Did Green Day sell out?

[xBasKetxCaSex]

"I hate them because they helped turn punk corperate, they didn't sell out because they were assholes to begin with, they were looking to get famous and sell that shit out.

so did the ramones

Same thing goes with anti-flag and rage against the machine. They do write to sell music and please people, if they didnt, they wouldnt sell any records.

sounds like... their job

you know. make music for people to buy so they have a way to support their families haha

That's the way music works, trust me.

what if i dont trust you?

Also, Green Day has flat out stolen other bands guitar riffs.

do you know how many bands steal riffs? too many to name

Selling out is buying into a corperation, and following their rules, which Green Day does, or they wouldnt be on a label. Selling out is signing a contract with a major record label. Most of their music isn't that bad really, except their new shit is horrible, but the classic stuff still sounds good... it doesn't mean they aren't sell outs.

Think. "

.... duuuh.

[Lotus Eater]

I don't know if this has anything to do with selling out, but I was really happy to see that Green Day was completely absent from the green carpet at the Grammys this year. Being spared from seeing them on some bullshit fashion police show is enough to make me feel good about being a fan.

Anyway, what is the "red" carpet if not a huge orgy of self-promotion? So in that sense, I do think this is relevant.

[woven_basketcase]

of course they did.

if you think about it, every band sells out, at least a little bit.

it just depends on how big the sell out is. :/

[ILoveTableArt]

this is still going on?? why?

have a quote from a movie

"Steven, I didn't sell out son. I bought in. Keep that in mind. That kid's gonna make a hell of a lawyer, huh?"

[woven_basketcase]

I don't know if this has anything to do with selling out, but I was really happy to see that Green Day was completely absent from the green carpet at the Grammys this year. Being spared from seeing them on some bullshit fashion police show is enough to make me feel good about being a fan.

oh god. i was really happy too. i didn't want to see another interview with them answering the same questions....you know?

when they're on live tv, they seem really quiet...and constricted on their answers. and its bad. :down:

[xBasKetxCaSex]

I think that everyone in the whole world (including myself) sold out. Think about it we have all had to change our ways did become a member of society. We had to stop crawling or rolling around on the floor and had to walk so we could actually venture out into this scary world of ours. And when we get older we have to give in and become another mindless robot in the corporate machine to make money and to get by.

actually.. that makes perfect sense.

I had to read this bit of work by Sigmond Freud "Civilization and its Discontents"

yea. i never made the analogy to this. which is suprising cause my mind is all analitical .. i think thats the right word.

Individuals sold their liberties to work as a group, Civilization. they sublimated their natural instincts which makes everyone discontent.

Green Day signed to their record company, took a chance on this record, the company(civilization in the analogy) publicized it and those other individuals found it repulsive for them to do such a thing. They are Discontent.

.. it works.

[mrfelix2429]

everyone defines selling out to be something different

[xBasKetxCaSex]

oh god. i was really happy too. i didn't want to see another interview with them answering the same questions....you know?

when they're on live tv, they seem really quiet...and constricted on their answers. and its bad. :down:

me too. im so happy to see them fade from the lime light.

everyone defines selling out to be something different

thats the problem with the conflict.

until there can be a definition set in stone. there will never be an answer

[mrfelix2429]

thats the problem with the conflict.

until there can be a definition set in stone. there will never be an answer

exactly. we arent going to accomplish anything if no one knows wut the hell we are arguing about

[xBasKetxCaSex]

exactly. we arent going to accomplish anything if no one knows wut the hell we are arguing about

blind arguments can be pretty funny though. you have to admit you've been in at least one.

[mrfelix2429]

blind arguments can be pretty funny though. you have to admit you've been in at least one.

ya. i was in this one for a few hours last nite. and look, im back at it

[mclaren]

of course they did.

if you think about it, every band sells out, at least a little bit.

it just depends on how big the sell out is. :/

turn off mtv.

[GDobsessed]

the term "sell out" is so stupidly misused nowadays

[Joey]

So's the term 'punk'.

[woven_basketcase]

turn off mtv.

i don't even get MTV as a channel.

i chose not to get it, because its stupid.

[GDobsessed]

So's the term 'punk'.

simple plan! heh...NOT*

[mclaren]

i don't even get MTV as a channel.

i chose not to get it, because its stupid.

well if you think every band sells out, you must know about a dozen bands.

[GDobsessed]

I think that everyone in the whole world (including myself) sold out. Think about it we have all had to change our ways did become a member of society. We had to stop crawling or rolling around on the floor and had to walk so we could actually venture out into this scary world of ours. And when we get older we have to give in and become another mindless robot in the corporate machine to make money and to get by.

speak for yourself.

[woven_basketcase]

well if you think every band sells out, you must know about a dozen bands.

no..no.

putting out an album these days gives you the chance of selling out.

then, it almost out of the bands hands if MTV or company takes it and plays the shit out if it.

like they did with Fall Out Boy. or even Green Day.

[Love Cliches]

I think people who call green day (and other bands like GD) sell outs are the people who believe thier too ...oh i dont know..."punk" to listen to popular bands....because being popular isn't cool and isn't punk enough. So therefore they make these cockamaney rules and guidleines they let themselves go by, and never go outside the lines. If green day NEVER sold enough records to becom "famous," only ever had ONE hit single, wern't all over the magazines and TV and were still "struggling" with thier music and money...THEN they wouldn't be sellouts, but if those people who call them sellouts really "think" about it, 90% of the time, if a band isn't making any money from thier music, then they will stop making music because money does make the world go round. well, I really am not making any sense at all...hah.

.......by the way this isn't my first post, I was "Me American Idiot" but I had my computer cleaned and forgot my password. oops

[Kat-Meow]

Alrighty, well i know this convo is never ending, but it is fun occasionally. And since I hold the 'Jesus' title I'm able to start threads like this.

So I posted a blog a couple days ago as a reply to my friends blog (which i posted here a couple weeks ago).

Here's what I wrote:

"Whats that...you're angry because Green Day is popular? Wait what...you hate them for making an album that people bought? You think they're sellouts because they are rich mother fuckers?

Well first of all, I'm sure they care what you think. Second, I'd like to know in what position you are in to criticize a band for writing their music.

It's not like Green Day just popped up out of no where after 9/11 and started making money by writing music about an unpopular war. Green Day has been making music together since most of us were small wittle babies. The past 17 years they have written music about whatever they're feeling and they put their own emotions into their own music.

They don't write to be like anyone, they don't write to sell music, they don't write to please anyone. They don’t write off anyone’s emotions except their own. They write for themselves. They always have. They write for what they believe in. Whether it be the war or jacking off, it's what they feel like writing, not what people want to hear. They used to write about being disenfranchised youth and sitting at home smoking weed all day. Everyone has to mature at some point, and the past three albums from them have reflected that stage in their lives. This last album just had a better combination of lyrics and style that most people could relate too, hence the over 11 million copies that were sold of American Idiot. It’s not just an “anti-war, anti-bush” album. It actually has a story about growing up. It’s the story that a lot of teenagers were able to relate to that helped them sell so many copies. American Idiot topped the US charts not once, but twice. Even a band like Thursday that has “been writing about this stuff for years” only got to number 7 with their last album. So apparently Green Day is doing something better.

People have been calling them sellouts for over a decade, and it hasn't changed anything yet. Selling out would be writing without reason just for money. If half of you who hate Green Day for that reason knew a damn thing about them, you’d understand why they write. Until then, you’ll continue just pulling shit out of your ass to prove a point with the wrong logic. "

And most the comments were "yeah. omg. green day rules." and most were stupid.

Anyways, so this guy replies today with:

"I hate them because they helped turn punk corperate, they didn't sell out because they were assholes to begin with, they were looking to get famous and sell that shit out. Same thing goes with anti-flag and rage against the machine. They do write to sell music and please people, if they didnt, they wouldnt sell any records. That's the way music works, trust me. Also, Green Day has flat out stolen other bands guitar riffs. All this shit you're talking about could just as easily apply to any other shitty band like simple plan or and of that rediculous shit. Selling out is buying into a corperation, and following their rules, which Green Day does, or they wouldnt be on a label. Selling out is signing a contract with a major record label. Most of their music isn't that bad really, except their new shit is horrible, but the classic stuff still sounds good... it doesn't mean they aren't sell outs.

Think. "

So i guess I just wanted you all to have fun with that. Post your thoughts.

i think i'm in love with you! i agree with you on so many points here! although, i'll admit, on occasion i do miss the old green day... but right now when i listen to AI i kinda see myself in Jesus of Surburbia... it's kinda scary about how they're music can sometimes reflect what the youth in america and all around the world is feeling

[Joey]

I think people who call green day (and other bands like GD) sell outs are the people who believe thier too ...oh i dont know..."punk" to listen to popular bands....because being popular isn't cool and isn't punk enough. So therefore they make these cockamaney rules and guidleines they let themselves go by, and never go outside the lines. If green day NEVER sold enough records to becom "famous," only ever had ONE hit single, wern't all over the magazines and TV and were still "struggling" with thier music and money...THEN they wouldn't be sellouts, but if those people who call them sellouts really "think" about it, 90% of the time, if a band isn't making any money from thier music, then they will stop making music because money does make the world go round. I really am not making any sense at al...hah.

They signed to Reprise, a major label, which is(was, could be), at least in the eyes of the punk community, selling out, and why they were never allowed back to Gilman St.

It made no difference how many records they sold, it's the fact that they submitted to corporate America.

[mclaren]

no..no.

putting out an album these days gives you the chance of selling out.

then, it almost out of the bands hands if MTV or company takes it and plays the shit out if it.

like they did with Fall Out Boy. or even Green Day.

congrats on having no idea as to what "sell out" means.

[nicoleah]

How many guys from the Gilman from around Green Day's time do you think are still actually in the same band? The thing is, punk is not really playing the music for the money, and when you're younger the money doesn't seem to matter as much. If Green Day didn't sign with a larger label, they would have went no where. The only thing they had was the music, and that is what they decided to make a career of, and to me, being in a punk band is not an occupation.

[justcause]

I've known - and still know - plenty of bands, none of the level of success of Green Day, or anything like it, I hasten to add.

Some of them sold out - by which I mean, literally sold their souls for a record contract, to the extent of maybe dropping a band member because his face didn't fit. I heard of another one only last week, and the poor fucker concerned is trying to make out like he doesn't blame his former bandmates for what they did.

Bands who sell out cut their own hearts out, and the ones I've known who did, generally disintegrated.

That's selling out, folks, doing real things that affect real people - not failing to live up to the expectations of a bunch of people who expect their heroes to be perfect. Walking Contradiction, folks - listen, for crying out loud! Ideals are a major luxury in the recording industry, and Green Day have stayed true to each other, and to their music. U2 are the same - they were asked to dump Clayton in the early days, and they wouldn't, at a time when they were just another band looking to sign.