Unpopular Green Day Opinions

[WhiteTim]

What I meant by "understand" is that it seems many fans don't seem to grasp the concept of low-production quality and why it occurred. Of course the production quality was terrible. Some of those songs were written in Larry's bedroom. I think some people just don't get the philosophy Green Day lived by at the time. It doesn't matter how shitty it sounds as long as you like the music. A lot of punk records, quality-wise, sound horrible. It's in the culture, or was in the culture.

Now, if you don't like the songwriting in general, I see no issue with that. Not everyone's going to like it. I've just heard a lot of arguments saying, "Well, I'd like it if the production wasn't so bad." That, in my opinion, is not a valid reason to dislike the record or song. Disliking the lyrics, instrumentals, etc., is.

People have the right to not like an album cause of how it sounds to many people they don't like low/cheap production values

Me I dont care for 1039 cause I dont care for most of the songs itself I love music to be unmixed or unmastered so sound value of 1039/kerplunk has no value to my dislike for 1039 Kerplunk however i love 85% of that album (im not counting the bonus sweet children ep)

[Eva]

I agree with that, but it's definitely an acquired taste and probably something that comes only from first loving Green Day the band. I would never give Kerplunk to a friend as a means to "get into Green Day" because they would think it sounds like shit. Maybe if that friend was a "punk," but even so, as mentioned before, in that case I would give them Insomniac because Kerplunk is very poppy, the only thing punk about it is the simplicity of the chords and the production quality and ethic behind it, which may not necessarily be obvious in the music itself.

I would say it's thanks to the shitty sounding-ness of the early GD records that I became a fan of other California punk bands though. Green Day has long been considered the gateway drug to punk, and I think that's a great thing.

But even if they're the gateway drug, most people's first time 'using' is with Dookie or AI anyway And sometimes those alone are enough to inspire a kid to pick up a Ramones record or whatever. It's cyclical. I started appreciating Kerplunk and 1039 a lot more once I became a bigger fan of The Offspring and Bad Religion.

Yeah, I guess I'm a minority on here. I discovered Green Day through Lagwagon, Op Ivy, and Pansy Division so I was already used to listening to low-quality production records when I first heard 1,039 and Kerplunk.

I don't know about this either. I listen to lot's of "punk" music, yet still don't like those two albums. I guess I'm the oddball here, I just don't consider 1,039 to be that "punk" ^o^''

It's more pop-punk than straight up punk, but it's definitely got punk roots and influence. They were extremely pop compared to the rest of the bands in their scene though. That's why Tim Yohannan didn't like them.

People have the right to not like an album cause of how it sounds to many people they don't like low/cheap production values

Me I dont care for 1039 cause I dont care for most of the songs itself I love music to be unmixed or unmastered so sound value of 1039/kerplunk has no value to my dislike for 1039 Kerplunk however i love 85% of that album (im not counting the bonus sweet children ep)

I understand people don't like a record if they dislike low-production quality, but I think if the songs are still good or catchy, the production shouldn't matter. To each their own, though. I'm not trying to brainwash all Green Day fans into loving 1,039.

[Heather.]

Yeah, I guess I'm a minority on here. I discovered Green Day through Lagwagon, Op Ivy, and Pansy Division so I was already used to listening to low-quality production records when I first heard 1,039 and Kerplunk.

Yeah, considering you weren't in California in the 80s, it is surprising that you found Green Day AFTER those bands and not the other way around, but it certainly informs the way you perceive them, and automatically would make you a minority among Green Day fans.

[Cob]

I really don't see Kerplunk or 39/Smooth as being inferior to any of the work Green Day did with major labels. In fact in some ways they're better.

On those two records, and the EPs, for that matter, you're hearing what is, essentially, a live band. You're hearing a group of kids playing tight, fast music while doing pitch perfect harmonies and banging out infectious melodies that their peers--bands that had been around for a bit longer--would have killed for. You're hearing Green Day as is, playing to an empty studio booth and then going back to add a second guitar overdub. And that's it. I believe "Dry Ice" is one of the few old songs that the band had to keep redoing because John kept messing up the drum part, 1 out of 4 other songs, songs that have dynamic changes, two-part harmonies, and plenty of musical shifts that happen within short 3-minute pop punk songs. Even something as "sloppy" as the Sweet Children EP has this quality. Take a look at "Knowledge," they took a fast punk rock anthem and turned into something completely different, something that barely resembles it's source material.

Honestly, improve the production quality on any of those early songs and you've essentially got a plethora of tracks that could have fit on any Dookie, Insomniac, or Nimrod. Aside from some of the underdeveloped (yet undeniably) raw melodicism on 39/Smooth, Green Day has always been an incredibly consistent band. The only thing that has changed has been the means through which they have been captured.

[Eva]

Yeah, considering you weren't in California in the 80s, it is surprising that you found Green Day AFTER those bands and not the other way around, but it certainly informs the way you perceive them, and automatically would make you a minority among Green Day fans.

Blame my step-brother. He worshiped Lagwagon and Operation Ivy.

I am the 1%.

[Cob]

It's more pop-punk than straight up punk, but it's definitely got punk roots and influence. They were extremely pop compared to the rest of the bands in their scene though. That's why Tim Yohannan didn't like them.

Tim Yohannan didn't like a lot of bands. He didn't like any band that was melodic (even though most of the bands in his fucking scene were exactly that). He didn't even like NOFX. Like, what is that shit.

[Eva]

I really don't see Kerplunk or 39/Smooth as being inferior to any of the work Green Day did with major labels. In fact in some ways they're better.

On those two records, and the EPs, for that matter, you're hearing what is, essentially, a live band. You're hearing a group of kids playing tight, fast music while doing pitch perfect harmonies and banging out infectious melodies that their peers--bands that had been around for a bit longer--would have killed for. You're hearing Green Day as is, playing to an empty studio booth and then going back to add a second guitar overdub. And that's it. I believe "Dry Ice" is one of the few old songs that the band had to keep redoing because John kept messing up the drum part, 1 out of 4 other songs, songs that have dynamic changes, two-part harmonies, and plenty of musical shifts that happen within short 3-minute pop punk songs. Even something as "sloppy" as the Sweet Children EP has this quality. Take a look at "Knowledge," they took a fast punk rock anthem and turned into something completely different, something that barely resembles it's source material.

Honestly, improve the production quality on any of those early songs and you've essentially got a plethora of tracks that could have fit on any Dookie, Insomniac, or Nimrod. Aside from some of the underdeveloped (yet undeniably) raw melodicism on 39/Smooth, Green Day has always been an incredibly consistent band. The only thing that has changed has been the means through which they have been captured.

Take Jesse Michaels for example. He was the leader singer of Operation Ivy, which is one of the most well-known Californian punk bands of all time (in part because of Green Day, I will admit). I was watching an interview with Jesse. The interviewer asked his opinion on Green Day. Jesse said, "Man, it is so cool that Billie and Mike cite my old band as one of their influences. I remember back in the day at Gilman, we'd all hang out and watch each others shows. Some thought they were too poppy but I loved their sound, especially in the pre-Dookie days."

A "punk rock legend" admires their earlier sound. It means quite a bit, no matter what.

Tim Yohannan didn't like a lot of bands. He didn't like any band that was melodic (even though most of the bands in his fucking scene were exactly that). He didn't even like NOFX. Like, what is that shit.

Yohannan was weird as hell. I've read a few interviews with him. He is one strange dude. It's kind of weird that he was so 'important' in the scene. He didn't like any of the bands that ended up lasting for more than three years.

[Heather.]

Tim Yohannon was not a happy camper and I question his taste on all levels

I agree with Cob that a lot of the songs on the early albums, with enhanced production, would still be Green Day songs today (maybe not AI-21CB era songs, but definitely trilogy songs and obviously late 90s songs). If you listen to some of the better tracks as performed live by Green Day today, they sound just as melodic and rockin' as the rest of their set. I think Christie Road would fit on ANY Green Day album, and 2000LYA, Going to P, One for the Razorbacks, killer.

(Damn, Green Day has gotten better at shortening their song titles... those were exhausting to half-ass type )

That being said, there are quite a few duds on 39/Smooth, IMO. Don't Leave Me, Green Day, The One I Want (or whatever it's called) ehhhhhhh. But the kid was 16 and I applaud it.

[HolyHandGrenade]

Tim Yohannon was not a happy camper and I question his taste on all levels

I agree with Cob that a lot of the songs on the early albums, with enhanced production, would still be Green Day songs today (maybe not AI-21CB era songs, but definitely trilogy songs and obviously late 90s songs). If you listen to some of the better tracks as performed live by Green Day today, they sound just as melodic and rockin' as the rest of their set. I think Christie Road would fit on ANY Green Day album, and 2000LYA, Going to P, One for the Razorbacks, killer.

(Damn, Green Day has gotten better at shortening their song titles... those were exhausting to half-ass type )

That being said, there are quite a few duds on 39/Smooth, IMO. Don't Leave Me, Green Day, The One I Want (or whatever it's called) ehhhhhhh. But the kid was 16 and I applaud it.

Aw come on, don't tell me that

"Jesus of Suburbia/City of the Damned/I Don't Care/Dearly Beloved/Tales From Another Broken Home"

is a short name

[joeysturkeyhead]

I don't think there is much to "understand" about the production style, it's shoddy. They had next to no money going into studio so it's fine, but those songs definitely deserve more love than that. Every live version sounds much better. Personally I just don't like the songwriting in general. It's clearly early Green Day, before BJA really caught his stride, but I just don't dig it at all. The first two have always been my least favorite. Actually, the first 3 now that I think about it.

I completely disagree with you. I'd never want those songs to have better production because that would totally ruin them.

[BlackBaboon]

Layla beat SLTS because at that time the voting members of the Grammys were mostly older people of music industry now there's alot more younger voters but they nominate the popular acts

The Grammys is a big deal in the music business tho in the last few years it hasnt been the way it was hell I didnt even vote last year may not this year

Just out of curiosity, how did you get a vote for the Grammys? Also what are the requirements, if you don't mind.

[OneSongInFrench]

I got a problem, on one hand I really think re-recording the old albums would ruin the feel of them. They were DIY low budget local band albums, not top notch national production. The songwriting was juvenile yes, but that's what kids write. They were kids, people forget that. I think they play the songs live like well oiled machines, and those songs aren't well oiled. So if they were re-recorded like this now, it would sound completely off. Like professionals recording garage band songs. (though, I will admit some songs from 39/smooth and Kerplunk! are genius writing, Billie wrote some gems back then) Are they bad songs? Not to me, not at all. But are they Jesus of Suburbia? Nope, and so I think it should stick the way it is. Shows the natural progression of the band, and is a snapshot in time.

Now having said that, the producer side of me says, RE-RECORD THEM! I'm a sound engineer and producer, I love the huge sounds of arena rock production. American Idiot is my go to when I look to recording that "full" sound for bands. Even 21st Century Breakdown is pretty sweet, maybe a bit too big for my liking though. I think if you took a song like Christie Road and gave it AI production, it would go number one.

[DannyDirnt]

To be honest, I prefer Words I Might Have Ate better than JoS

Plus, that was SUCH an unpopular opinion!

[Snows]

To be honest, I prefer Words I Might Have Ate better than JoS

Plus, that was SUCH an unpopular opinion!

[EggMong]

Before I ever listened to Green Day I would probably have never given music with the production quality of 1039/SOSH and Kerplunk a chance. They were the last 2 Green Day albums I listened to and I never expected them to be brilliant but in the end I absolutely love them! I prefer both of them to Dookie and definitely some other albums too, there isn't a single song between then I don't like and I don't even mind about the quality - it doesn't bother me at all. Anyway, the musical quality of these albums really surprised me and has helped open my mind a bit - I think I'll definitely give more music a go in the chance, even if it's old or isn't great quality.

[WhiteTim]

Just out of curiosity, how did you get a vote for the Grammys? Also what are the requirements, if you don't mind.

To be a voting member you have to be either an artist/song writer/producer/engineer/mixer and have at least 6 songs credited to you

Then there's the non voting membership which really only means you can get to go to the grammys but u cant vote that is for the managers or booking agents music journalists etc

[Iain]

Ashton, the fuck is wrong with you? That's a really hostile response there. :/

[J&TheNight]

I completely disagree with you. I'd never want those songs to have better production because that would totally ruin them.

How?

I'd love to see these albums compiled and redone by the band in their off time, at least live. It's not like that would make the originals just disappear from existence or anything, which is what some people seem to think. I'd probably listen to them if they were redone. Now? Nope, I rarely EVER listen to any of those songs.

[HolyHandGrenade]

I like Extraordinary Girl just as much as the rest of American Idiot. Why does everybody hate it?

[Mar]

I like Extraordinary Girl just as much as the rest of American Idiot. Why does everybody hate it?

I don't get it either. For a time it was my favorite GD song. I just love the melody.

[Sarcasm]

I like Extraordinary Girl just as much as the rest of American Idiot. Why does everybody hate it?

I don't get it either. For a time it was my favorite GD song. I just love the melody.

The long boring drum intro is just a waste of space, imo.

[LazyPhil]

The long boring drum intro is just a waste of space, imo.

Then skip it!

[Mar]

Then skip it!

Yeah, I can understand not liking the intro (I go back and forth on it myself), but that's a song that's easy enough to skip the part you don't like. It's not a song that's too long and impossible to cut on your iTunes (like Brutal Love ... great song but it's too long and there's not an obvious place that's too long). I just really like the rest of Extraordinary Girl.

[HolyHandGrenade]

The long boring drum intro is just a waste of space, imo.

That shouldn't invalidate the rest of the song. Fall Out Boy occasionally has spoken poems or mini songs at the end of their songs, and I never skip them because of that.

[Sarcasm]

Then skip it!

Edited it out.

That shouldn't invalidate the rest of the song. Fall Out Boy occasionally has spoken poems or mini songs at the end of their songs, and I never skip them because of that.

It's ok when I'm listening to the album through and through, but if I just find the song on shuffle, the melody in the beginning does nothing whatsoever for me.