Uno! to have "clean" version

[Heather.]

The AI video that had been on youtube was SHITTY low definition, so that's the primary reason they must have re-uploaded it. As for it being censored, well, I'm sure the band had VERY little do with that. They obviously recorded clean versions of Uno songs like Someone Shoot the DJ, but I guarantee they had nothing to do with, and probably aren't even aware, that the American Idiot music video (which they filmed eight fucking years ago) is censored. And they don't care. And even though it's more "important" to not censor a song like American Idiot than Kill the DJ, because of the message of the song, I don't think BLEEPING something is an issue of freedom of speech or message. Anyone listening to the song won't lack for getting Green Day's point. It's made clear in every lyric of that song, and as powerful as "faggot" and "mindfuck" are, having them muted doesn't disempower the song, and only makes people more curious what words are missing.

[melissawebster]

I think having a censored version actually furthers the political strength of the song, by the sheer fact that it is being censored.

Wow. That's the best Orwellian explanation I've heard so far. Up is down. Wrong is right...

It only furthers the political strength if the guys in the band weren't the ones censoring it, if they actually made an issue of opposing having the song censored. As it is, they are the ones censoring it and they don't oppose it, at least not publicly, and an official uncensored version of the video is no longer available to the public.

[Femme Gauche]

Wow. That's the best Orwellian explanation I've heard so far. Up is down. Wrong is right...

It only furthers the political strength if the guys in the band weren't the ones censoring it, if they actually made an issue of opposing having the song censored. As it is, they are the ones censoring it and they don't oppose it, at least not publicly, and an official uncensored version of the video is no longer available to the public.

The message is still there, though. That's the thing. It's pretty straightforward.

And through all of this, none of the actual meaning is being censored... It's just the words.

[melissawebster]

I don't think the YouTube thing means anything. There's censored and uncensored versions of most of Green Day's videos and since both are around there's a mix of censored and uncensored ones on there. Who knows, maybe it just needed re-uploading for whatever reason and happened to be the censored one. Whatever the reason is I'm pretty certain Green Day don't have any involvement with their YouTube channel whatsoever and never have, so it has nothing to do with them compromising anything.

The same marketing people who handle the album trilogy also handle the YouTube account, so yes, Green Day is aware and has allowed it. And yes, there are a ton of bootleg American Idiot videos out there, but that's irrelevant. The only thing that's relevant is that Green Day's OFFICIAL YouTube channel released a censored version of the song while at the same time they DELETED the uncensored one and made the uncensored one unavailable.

[Malleus]

Green Day is aware and has allowed it.

[citation needed]

[Heather.]

I find all those disenchanted posters (melissawebster, Bastard of 1967, etc.) have very valid concerns, and I'm trying to reflect as to why I'm personally not disappointed in Green Day for doing what they're doing. There are two possibilities: either I never bought their "we're so punk, we have values" bit to begin with (50% true) or I truly don't believe any of this reflects badly on them as individuals (100% true). So I suppose possible reasons you ARE upset by this and several other recent decisions made by Green Day/Warner is because you may have OVER emphasized (or idealized, glorified to an extent) Green Day's "punkiness" (if I may sum up a whole lot of philosophies in one very meaningless/multi-meaninged word). Or because they're not the "men" or "musicians" you thought they were. Yes, they've done a lot on their own initiative and have said Fuck You to the big corporate guns in the past, but they've also been willing to indulge in a lot of mainstreaminess for a very long time, so I've never even bothered considering them a band that would be "above" this kind of marketing. They've got that punk thing inside them, but they've NEVER been very good at proving it or manifesting it. There's a reason so many people called them sellouts where we've defended them.

It's obvious you guys hold Green Day to extremely high standards that maybe you shouldn't have been holding them to. And it hurts to get hit with that realism, I'm sure. But it's important to come back to earth on some things and realize this IS who they are, but that shouldn't be such a devastating revelation.

[Hermione]

The same marketing people who handle the album trilogy also handle the YouTube account, so yes, Green Day is aware and has allowed it. And yes, there are a ton of bootleg American Idiot videos out there, but that's irrelevant. The only thing that's relevant is that Green Day's OFFICIAL YouTube channel released a censored version of the song while at the same time they DELETED the uncensored one and made the uncensored one unavailable.

Billie, Mike and Tre are aware that one of the old videos on their Youtube account has been re-uploaded, and personally gave it the go ahead? I think that's extremely unlikely.

[Bastard of 1967]

Billie, Mike and Tre are aware that one of the old videos on their Youtube account has been re-uploaded, and personally gave it the go ahead? I think that's extremely unlikely.

I'd hope they know what their own label is doing with their names and public reputations. "I don't give a fuck anyway" makes for great music but not so good business sense.

[Femme Gauche]

You know how everyone fell in love with a band who does whatever the fuck they want, and with every new record always made people think...?

I think they just did it again.

[PaulS]

You really are giving Green Day way too much credit for the day-to-day business decisions. If they wanted to get involved in that, they wouldn't be on a major label. I very much doubt they get involved in anything but the recording, the artwork and the touring. They're not going to care about their YouTube channel unless something really massive happened and they happened to hear about it from fans or interviewers. It's the same as when that magazine article came out with the question about their shirts being manufactured abroad; a valid point well made, but way, way below Billie's radar.

So long as the music is what they want and they get paid, little else matters to them. As it should be.

[melissawebster]

The message is still there, though. That's the thing. It's pretty straightforward.

And through all of this, none of the actual meaning is being censored... It's just the words.

The words create the meaning, so your argument makes no sense. The words they have censored have significant political meaning to the song.

Hey can you hear the sound of hysteria?

The subliminal mindfuck America

Hey can you hear the sound of hysteria?

The subliminal mind America

"The subliminal mind America" just does not have the same meaning. Mindfuck is an actual attack on the mind by way of propaganda that turns Americans into idiots. Taking fuck out of that word changes the meaning of the entire stanza, and the political impact of the song. Censorship does make a difference and it's wrong.

[Femme Gauche]

I'd hope they know what their own label is doing with their names and public reputations. "I don't give a fuck anyway" makes for great music but not so good business sense.

It's just that there are so many little details like this, especially during promotion, but all the time really, that have very little to do with actually putting together great new records and doing shows.

The words create the meaning, so your argument makes no sense. The words they have censored have significant political meaning to the song.

Hey can you hear the sound of hysteria?

The subliminal mindfuck America

Hey can you hear the sound of hysteria?

The subliminal mind America

"The subliminal mind America" just does not have the same meaning. Mindfuck is an actual attack on the mind by way of propaganda that turns Americans into idiots. Taking fuck out of that word changes the meaning of the entire stanza, and the political impact of the song. Censorship does make a difference and it's wrong.

But it isn't "the subliminal mind america" It is "the subliminal mind---- America". It's clear that there is a word there. And that isn't the only line that creates the meaning of the song.

[Heather.]

I'd hope they know what their own label is doing with their names and public reputations. "I don't give a fuck anyway" makes for great music but not so good business sense.

Or maybe, just maybe, they didn't think this would even be an ISSUE for their public reputations, because the only people who care are a few posters on GDC and they've been sellouts for almost 20 years now anyway

[Hermione]

I'd hope they know what their own label is doing with their names and public reputations. "I don't give a fuck anyway" makes for great music but not so good business sense.

To an extent yeah, but they're hardly going to monitor the day to day updates on their bloody YouTube account . They're not going to involve themselves with every tiny aspect of their promotion. Some bands choose to involve themselves more but Green Day never has that much so I'm not sure why anyone would expect them to.

[melissawebster]

I find all those disenchanted posters (melissawebster, Bastard of 1967, etc.) have very valid concerns, and I'm trying to reflect as to why I'm personally not disappointed in Green Day for doing what they're doing. There are two possibilities: either I never bought their "we're so punk, we have values" bit to begin with (50% true) or I truly don't believe any of this reflects badly on them as individuals (100% true). So I suppose possible reasons you ARE upset by this and several other recent decisions made by Green Day/Warner is because you may have OVER emphasized (or idealized, glorified to an extent) Green Day's "punkiness" (if I may sum up a whole lot of philosophies in one very meaningless/multi-meaninged word). Or because they're not the "men" or "musicians" you thought they were. Yes, they've done a lot on their own initiative and have said Fuck You to the big corporate guns in the past, but they've also been willing to indulge in a lot of mainstreaminess for a very long time, so I've never even bothered considering them a band that would be "above" this kind of marketing. They've got that punk thing inside them, but they've NEVER been very good at proving it or manifesting it. There's a reason so many people called them sellouts where we've defended them.

It's obvious you guys hold Green Day to extremely high standards that maybe you shouldn't have been holding them to. And it hurts to get hit with that realism, I'm sure. But it's important to come back to earth on some things and realize this IS who they are, but that shouldn't be such a devastating revelation.

Wow. Never have I had someone judge me with so much certainty when they know nothing about me. Well done!

And no. You're not even close. I have stated very clearly throughout this thread that it is all about censorship. And I hate the fuck out of hypocrisy. And Green Day has just displayed both with the promotional roll-out of this album trilogy release. On top of that, I have a problem with the marketing of the trilogy and think Warner marketing is fucking it up and it pains me to watch Green Day go down this road. I have given very well-thought out and valid reasoning to support my position. Has it occurred to you that I simply and emphatically disagree with you? I get that you really don't give a fuck about censorship and hypocrisy, but I do. It doesn't make either of us right or wrong. Dismissing my opinion by patronizing me and talking about me like I'm a child only proves your own ignorance.

And trust me when I say I do not idealize Green Day or put them on any kind of pedestal. In fact, it is the exact opposite. My eyes are wide open when it comes to who this band is, good and bad. In fact, I'd venture to say I'm way more objective about them than you are. And no, I do not fall in line with the crowd that calls them sell-outs. And I think the whole punk thing is fucking stupid. Anyone who knows me knows I have consistently voiced these opinions as well.

[WhiteTim]

The AI video thing is kind of pointless did it ever once aired on mtv with mindfuck or faggot america unedited?

Dude who talked about Prince leaving yes he did it costed him most of his money left without his name where he had to change it but he did get out but would GD be willing to go nearly bankrupt to get out of a contract? Thats up to them Prince's situation was alot different and alot worse and in a different era of Warner than what GD is in i dont think its that extreme with em

[melissawebster]

Or maybe, just maybe, they didn't think this would even be an ISSUE for their public reputations, because the only people who care are a few posters on GDC and they've been sellouts for almost 20 years now anyway

Haha! True.

Though it could also be argued that if it doesn't matter and nobody cares, then why censor it in the first place? Why not just leave it as is?

[Femme Gauche]

Haha! True.

Though it could also be argued that if it doesn't matter and nobody cares, then why censor it in the first place? Why not just leave it as is?

No, it couldn't, because obviously there are people who do care. But maybe they aren't in the business of caring that much that it is there.

[greendepent]

Music is a way to make money. And they are doing it right. All people has a bit of hypocrisy inside, and there's nothing wrong with it.

And Green Day is under Warner, so don't expect so much autonomy.

[WhiteTim]

If cussing wasnt a big issue then there'd be no FCC, no parental advisory stickers, but there is a reason why cussing is considered bad.

[Heather.]

Wow. Never have I had someone judge me with so much certainty when they know nothing about me. Well done!

And no. You're not even close. I have stated very clearly throughout this thread that it is all about censorship. And I hate the fuck out of hypocrisy. And Green Day has just displayed both with the promotional roll-out of this album trilogy release. On top of that, I have a problem with the marketing of the trilogy and think Warner marketing is fucking it up and it pains me to watch Green Day go down this road. I have given very well-thought out and valid reasoning to support my position. Has it occurred to you that I simply and emphatically disagree with you? I get that you really don't give a fuck about censorship and hypocrisy, but I do. It doesn't make either of us right or wrong. Dismissing my opinion by patronizing me and talking about me like I'm a child only proves your own ignorance.

And trust me when I say I do not idealize Green Day or put them on any kind of pedestal. In fact, it is the exact opposite. My eyes are wide open when it comes to who this band is, good and bad. In fact, I'd venture to say I'm way more objective about them than you are. And no, I do not fall in line with the crowd that calls them sell-outs. And I think the whole punk thing is fucking stupid. Anyone who knows me knows I have consistently voiced these opinions as well.

Wow my intention was totally not to judge you at all, I was just trying to imagine what would make ME feel the way you do. I was only trying to empathize and think, OK, if I was feeling like melissawebster about this, why would I personally feel that way, and how could I wrap my head around it? But I think you're at a point where cognitive dissonance (aka making excuses for Green Day to keep blindly supporting them) isn't enough (which is, of course, the healthiest point, and I'm not saying you ever did that to begin with). I think everything you've said thus far is equally valid to all the counter arguments I and everyone else have made. I don't presume to know you or why you're feeling the way you are, my intention was only to posit possible reasons you and others might feel the way you do. I didn't expect to be RIGHT necessarily and clearly I wasn't I also wasn't trying to be patronizing because you've obviously thought this through as much as anyone. I just wondered if you were coming from a certain school of thought because, like you said, I don't know you

There are three types of people here

1. Don't give a fuck/don't think this even warrants "making an excuse for Green Day"

2. Making excuses for Green Day

3. Done making excuses/won't make excuses/admit the truth

[melissawebster]

Wow my intention was totally not to judge you at all, I was just trying to imagine what would make ME feel the way you do. I was only trying to empathize and think, OK, if I was feeling like melissawebster about this, why would I personally feel that way, and how could I wrap my head around it? But I think you're at a point where cognitive dissonance (aka making excuses for Green Day to keep blindly supporting them) isn't enough (which is, of course, the healthiest point, and I'm not saying you ever did that to begin with). I think everything you've said thus far is equally valid to all the counter arguments I and everyone else have made. I don't presume to know you or why you're feeling the way you are, my intention was only to posit possible reasons you and others might feel the way you do. I didn't expect to be RIGHT necessarily and clearly I wasn't I also wasn't trying to be patronizing because you've obviously thought this through as much as anyone. I just wondered if you were coming from a certain school of thought because, like you said, I don't know you

There are three types of people here

1. Don't give a fuck/don't think this even warrants "making an excuse for Green Day"

2. Making excuses for Green Day

3. Done making excuses/won't make excuses/admit the truth

Haha! That's true about the types. And no worries. I'm sorry for being so harsh.

[Bastard of 1967]

To an extent yeah, but they're hardly going to monitor the day to day updates on their bloody YouTube account . They're not going to involve themselves with every tiny aspect of their promotion. Some bands choose to involve themselves more but Green Day never has that much so I'm not sure why anyone would expect them to.

Well, if they or their management choose not to keep abreast of what others who are working on their behalf are doing to their image, then I suppose you could say they deserve whatever results from it anyway. Involved or not, they own the decisions that they make, or that others are making for them.

[Bastard of 1967]

The AI video thing is kind of pointless did it ever once aired on mtv with mindfuck or faggot america unedited?

Dude who talked about Prince leaving yes he did it costed him most of his money left without his name where he had to change it but he did get out but would GD be willing to go nearly bankrupt to get out of a contract? Thats up to them Prince's situation was alot different and alot worse and in a different era of Warner than what GD is in i dont think its that extreme with em

Now with that public service announcement out of the way....

1. By law, Youtube doesn't have to operate under the same FCC "you can't say that!" on TV the way MTV does. So long as it's not pornographic or teaching someone how to build a bomb, posters there have the artistic freedom there to say basically whatever the hell they want. Up until last week, Green Day was taking advantage of that as far as their American Idiot video was concerned. Tell me, then, why the sudden change of heart? Please share some facts with us, you sound as if you know some things that the rest of us here may not.

2. I made clear in my earlier post that Prince was an extreme example of the lengths an artist can go to to get out of their recording contracts if that's what they feel is in their best interest. Even in situations that don't involve that sort of brinksmanship, "the label made me do it" doesnt' fly as an excuse.

[WhiteTim]

Again refer to my post upwards thank you.