comeback album. Just did not care for youngblood and bouncing off the wall. Still Breathing is my favorite 

SB is my all time fave song but Youngblood and Bouncing off the wall are so fun to me even so. It's among the first songs I want to blast in my headphones to get started at the beginning of the day. It's so fun. SB is very deep and emotional and doesn't serve the same purpose for me, but RevRad was that good that it had all kind of great songs: fun, mad, sad, epic, everything! (ok every other GD album as well, then it's just a matter of taste )

On 10/7/2019 at 10:41 PM, Billie Joe's Eyelids said:

No because Billie cannot sing that song live.

It's a matter of personal appreciation... I barely got attached to SB album version but when I heard it live, damn. I think he's done a great job at singing it live. It's interesting cause his way of singing it has also evolved, from late 2016 to early 2017, from early 2017 to mid 2017. I have a preference for the live august 2017 performances. This may be my fave video:

the depth of his voice, the way he pulls on it to reach the high notes (it's different from the studio version, but he does hit them, and I prefer that way), the emotion, the gestures, everything. 

On 10/7/2019 at 11:32 PM, Beerjeezus said:

I'm kind of sad about how he talks about SB being written as a feelgood song. It's how I feel about it, but admitting it was the intention kind of makes it seem less heartfelt, which is SB's biggest strength.

I think he wants to mark the contrast between what he put forward for RevRad and what he puts forward now for Foam. I don't think he says it was his own intention to make it a feelgood song, rather that's it's his impression about how the song is considered (he says he's "guilty" of it only with hindsight) and he doesn't want to be confused with a random pop singer, who occults the dark side of rock in a way. Now he wants on the contrary to show that he embraces it, it seems like a phase he's in. Whatever he can say about SB, the power of that songs is there, it's not a random pop song, and I don't really care what he says now that he is promoting something else  from hearing him speak about it even briefly, he attached something very important to that song. Now that he has sung it for a whole era he probably just wants to move on, and show that he's not conditioned to what he has done before. I'm going to regret it a lot of he ceases to sing it live, but if he feels to bitch about it for no reason, it may be a way to find an excuse about something he knows a lot of fans would still want, and show them they can still like something that has nothing to do with it. In my case it works, I love Foam, I sing it out loud in the street and pass for a crazy . If anything I'd say SB and Foam song are so different I'd easily understand why they wouldn't go together on the same tour.

[walking_c0ntradicti0n]

On 10/7/2019 at 4:41 PM, Billie Joe's Eyelids said:

No because Billie cannot sing that song live.

7 hours ago, The Bellie said:

It's a matter of personal appreciation... I barely got attached to SB album version but when I heard it live, damn. I think he's done a great job at singing it live. 

If he's gonna sing FOAM every show possibly twice in a row with significantly higher notes than what's done in Still Breathing I think he could manage???

[jengd]

I agree with a lot @The Bellie said above but I don’t  agree that SB and FN wouldn’t go together in the same show as it appears the new music is going to sound like, I’ve always been really amazed at how they can get the audience so on board with silliness as per KFAD, and I know there are those here who don’t like it but it’s always fun, and then switch to something like BOBD which has such a different feel, and it not come over as corny or something, they take the audience with them.  I think it must be the emotion they put in that enables them to pull that off.  I agree his performance of new songs evolves as tours go on but thats completely natural, he never seems to think he needs to write some songs which are easier to perform though.

[pacejunkie punk]

I was listening to a podcast episode about Warning and they were suggesting that Misery could be a really fun silly song to do live in place of King for a Day to change things up. I never thought of that but I think they’re right. I’d love to see them try it anyway.  

[Long Lost King of Fools]

On 10/7/2019 at 3:24 AM, walking_c0ntradicti0n said:

I do love bang bang and forever now but because of specific sentimental attachments I hope they keep Still Breathing on the setlist

That song is amazing

On 10/7/2019 at 6:15 PM, kaylubd said:

RevRad was such a special time. It felt like a triumph after the mess that was the Trilogy and the aftermath. And I will never forget how one amazing GD fan (Karen) gave me her spare ticket so I could see the band during the club tour. Seriously, it was a huge act of kindness that I still am so grateful for. And it showed me just how wonderful this community can be.

Karen is clearly the best, and I am jealous you got to see them on a club tour.

[Denice]

This was such a good album and i still listen to it regularly. Still Breathing and Outlaws are two of my favorite green day songs of all time so the album as a whole definitely holds a special place in my heart.

[Long Lost King of Fools]

1 hour ago, pacejunkie punk said:

I was listening to a podcast episode about Warning and they were suggesting that Misery could be a really fun silly song to do live in place of King for a Day to change things up. I never thought of that but I think they’re right. I’d love to see them try it anyway.  

I would love if they played Misery live, it's one of my fave songs

 

What podcast was this on?

I missed this era. In 2016 I was in my last year of Uni and having a wee bit of a nervous breakdown (literally, in the old sense of the word). I'm trying not to beat meself up for all the fun I missed  But it is a big regret. I missed the Trilogy era too. Sigh. At least I'm back now.