Green Day Online Fan Interaction

[pacejunkie punk]

With Billie off Instagram indefinitely I got to thinking about the different options that bands have to interact with their fans online. What do you think are the best options?

A lot of celebs have deleted their socials due to the toxic environment but that’s a shame too, since most like the positive interaction with their fans and would otherwise like it to continue if they could better eliminate the trolls. If he came back and kept comments turned off that would be better for him but for the supportive fans we would lose that back and forth we used to have (like the thrill of him liking or responding to a comment). Fan engagement is an important part of their business too and to some extent it needs to continue to keep fans hyped and interested in your work. 

Would you be interested in seeing Green Day or Billie personally move to a subscription model like OnlyFans? Idiot Nation used to be great for this since it was a paid membership but for some reason management doesn’t like bands interacting on their message boards and discouraged their involvement. But a member website or paid model is a good way of weeding out the worst element and making it a more positive experience and way to communicate news about projects and just fun stuff.  I can see the downside too, in that it’s a bad look — like VIP packages it looks like you’re just trying to squeeze cash from fans who can’t afford it or only interacting with fans who can, but how else would you ensure that only supportive positive fans are engaging? 

What other options exist?

[Guest]

1 minute ago, pacejunkie punk said:

With Billie off Instagram indefinitely I got to thinking about the different options that bands have to interact with their fans online. What do you think are the best options?

A lot of celebs have deleted their socials due to the toxic environment but that’s a shame too, since most like the positive interaction with their fans and would otherwise like it to continue if they could better eliminate the trolls. If he came back and kept comments turned off that would be better for him but for the supportive fans we would lose that back and forth we used to have (like the thrill of him liking or responding to a comment). Fan engagement is an important part of their business too and to some extent it needs to continue to keep fans hyped and interested in your work. 

Would you be interested in seeing Green Day or Billie personally move to a subscription model like OnlyFans? Idiot Nation used to be great for this since it was a paid membership but for some reason management doesn’t like bands interacting on their message boards and discouraged their involvement. But a member website or paid model is a good way of weeding out the worst element and making it a more positive experience and way to communicate news about projects and just fun stuff.  I can see the downside too, in that it’s a bad look — like VIP packages it looks like you’re just trying to squeeze cash from fans who can’t afford it or only interacting with fans who can, but how else would you ensure that only supportive positive fans are engaging? 

What other options exist?

You don't want to know what went through my head when you put Billie and OnlyFans in the same sentence. 🤣

But seriously, I feel you on this. I don't really have an answer, because I don't know if I would want to personally interact with the band members. It feels a little weird to me. But I know some fans want to, and they should be able to to the extent that they are not being trolls. Perhaps a paid model would work since I don't think many people would pay to troll LOL. All of this sucks, because social media held so much promise and now it's the reason why we can't have nice things. 

[pacejunkie punk]

11 minutes ago, BillieMyLove said:

 All of this sucks, because social media held so much promise and now it's the reason why we can't have nice things. 

Exactly, but it’s also become a necessary evil. I’m old enough to remember when the only way you could follow your favorite musicians was through monthly magazines.  But one way marketing would never fly now. It’s become much more interactive. It doesn’t mean every celeb has to engage directly with their fans (most still don’t), but if not for the negativity I think Billie really enjoyed it and would do it again if he could.  Plus how else will he share his little creative side projects like drawings, photography and videos like Otis TV? 

[Elxufinnishidiot]

After interracting with Weezer's Rivers Cuomo in his little chat room that he created for him and his hardcore fans, I would love to see something like that with Billie. I would totally pay, if something like that happened! In Rivers Cuomo's chat room, there aren't a lot of active users, so we can actually talk and reach him pretty easily. I would love if we could do this with Billie and maybe he could send clips of new songs that he is working (like just a rough clip of him playing it) and asking our opinions. Luckily I have seen Billie and the rest of the band live and my comment was showing in one of Billie's insta story screen shots (I know small things, but lol it was cool for me). 

[Little Boy Named Booze]

Billie Joe on Cameo or a Twitch 

[Beerjeezus]

I would like it if Billie got OnlyFans 

[Elxufinnishidiot]

2 minutes ago, Little Boy Named Booze said:

Billie Joe on Cameo or a Twitch 

Yeess Twitch would be awesome. Haha he could read the chat and react to some comments, talk about random stuff and maybe play few Green Day deep cuts. This is a huge dream of mine.

[pacejunkie punk]

2 minutes ago, Elxufinnishidiot said:

After interracting with Weezer's Rivers Cuomo in his little chat room that he created for him and his hardcore fans, I would love to see something like that with Billie. I would totally pay, if something like that happened! In Rivers Cuomo's chat room, there aren't a lot of active users, so we can actually talk and reach him pretty easily. I would love if we could do this with Billie and maybe he could send clips of new songs that he is working (like just a rough clip of him playing it) and asking our opinions. Luckily I have seen Billie and the rest of the band live and my comment was showing in one of Billie's insta story screen shots (I know small things, but lol it was cool for me). 

I was thinking of exactly this when I started this topic actually. What Rivers does is great. I’m not involved at that level with his site personally, but I know about it and it’s nice that he’s managed to make it work for him. Would love to see something like that.

[Beerjeezus]

Seriously though, I think Instagram is a means to reach out to a wide range of people, not just hardcore fans so it can’t be fully replaced with a subscribtion model. However, since we all liked his IG lives, I think people would be interested if he did Twitch streams.

[Little Boy Named Booze]

6 minutes ago, Elxufinnishidiot said:

Yeess Twitch would be awesome. Haha he could read the chat and react to some comments, talk about random stuff and maybe play few Green Day deep cuts. This is a huge dream of mine.

Yeah like Billie Joe playing Green Day Rockband on xbox 360 and he can't even have 100% on his own vocal.

[pacejunkie punk]

1 minute ago, Beerjeezus said:

Seriously though, I think Instagram is a means to reach out to a wide range of people, not just hardcore fans so it can’t be fully replaced with a subscribtion model. However, since we all liked his IG lives, I think people would be interested if he did Twitch streams.

I didn’t know people used Twitch streams for anything other than gaming. It would be cool if he went back to anything resembling his random IG lives. 

I wouldn’t want him on Cameo. Those things are fun as one time gifts but they’re just fake messages not real interaction.  Besides, there’s something sleazy about it like the artist is prostituting themselves. 

[MarriedtoMikeDirnt]

While we can come up with these ideas and such, how are we gonna get this to Billie?

And if Billie doesn’t want to interact with us on IG, why would he want to do the same thing on a different platform? If he wanted to do livestreams, he’d do it.

Something subscription based seems like it would be the best idea, even though there would be a lot of disappointed people who can’t afford it. 

[Beerjeezus]

1 minute ago, pacejunkie punk said:

I didn’t know people used Twitch streams for anything other than gaming. It would be cool if he went back to anything resembling his random IG lives. 

I wouldn’t want him on Cameo. Those things are fun as one time gifts but they’re just fake messages not real interaction.  Besides, there’s something sleazy about it like the artist is prostituting themselves. 

Cameo is so ingenuine and pretty much just a way to make easy money off your fans. I don’t like it at all.

[pacejunkie punk]

2 minutes ago, MarriedtoMikeDirnt said:

While we can come up with these ideas and such, how are we gonna get this to Billie?

And if Billie doesn’t want to interact with us on IG, why would he want to do the same thing on a different platform? If he wanted to do livestreams, he’d do it.

Something subscription based seems like it would be the best idea, even though there would be a lot of disappointed people who can’t afford it. 

It’s not the platform necessarily, but a way to make it a more pleasant experience for all involved. I think he would want to interact like he used to if he could weed out the haters and toxicity that IG and Twitter have become. Just my guess based on his past involvement and fun stuff he used to do like art contests and the campfire videos and stories. I think the Longshot IG and the smaller Loser’s Club was an attempt to interact with a smaller group of fans because he enjoyed it. Just trying to come up with ways to bring that back for him and make it easier for him to return to social media.

As far as getting ideas to Billie, this is just a discussion topic, but his people lurk on here often enough that they might see it.  It’s no secret fans miss him and want him back in any way that’s comfortable for him.

[FruitbasketCase]

I feel like if billie wants to get in touch with fans, he'll go on here maybe. I'd be surprised if he's unaware of this site, and definitely only dedicated fans frequent this place. I dunno. It's certainly a less stressful environment on here (for me at least) than Instagram is, so if he's interested in talking to fans this may be the place he'd go to. 

 

Or maybe that's wishful thinking on my part

[Montclare]

Personally, I'd be fine with him coming back to IG and just keeping the comments off (I don't need to see all of the, come to Brazil, wish my brother a happy birthday, etc comments).  It's too bad there's not a way on IG (or if there is, I don't know it) for the only people who are able to comment are the ones who you also follow.  Pretty much the only comments I'm interested in are the ones from other band members, family, etc.

[PursuitOfEpicness]

3 hours ago, Beerjeezus said:

Cameo is so ingenuine and pretty much just a way to make easy money off your fans. I don’t like it at all.

I like the ones who do it for charity

[MarriedtoMikeDirnt]

8 minutes ago, Montclare said:

Personally, I'd be fine with him coming back to IG and just keeping the comments off (I don't need to see all of the, come to Brazil, wish my brother a happy birthday, etc comments).  It's too bad there's not a way on IG (or if there is, I don't know it) for the only people who are able to comment are the ones who you also follow.  Pretty much the only comments I'm interested in are the ones from other band members, family, etc.

There is a way. You know Billie's not tech savvy though.

[pacejunkie punk]

9 minutes ago, Montclare said:

Personally, I'd be fine with him coming back to IG and just keeping the comments off (I don't need to see all of the, come to Brazil, wish my brother a happy birthday, etc comments).  It's too bad there's not a way on IG (or if there is, I don't know it) for the only people who are able to comment are the ones who you also follow.  Pretty much the only comments I'm interested in are the ones from other band members, family, etc.

You can limit comments to those you follow only (Joey has done it) but then he would have to follow every fan. It’s harder than when it’s just your friends on a private account

[Montclare]

Well, all right then, I stand corrected.  I wish someone would set it up for Billie like this then. 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Beerjeezus said:

I would like it if Billie got OnlyFans 

There better be butt content....🤣

[jengd]

I still hope he’ll come back somewhere, I really miss him and I think he had fun with it.  I think though, without going down that route, the Armstrong family are in a strange place just now and we need to expect that it would be a good while before he comes back. 

[Thelongshot]

I really miss Billie on iG. HIs silly little videos used to make my day and it is was lovely to see him doing normal things at home with his dogs etc.  That maybe sad on my part but i really like to have that link, the music seems to have more meaning for me when  you know he was late at night at home on his couch  coming up with  ideas then we'd see him at Otis knowing he has probably been experimenting with  the band or on his own. i used to love  his live feed when he'd answer random stuff from fans or even updating us on what he was doing. etc. I really miss him 😞

[Beerjeezus]

It would be nice if he came back. I believe he’s going to when there’s a new Green Day project to talk about, but it still would be nice if he was around in the meantime. But if he feels like taking a break from social media, it’s fine too. 

[Cunt]

The dude probably accidentally deactivated his account and can’t remember how to get it back.