New Song 1981

[Lenny]

2 hours ago, Christian's Inferno! said:

I think Mike is a great backing vocalist. However, I also think that the backing vocals can sound great with just Billie too.

21CB I think has the best backing vocals of any Green Day album and afaik that's mostly just Billie. Mike might be in there at points and I'm sure he's probably doing the "Hey"s and stuff (along with Tré maybe) but Billie sounds so good on those backing vocals throughout that entire album imo.

I definitely am not opposed to Mike and/or even Tré doing more backing vocals though. Mike has great backing vocals throughout their pre-AI days where his contributions were a lot more evident

I think you nailed it here, we just need a healthy mix rather than sticking with the same method over and over.

And totally agree about Mike’s backing vocals pre-AI days. It was a massive part of the band’s sound.

[GDFan2019]

28 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Also based on what they said in Cuatro, the band and Cavallo had been apart for a while and they referred to his return as “rekindling the friendship”. So he may have been treading lightly and just glad to be there to play a more supportive role rather than coming in heavy handed with a lot to say.  Billie had a definite idea of wanting a clean sound for these songs and he did his best to deliver that and not do too much.

I figured maybe his feelings were hurt when they chose Butch Vig over him for 21CB

[Christian's Inferno!]

1 hour ago, GDFan2019 said:

I figured maybe his feelings were hurt when they chose Butch Vig over him for 21CB

Rob Cavallo was busy during the time they were writing and recording 21CB. In 2006 he produced The Black Parade by MCR and in 2009 he produced Paramore's Brand New Eyes. The fact that the very next project they recorded after 21CB they recorded with Cavallo means I don't think there were really any hurt feelings between them, even if their friendship was impacted. Not working together for 8 years after spending 10 years working together (1994-2004) does seem like something that would maybe affect their relationship

Even if the band did actively choose not to record with Cavallo for 21CB, he doesn't seem like the type of guy to hold a grudge like that and I highly doubt he would let that affect the production of the following project they would work on together. The issues with the trilogy's production was probably more to do with Billie who seemed to want the albums to sound a certain way and so many songs being on the project that they didn't really get to put the necessary time and effort into all of them to make them stand out

[Lenny]

2 hours ago, GDFan2019 said:

I figured maybe his feelings were hurt when they chose Butch Vig over him for 21CB

I don’t think so. I read that at the time of 21cb his role was expanded at the record company. It sounds more like he was busy and the band wanted to put a large effort into the album.

 

 

[petros]

1 hour ago, Christian's Inferno! said:

Rob Cavallo was busy during the time they were writing and recording 21CB. In 2006 he produced The Black Parade by MCR and in 2009 he produced Paramore's Brand New Eyes. The fact that the very next project they recorded after 21CB they recorded with Cavallo means I don't think there were really any hurt feelings between them, even if their friendship was impacted. Not working together for 8 years after spending 10 years working together (1994-2004) does seem like something that would maybe affect their relationship

Even if the band did actively choose not to record with Cavallo for 21CB, he doesn't seem like the type of guy to hold a grudge like that and I highly doubt he would let that affect the production of the following project they would work on together. The issues with the trilogy's production was probably more to do with Billie who seemed to want the albums to sound a certain way and so many songs being on the project that they didn't really get to put the necessary time and effort into all of them to make them stand out

There isn't a grudge anymore I think but there definitely was something there after American idiot. Not only Billie Joe has mentioned something about "rebuilding their relationship", I also remember some people close to the band which were posting here at the time and were reliable and didn't troll (don't ask me who I really don't remember it's been more than ten years) that were saying that something happened and they were not in good terms. Don't remember the details sorry.

[pacejunkie punk]

2 hours ago, petros said:

There isn't a grudge anymore I think but there definitely was something there after American idiot. Not only Billie Joe has mentioned something about "rebuilding their relationship", I also remember some people close to the band which were posting here at the time and were reliable and didn't troll (don't ask me who I really don't remember it's been more than ten years) that were saying that something happened and they were not in good terms. Don't remember the details sorry.

This is the impression I get as well. Don’t know the details though 

[Clockwise]

Billie has mentioned a few times that they weren't on good terms for a period of time. But that was all resolved by the time the trilogy rolled around obviously.

[Flashback]

On 9/9/2023 at 4:00 PM, Sheenius said:

Not sure about the trilogy though. What happened there? I didn’t like the production at all. 

I like the production of the Trilogy. Everything sounds very balanced and has its place in the mix. Especially the background vocals!

On 9/9/2023 at 6:59 PM, Christian's Inferno! said:

I think Mike is a great backing vocalist. However, I also think that the backing vocals can sound great with just Billie too.

In Chris Lord-Alges Mix With The Masters video about Boulevard of Broken Dreams he shows that the background vocals at that time were one pair of Mike's doubled vocals left and right and one pair of Billie's doubled vocals. The combination of both of their vocals really fits their songs!

[Lenny]

6 hours ago, Flashback said:

I like the production of the Trilogy. Everything sounds very balanced and has its place in the mix. Especially the background vocals!

In Chris Lord-Alges Mix With The Masters video about Boulevard of Broken Dreams he shows that the background vocals at that time were one pair of Mike's doubled vocals left and right and one pair of Billie's doubled vocals. The combination of both of their vocals really fits their songs!

I liked how Mike’s bass sounded on the trilogy but I felt like the guitars were just off. I think in some way they probably were going for this sound and if Uno was a standalone album it would have worked for that. But to hear that across 37 songs it becomes tiring.

It would have been a lot more true to Green Day if they made a trilogy of albums and each record was mixed and mastered for it’s own style rather than 3 albums that are connected with the same mixing and mastering.

On 9/9/2023 at 8:53 PM, Clockwise said:

Billie has mentioned a few times that they weren't on good terms for a period of time. But that was all resolved by the time the trilogy rolled around obviously.

Do you remember when/where this was mentioned? I remember possibly reading something like this at the time but it was in passing and not too memorable for me.

It must have been something of a personal nature. I feel like Rob was busy at the time and maybe they felt like they were more of a priority than he felt they were?

Either way it led them to Vig and he did a great job with 21cb so it was for a reason. 
 

Green Day has been fairly fortunate with producers up until recently. I just don’t think Butch Walker fits the mold. The band in a box feel really hurt the band for foam and Green Day needs to get back to quality guitar tones. 

[pcj]

On 9/9/2023 at 5:26 AM, Sheenius said:

I think it’s a 50/50 with 1981 just because that live debut was just off. Not sure if that derailed them or maybe they’ll come back with an actual good performance of it.

As for next month I feel like thats too soon. All we know is it’s a 2024 release. Could be fall 2024 and honestly that probably means a single next summer.

If I remember right, Rob Cavallo did interview back in May and stated that the new album would be released early 2024. Not sure of exact words. Of course 'early' is subject to interpretation. Maybe a January to April window?

As far as a single release, if the band repeat the FOAM single release 5 months ahead of album timeline, anytime time now up until end December ? Personally I'd go for it being 1981.

 

[GDFan2019]

44 minutes ago, pcj said:

If I remember right, Rob Cavallo did interview back in May and stated that the new album would be released early 2024. Not sure of exact words. Of course 'early' is subject to interpretation. Maybe a January to April window?

As far as a single release, if the band repeat the FOAM single release 5 months ahead of album timeline, anytime time now up until end December ? Personally I'd go for it being 1981.

 

Yeah, it was this one

https://www.solidstatelogic.com/media/rob-cavallo-captures-big-studio-sound-with-big-six

[suffoKate]

51 minutes ago, Sheenius said:

I liked how Mike’s bass sounded on the trilogy but I felt like the guitars were just off. I think in some way they probably were going for this sound and if Uno was a standalone album it would have worked for that. But to hear that across 37 songs it becomes tiring.

It would have been a lot more true to Green Day if they made a trilogy of albums and each record was mixed and mastered for it’s own style rather than 3 albums that are connected with the same mixing and mastering.

Do you remember when/where this was mentioned? I remember possibly reading something like this at the time but it was in passing and not too memorable for me.

It must have been something of a personal nature. I feel like Rob was busy at the time and maybe they felt like they were more of a priority than he felt they were?

Either way it led them to Vig and he did a great job with 21cb so it was for a reason. 
 

Green Day has been fairly fortunate with producers up until recently. I just don’t think Butch Walker fits the mold. The band in a box feel really hurt the band for foam and Green Day needs to get back to quality guitar tones. 

How do you feel about the overall drum sound in the trilogy? I always thought there was something up with the snare, but can't put my finger on it? 

And it would be such an epic project for someone to remix/re-record 21CB songs in the style of Rob Cavallo. What would be different the major differences?

[pcj]

38 minutes ago, GDFan2019 said:

Yeah, it was this one

https://www.solidstatelogic.com/media/rob-cavallo-captures-big-studio-sound-with-big-six

I've been trying to find it. I knew I could rely on you. Ask a question and your there with the answer as always. Thanks.

[PluckyJokerhead]

It's just occurred to me that we don't actually know this song is called 1981. Usually with these one line chorus songs that is how they'd name it, but we don't know for sure -- would be interesting if we see something else on the record.

[Little Boy Named Booze]

Just now, PluckyJokerhead said:

It's just occurred to me that we don't actually know this song is called 1981. Usually with these one line chorus songs that is how they'd name it, but we don't know for sure -- would be interesting if we see something else on the record.

Billie Joe literally said right before playing the song ''This song is called 1981''

[pcj]

17 minutes ago, PluckyJokerhead said:

It's just occurred to me that we don't actually know this song is called 1981. Usually with these one line chorus songs that is how they'd name it, but we don't know for sure -- would be interesting if we see something else on the record.

@Little Boy Named Booze is absolutely right, as always. There are two sources that recorded the song in Quebec.

The first one below has the intro with Billie Joe announcing the song as 1981 and is therefore the complete performance. 

The second one below is from within the crowd which has the best feeling for being there, but sadly the intro is cut. (Maybe this is the one you have seen)

16 minutes ago, Little Boy Named Booze said:

Billie Joe literally said right before playing the song ''This song is called 1981''

 

[PluckyJokerhead]

34 minutes ago, Little Boy Named Booze said:

Billie Joe literally said right before playing the song ''This song is called 1981''

Fuck you're right

 

edit: I made a mistake oops however I would like to point out that back in AI times he said 'this song's called Novacaine' a few times and then the album comes out and it's 'Give Me Novacaine'... So I'd now like to double down on my idiocy and raise the possibility that the song is called Give Me 1981

[Christian's Inferno!]

The word "Bang" is in the chorus so maybe it'll be "Bang Bang 2". Makes perfect sense!

[Little Boy Named Booze]

54 minutes ago, PluckyJokerhead said:

Fuck you're right

 

edit: I made a mistake oops however I would like to point out that back in AI times he said 'this song's called Novacaine' a few times and then the album comes out and it's 'Give Me Novacaine'... So I'd now like to double down on my idiocy and raise the possibility that the song is called Give Me 1981

Maybe on the album it's gonna be Give Me 1981... I approve!I👀

[Lenny]

7 hours ago, Radiation Fear said:

How do you feel about the overall drum sound in the trilogy? I always thought there was something up with the snare, but can't put my finger on it? 

And it would be such an epic project for someone to remix/re-record 21CB songs in the style of Rob Cavallo. What would be different the major differences?

Great question. I don’t know really how I feel about the drum sound tbh. It’s not the area that’s sticking out the most for me to criticize but I also love the drum sounds on other records better.

The snare is eq’d pretty similar to other records but it sounds like that time they added some different reverb to it possibly. 
 

When I listen to each song on it’s own the production doesn’t seem bad. It’s CLA, they’re all pro mixes, I just think 3 albums that sound so alike across 37 songs might really be the issue. Each one should have been treated as it’s own standalone record.

As for 21cb I doubt the mixing would be that much different, it’s also CLA. Perhaps Rob would maybe take the songs into a different direction, maybe the tracklist would have been different? All I know is the best decision ever made during this time was slotting in Murder City and pulling Drama Queen. I don’t know who influenced that but whoever it was thank you x1 million.

2 hours ago, PluckyJokerhead said:

Fuck you're right

 

edit: I made a mistake oops however I would like to point out that back in AI times he said 'this song's called Novacaine' a few times and then the album comes out and it's 'Give Me Novacaine'... So I'd now like to double down on my idiocy and raise the possibility that the song is called Give Me 1981

He also said this song is called St Jimmy during Are We The Waiting

[Gwen Stacy]

4 minutes ago, Sheenius said:

It’s CLA, they’re all pro mixes, I just think 3 albums that sound so alike across 37 songs might really be the issue. Each one should have been treated as it’s own standalone record.

That’s always been puzzling to me. It seems like a simple concept that’s doesn’t seem terribly difficult to execute. But by and large all three records sound mostly the same. I think the tracklisting not being finalized until very late in the game (see the Stray Heart ¡Dos! vinyl debacle) did not help things in that regard. I think it’s a symptom of a band not functioning at optimal capacity and feeling the need to get the project out the door asap. 

[Christian's Inferno!]

Dos at least stands out to me, not really in terms of its production but at least it has more of a Foxboro vibe or more experimentation that makes it a bit more of its own thing. Most of Tré just sounds like it could be on Uno. Basically all of Tré except Brutal Love, Dirty Rotten Bastards and The Forgotten

[pcj]

7 hours ago, Gwen Stacy said:

That’s always been puzzling to me. It seems like a simple concept that’s doesn’t seem terribly difficult to execute. But by and large all three records sound mostly the same. I think the tracklisting not being finalized until very late in the game (see the Stray Heart ¡Dos! vinyl debacle) did not help things in that regard. I think it’s a symptom of a band not functioning at optimal capacity and feeling the need to get the project out the door asap. 

Loved the point in amazing video Quatro, where there's a board with three sections. Each section has cards attached, each card with a name of a track from the 3 albums. Billie Joe was holding a card with the name of of a track trying to decide which section (album) to put it. He chucks it at the board to see where it lands. lol.

For me, Billie Joe came across as though he was a least enjoying recording the Trilogy, seemed happy then. Before sadly,  he needed to get help for his illness. Thankfully he fully recovered.

 

[PluckyJokerhead]

Differentiating the albums (the trilogy) sound-wise is something that should've been done as part of the production process, different rooms, amps, drum kits, mics etc etc. Uno could've had a more classic GD sound, Dos could've gone a more raw hottubs route and maybe Tre would stay as it is. CLA can do a little bit to change the vibe between records but it's largely a recording-first thing.

As others have said I think as they were working on all the songs before knowing which albums they were destined for it was hard for them to do that - maybe if they spent an extra year re-recording, really refining the records then it could've done something like that more successfully, but I can see why they might not have taken that approach as well given that the whole idea of the records was to do a stripped back, rock and roll sound where it's just dead simple guitar bass drums banging out some pop songs (regardless of how successful that was).

[Clockwise]

I honestly think if it wasn't for rehab and the meltdown, the trilogy would have performed relatively well and there would be a much more positive perception of it in the fandom and public. It has its flaws, like any other record, but the tide turned on them for this one, unfortunately in a way that they couldn't really control.