Billie Joe and Rob Cavallo "Song Exploder" Podcast Episode on the Making of Basket Case

[Saviour]

Brand new interview with BJA and Rob Cavallo on the Song Exploder podcast, when they talk about the writing and recording of Basket Case.

https://songexploder.net/green-day

Some pretty rare listens to snippets of the individual stems of the song and some insights I certainly haven't heard before. 

[pacejunkie punk]

This was incredible. I’d love to hear this kind of breakdown for all of Dookie. I liked how Rob explained that the reason he signed them was that they each had a distinct personality with their instruments.
 

And it was sheer luck that they came together. They happened to have the same managers as The Muffs, the managers knew Rob because of that connection and that’s how the demo got to him. Even still, Rob was so stressed out working he nearly threw it out! It’s always so fascinating to me how luck plays a role in the timeline we know. One change and there might have been no (or a very different) career for Green Day. 

[Robbie1039]

Looking forward to checking it out, thanks!

[giozzam]

this is very cool!

[Karol Oliveira]

I discovered this podcast a while back and since then I'd been wishing they featured Green Day. Great episode!

Now I still wish Billie appears on Chris Demakes a podcast. His podcast usually focus on bands' big hits but there's an episode (or more) where The Interrupters talk about their (then) new song. I want to hear Billie talk more about Goodnight Adeline or Suzie Chapstick.

[whatshername0303]

Thanks for the link! I watched the tv on Netflix and I didn't it became a podcast. I will listen to it for sure.

[That Dude]

Only 11 million more streams to a billion.  We can do that TONIGHT, people.   well, you can because I'm on a Strange Days are Here to Stay kick.  

 

[Robbie1039]

What a great episode.  I’m definitely going to listen to some more of this podcast.  The fact that he wrote the original Basketcase lyrics on crystal meth is bananas.  It was nice to hear Rob Cavallo too.  It would be so cool to hear more about their recording processes from his perspective.  

Edited February 8 by Robbie1039

[Montclare]

"This episode has some explicit language including a mention of drug use."  Wouldn't that be all interviews with rock stars? 

[suffoKate]

Now do the trilogy 

44 minutes ago, That Dude said:

Only 11 million more streams to a billion.  We can do that TONIGHT, people.   well, you can because I'm on a Strange Days are Here to Stay kick.  

 

1 Billion plays is the new selling out!

[stories and songs]

1 hour ago, Montclare said:

"This episode has some explicit language including a mention of drug use."  Wouldn't that be all interviews with rock stars? 

My poor virgin ears will be SCANDALIZED. 

[Montclare]

2 hours ago, That Dude said:

Only 11 million more streams to a billion.  We can do that TONIGHT, people.   well, you can because I'm on a Strange Days are Here to Stay kick.  

 

I'm telling you, we need to get a betting pool going as to the date we hit it.

[Saviour]

7 hours ago, Robbie1039 said:

What a great episode.  I’m definitely going to listen to some more of this podcast.  The fact that he wrote the original Basketcase lyrics on crystal meth is bananas.  It was nice to hear Rob Cavallo too.  It would be so cool to hear more about their recording processes from his perspective.  

It's a great podcast. Concise and informative and they seem to get great access. 

That moment also stood out to me. Him thinking he'd written the greatest song ever whilst on meth, only to sober up and think exactly the opposite and that it was one of the worst things he'd ever penned. 😄

[jengd]

What an interesting podcast, far too short though, should have done whole album!

[Saviour]

39 minutes ago, jengd said:

What an interesting podcast, far too short though, should have done whole album!

Tape Notes is very similar but less curated, and more leaning towards the production of songs than the background or writing process. 

They do two or three songs in one 90 minute podcast, and although the artists and bands are pretty eclectic, they did have Fall Out Boy on recently which was giving me hope for a Green Day one since they share the same management. 

[That Dude]

10 hours ago, suffoKate said:

Now do the trilogy 

1 Billion plays is the new selling out!

So to find the most authentic artist, they have to reach a billion streams and not be on a label.  😄 

 

 

[ThibautDookie]

Great interview!

Elliot Cahn /Jeff Saltzman were also the music supervisors of Angus and Rob Cavallo is an executive producer on the movie!

[The Grohl]

That was fantastic! I loved hearing the demos and the isolated tracks for the bass (Mike's really getting down!), the drums, guitar, and Billie's vocals. I really enjoyed hearing everything that went into the song and the new factoids we learned (like Billie writing the song on crystal meth or the "ya ya ya" part where he's like I'm not saying anything!). I would love to hear them do something like this for one of the Saviors tracks. The Song Exploder Netflix series also did a great episode on NIN. I recommend it

[Lenny]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:35 PM, pacejunkie punk said:

This was incredible. I’d love to hear this kind of breakdown for all of Dookie. I liked how Rob explained that the reason he signed them was that they each had a distinct personality with their instruments.
 

And it was sheer luck that they came together. They happened to have the same managers as The Muffs, the managers knew Rob because of that connection and that’s how the demo got to him. Even still, Rob was so stressed out working he nearly threw it out! It’s always so fascinating to me how luck plays a role in the timeline we know. One change and there might have been no (or a very different) career for Green Day. 

There would have definitely been a career. Keep in mind Kerplunk is one of the most successful independent records ever. 

But yes all that luck lined up for them and eventually shot them into super stardom. 

[pacejunkie punk]

3 hours ago, Lenny said:

There would have definitely been a career. Keep in mind Kerplunk is one of the most successful independent records ever. 

But yes all that luck lined up for them and eventually shot them into super stardom. 

Not to mention the end of Nirvana and the grunge era that April with Cobain’s death. Tragic but uncanny timing creating a hole that needed to be filled by something.

[Hermione]

This was really interesting and insightful. I loved the style of it where you only hear Billie/Rob speak (without the interviewer's questions/prompts), very cool. Wish there could be one for every song!