Blasphemy & Genocide: Unpopular Green Day Opinions, Part 2

[Flashback]

On 11/9/2020 at 8:16 PM, Paxton said:

-1,000 Hours to American Idiot is the only stuff worth listening to. Severe precipitous decline in lyrics, songwriting, authenticity, originality, edge, panache and finesse since the AI album cycle ended. Revolution Radio is the best thing they've released since AI and even then....EHHHHHHH.

-Foxboro Hot Tubs is terrible. Recycled progressions, song structures and riffs (I know its Green Day but it's still nice to hear something that hasn't been done 10,000 times before)

-The Longshot is incredibly dull and boring.

-The Frustrators are the best "Green Day related" band

-The albums rank as follows:

13. Father of All Motherfuckers

12. Dos

11. Tre

10. 21st Century Breakdown

9. Uno

8. Revolution Radio

7. 39/Smooth

6. Warning

5. American Idiot

4. Nimrod

3. Dookie

2. Insomniac

1. Kerplunk

To me, 21st Century Breakdown is a masterpeace

[MarriedtoMikeDirnt]

On 11/9/2020 at 1:16 PM, Paxton said:

-1,000 Hours to American Idiot is the only stuff worth listening to. Severe precipitous decline in lyrics, songwriting, authenticity, originality, edge, panache and finesse since the AI album cycle ended. Revolution Radio is the best thing they've released since AI and even then....EHHHHHHH.

-Foxboro Hot Tubs is terrible. Recycled progressions, song structures and riffs (I know its Green Day but it's still nice to hear something that hasn't been done 10,000 times before)

-The Longshot is incredibly dull and boring.

-The Frustrators are the best "Green Day related" band

-The albums rank as follows:

13. Father of All Motherfuckers

12. Dos

11. Tre

10. 21st Century Breakdown

9. Uno

8. Revolution Radio

7. 39/Smooth

6. Warning

5. American Idiot

4. Nimrod

3. Dookie

2. Insomniac

1. Kerplunk

I almost agree with your first point. I wouldn't say that everything past AI isn't worth listening to, but it's definitely not as good.

As far as FBHT goes, I disagree. How are you gonna say FBHT uses recycled progressions and then rank Uno higher than 21CB? Uno is the most repetitive album if the trilogy.

I agree with your third point. There's very few good songs. 

I agree with the fourth one (like, 85%), but my favorite side project is FBHT. 

Lastly, your album ranking is whack as fuck. Numbers 1-7 are understandable (I highly disagree with it, but I can see why you'd rank them that way). But then you go and rank Tre and 21CB under Uno and it's ridiculous. (Also, I have no idea why you'd put Warning above 39/Smooth).

[BilIie Joe Armstrong]

There’s no point in comparing repetitiveness of chord progressions between albums. They’re three chord songs. What do you expect?

[Hermione]

I mean Foxboro Hot Tubs is a tongue in cheek 60's parody, they openly borrowed from famous songs from that era because that was the point. I think it has to be viewed in context, it was a way to let off steam during the highly pressured time of creating an American Idiot follow up, making some fun songs and playing fun characters on stage under an alias that allowed them to play tiny low key shows that wouldn't have been possible under the Green Day name. Never meant to compete with Green Day albums but still some very entertaining songs including some surprisingly meaningful lyrics. 

And I can't agree that they "fell off" after American Idiot. I like everything (including Uno Dos Tre and FOAM ) and I get that not everyone does but I don't know how 21st CB can be considered a major drop in quality from American Idiot? It built off AI and went even bigger, the most musically ambitious album they've made and very similar to AI in terms of lyrics (ie more complex/layered/metaphorical and less blunt/direct compared to most of their work - and I would say 21st CB's are even moreso than AI's if anything). It's a quality follow up.  

[That Dude]

FOAM and Trliogy BANG HARD.

 

The Ultimate Test WAS the test and you all failed. 

[BilIie Joe Armstrong]

8 minutes ago, That Dude said:

FOAM and Trliogy BANG HARD.

 

The Ultimate Test WAS the test and you all failed. 

Or Green Day failed OUR test

[That Dude]

1 hour ago, Beerjeezus said:

Or Green Day failed OUR test

Green Day don't take tests.  They cannot fail.

School is just for suckers.

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

On 11/7/2020 at 3:46 AM, Hermione said:

Is it because of the production quality? When I first listened to it I felt this way, the sound was so jarringly bad compared to later albums that I thought I'd never enjoy it the same as them. But after a few listens I noticed the difference less and less and soon it just blended in with their other stuff. It doesn't sound weird or different to me at all now, the rougher quality to the singing and music just became part of it's charm the way other variations between their albums do and I enjoy listening to it exactly the same as any of their albums. Same with 39/Smooth and the other old stuff. The last four "bonus tracks" on Kerplunk (the Sweet Children EP) are a rough one since they're clearly very old songs and have the worst recording quality but everything else holds up fine for me. 

It's pretty much a slightly rougher Dookie (which makes sense since they got signed to make their first major label album - Dookie - based off it), imo if you're into Dookie you'll probably be into it and one is no more "90's" than the other. All of Green Day's 90's stuff is very "90's" so liking Green Day and that time period's sound go hand in hand. 

Isn’t it funny — the way newer fans feel about going back in their catalog is probably how the older fans felt listening to their sound evolve into what it is today?  

I had a similar experience when I first listened to the old shit due to the rough production but honestly I love it all the same now. Obviously American Idiot will always be on top since it was my first album and it was released during my formative years. But Insomniac is probably my second-favorite and production isn’t really touted as its strong point either.

I honestly don’t feel like Billie’s vocals sound THAT different in the old stuff either. Younger and less polished, obviously. But it’s still very clearly him. 

[Annie, get your gun]

I have my pick on the best (American Idiot) but not on the worst album, there's no such thing for me. There is one I listen the less, though (Kerplunk!); but I have some songs from it in my playlist.

 

[MarriedtoMikeDirnt]

Longview is famous for all the wrong reasons. 

Who the fuck cares about that bass line? It's not like it's a grand exhibit of talent or anything. It's just another bass line. If it weren't the most noticeable thing, nobody would care about it. I don't see the appeal.

The real star of the show is the drums. 

I never thought I'd say this about a Green Day song, but the best parts of the songs are the parts where you can't hear the bass (unless, ofc, you listen for it).

[lukastjimmy]

24 minutes ago, MarriedtoMikeDirnt said:

Longview is famous for all the wrong reasons. 

Who the fuck cares about that bass line? It's not like it's a grand exhibit of talent or anything. It's just another bass line. If it weren't the most noticeable thing, nobody would care about it. I don't see the appeal.

The real star of the show is the drums. 

I never thought I'd say this about a Green Day song, but the best parts of the songs are the parts where you can't hear the bass (unless, ofc, you listen for it).

is this a joke?

[MarriedtoMikeDirnt]

1 minute ago, lukastjimmy said:

is this a joke?

No, I'm dead serious.

Longview's bass line is about as cool as WMUWSE's acoustic guitar part.

[That Dude]

3 hours ago, MarriedtoMikeDirnt said:

Longview is famous for all the wrong reasons. 

Who the fuck cares about that bass line? It's not like it's a grand exhibit of talent or anything. It's just another bass line. If it weren't the most noticeable thing, nobody would care about it. I don't see the appeal.

The real star of the show is the drums. 

I never thought I'd say this about a Green Day song, but the best parts of the songs are the parts where you can't hear the bass (unless, ofc, you listen for it).

Mike Dirnt was the start to some key moments in their history.  That bassline kick started Longview, which started their mainstream success.

And then Mike started the whole 10 minute song opera stuff. 

Let's face it, without the Dirnt Green Day would be in shambles.  Playing dive bars with a bunch of lousy 3 minute songs and a bad attitude salad.

I see what you mean, it's not the most complex bass line in the world.  But it's pretty darn cool.

Thats one of the two or three Green Day tunes that every himan being on the planet could identify just by the opening. 

.....

you know what?  I'm revisiting Dookie this week.  Maybe right now!

[MarriedtoMikeDirnt]

16 minutes ago, That Dude said:

 

I see what you mean, it's not the most complex bass line in the world.  But it's pretty darn cool.

 

Complexity isn't what makes a good bass line. The bass line in the chorus of FOA is one of the best but it's nothing special, really (but I do cry every time I try to play it on my cello).

Don't get me wrong, Longview's bass line isn't bad, it's just not worthy of the hype. I don't see what makes it worth the high praise it gets (especially not when compared to any other bass line off of Dookie).

 

[Hermione]

2 hours ago, MarriedtoMikeDirnt said:

Complexity isn't what makes a good bass line. The bass line in the chorus of FOA is one of the best but it's nothing special, really (but I do cry every time I try to play it on my cello).

Don't get me wrong, Longview's bass line isn't bad, it's just not worthy of the hype. I don't see what makes it worth the high praise it gets (especially not when compared to any other bass line off of Dookie).

 

I think it's not only that it sounds good and is interesting with how unusually groovy it is but also that it's such a prominent part of the song. Unlike in the rest of the songs there's no guitar in the verses at all, so the bass is the star. 

[The Grohl]

It's also just a sick bass line. There's something hypnotic about it that draws you in. 

[Little Boy Named Booze]

Almost one year without a post.

Outlaws is the sequel to Christie Rd.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Little Boy Named Booze said:

Almost one year without a post.

Outlaws is the sequel to Christie Rd.

You might not be wrong LOL. Just happened to listen to Outlaws today and I can kinda see what you mean....

[Christian's Inferno!]

17 hours ago, Little Boy Named Booze said:

Almost one year without a post.

Outlaws is the sequel to Christie Rd.

This isn't really unpopular though. Billie himself said this about the song before its release https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/green-days-revolution-radio-a-track-by-track-guide-to-new-album-2-186870/

[Little Boy Named Booze]

28 minutes ago, Christian's Inferno! said:

This isn't really unpopular though. Billie himself said this about the song before its release? https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/green-days-revolution-radio-a-track-by-track-guide-to-new-album-2-186870/

Didn't even saw this article! Damn I'm thinking like Billie.

[pacejunkie punk]

Unpopular opinion: I liked Mike’s long floppy hair during the Trilogy. I wish he’d do it again, in any color. I’m done with the stupid sideburns you can cut yourself on. Only makes him look even more gaunt.

[jengd]

I agree with @pacejunkie punk, I think Mike looks older because he’s so thin and the sideburns aren’t helping, also, he’s had them years now.

[solongfromthestars]

The only good Pinhhead Gunpowder song is their cover of Achin' To Be.

[nopride84]

Meh, I'd say walking catastrophe or anniversary . Everything else is kinda bland

[The Grohl]

I third that Pinhead Gunpowder is meh. A few good songs but nothing remarkable imo