American Idiot

justam

(Green Day)

I started listening to this yesterday.

Does anyone else like it?

It's better than I expected!!!

off_the_record

i'm not a green day fan, but i'll agree that this is a good album. i was impressed when i heard it, but its still not really my cup o tea.

justam

off_the_record wrote:

i'm not a green day fan, but i'll agree that this is a good album. i was impressed when i heard it, but its still not really my cup o tea.

It's the first Green Day I've bought. I didn't like it so much until I started reading the words and noticed that all the songs are connected to tell a story.

I think the main problem with it is that unless you read the words, it all sort of washes over in a sameness.

off_the_record

justam wrote:

It's the first Green Day I've bought. I didn't like it so much until I started reading the words and noticed that all the songs are connected to tell a story.

I think the main problem with it is that unless you read the words, it all sort of washes over in a sameness.

yep. they definitely put it together well, theres no doubting that.


be prepared for the usual "green day sux!!" people to come in here though.

prytocorduroy

This is a great record, but it's no Dookie like it's praised as. And I also hate when people say they just became political... They have always been political, but it was more social politics before like PJ. My one complaint is how they started dressing emo when they're not emo.

I really love the lyrics, from the completely obvious to the play on words throughout the record.

yield2me

danny72688 wrote:

This is a great record, but it's no Dookie like it's praised as. And I also hate when people say they just became political... They have always been political, but it was more social politics before like PJ. My one complaint is how they started dressing emo when they're not emo.

I really love the lyrics, from the completely obvious to the play on words throughout the record.

I gotta agree with you on the emo look they switched over to....kinda sad

facepollution

danny72688 wrote:

This is a great record, but it's no Dookie like it's praised as. And I also hate when people say they just became political... They have always been political, but it was more social politics before like PJ. My one complaint is how they started dressing emo when they're not emo.

I really love the lyrics, from the completely obvious to the play on words throughout the record.

Damn straight it's no Dookie, it's a million times better. It's pretty rare for a band to have a second shot at fame when their two defining albums were ten years apart. As much as I love Dookie (I'm sure it's one of those defining albums for a lot of people who were in their teens when it came out), but one look at the lyrics to American Idiot, show what an amazing coming of age for this band AI was. The lyrics to the song Jesus of Suburbia are absolutely incredible, way up there with any of the American greats.

Oh, and my one complaint is people who care what bands look like, so fucking what if they wanna wear skinny jeans - they were wearing the shirts and ties for years before it became fashionable.

prytocorduroy

facepollution wrote:

Damn straight it's no Dookie, it's a million times better. It's pretty rare for a band to have a second shot at fame when their two defining albums were ten years apart. As much as I love Dookie (I'm sure it's one of those defining albums for a lot of people who were in their teens when it came out), but one look at the lyrics to American Idiot, show what an amazing coming of age for this band AI was. The lyrics to the song Jesus of Suburbia are absolutely incredible, way up there with any of the American greats.

I have to disagree there. Dookie is better, and so is Insomniac (granted that's my opinion). I guess I favor how personal Dookie's lyrics are compared to how American Idiot's lyrics are more about the public.

facepollution wrote:

Oh, and my one complaint is people who care what bands look like, so fucking what if they wanna wear skinny jeans - they were wearing the shirts and ties for years before it became fashionable.

I saw them in '02 and Billie Joe had the suit and tie, but not that lame black eye shadow. But I don't let their attire effect my opinion of their sound.

restlesssoul

i liked it before the released most of the songs as singles now im sick of em all. good album though.

when it first came out i went to the green day show here at a little place (10,000), and i just walked up on the day of the show and got floor tickets. nobody cared they were here, cuz the album hadnt hit big yet. 8 months to a year later i went again and they were playing GM place, like 18,000, and show was sold out. amazing what an album can do for your popularity.

facepollution

danny72688 wrote:

I have to disagree there. Dookie is better, and so is Insomniac (granted that's my opinion). I guess I favor how personal Dookie's lyrics are compared to how American Idiot's lyrics are more about the public.

I saw them in '02 and Billie Joe had the suit and tie, but not that lame black eye shadow. But I don't let their attire effect my opinion of their sound.

I see what you are saying about the personal opinion on the music, it kind of reminds me of the arguments I have with people about The Bends and OK computer by Radiohead, while I can totally appreciate that OK computer is musically a far superior album, I still way prefer The Bends. Put it this way, the song writing is far more sophisticated on AI, and ultimately it will be the album they will be remembered for.

As for the eye shadow and dress sense, I believe that was Billy Joe almost becoming the main character in the story. I don't know if you saw them on the AI tour, but each show was more like a musical than a general rock show. I've seen Green Day many times before including a tiny venue in London back when Nimrod came out, but there was a very definite change in how the whole show was put together at the AI shows.

prytocorduroy

facepollution wrote:

I see what you are saying about the personal opinion on the music, it kind of reminds me of the arguments I have with people about The Bends and OK computer by Radiohead, while I can totally appreciate that OK computer is musically a far superior album, I still way prefer The Bends. Put it this way, the song writing is far more sophisticated on AI, and ultimately it will be the album they will be remembered for.

As for the eye shadow and dress sense, I believe that was Billy Joe almost becoming the main character in the story. I don't know if you saw them on the AI tour, but each show was more like a musical than a general rock show. I've seen Green Day many times before including a tiny venue in London back when Nimrod came out, but there was a very definite change in how the whole show was put together at the AI shows.

Yes I agree that the music of American Idiot is far superior, very well written and challenges the mind (unlike Dookie which is straight up punk). I also have to keep in mind that Dookie was an accident, they weren't doing anything but having fun at that time. Also I may be biased because Green Day was my first and Dookie was also my first

I did see them once on the American Idiot tour and that's when I really noticed the change in appearance, not that it bothered me. That is a cool theory about him becoming the main character They really do put on a great show, definitely up there with PJ.

chrisopalooza

1st listen through I was mildly impressed...now I kinda realize it was all a big joke. Boring, overproduced masturbation.

FinsburyParkCarrots

I saw them live at the Boat Race in Cambridge, in about 1992 or 1993. Tiny audience (150 max?), but great atmosphere. I think that, fifteen years down the line, and being through the music industry, they do a good job. They are richer than they were, but they're hard working all the time.

Being a long time band: don't knock until you're tried it.

sadprofessor

I think its a really strong record, easily my favorite or second favorite of theirs (along with Insomniac).

There is one thing that kind of put me off about them after it came though... To me American Idiot was really their chance to sort of shed the pop-punk, largely teenage stigma that had kind of followed them for awhile, it was their chance to be taken seriously and really join the big leagues. That record sounded like a record that was written for those of us that remember when Dookie came out.

But then the record took off, as it should have, because its a great fucking album, no doubt. But the next thing I know Green Day is all over MTV, doing the whole TRL schtick, and the shows were ok, but filled with stupid audience pandering and bullshit that did not need to be there. And the next thing you know, they are trying to sell the album to 13 year old Hot Topic patrons. And I am not calling names or saying one audience is better than another, but that just kind of disapointed me. That was their chance to be taken seriously, to go out on the road with a message and a point, and they blew it.

But thats just one man's opinion.

Gary Carter

justam wrote:

It's the first Green Day I've bought. I didn't like it so much until I started reading the words and noticed that all the songs are connected to tell a story.

.

thats the problem with this cd,if u dont get thats its a story then u are fucked.i look at it like one big song. but like another person said in here,it looses its touch cause they went the pop-punk route again

Azwethinkweiz

i can't stand green day.

they've always been shit, imo.

Brez

I just think it's a shame how overplayed all of the songs got

justam

Brez wrote:

I just think it's a shame how overplayed all of the songs got

Since I don't listen to the radio much, I wouldn't know that.

catefrances

i am listening to 'boulevarde of broken dreams' as we speak.

personally i prefer my punk with a message. this has it, so i'd rather listen to american idiot than an actual american(or any other nationality) idiot singing 'dick' punk.

3sheets

i really enjoyed AI, but the rock opera stage show they toured under really didn't do it for me. if they wanted to, they should've done the entire album front to back. and then encored for about 45 min. to an hour w/ other material. it would've worked much better than splicing it up the way they did. and holy shit, would they just play knowledge w/out the crappy interlude or slow as shit (as they did way back when). knowledge is just one of those songs that doesn't need to be slowed down or jammed during the middle. just my opinion.

by the way, AI is a great venture for them. i liked where they went w/ Insomniac (my fav.) after the first 3 albums. but i really enjoy Kerplunk as well. just unabashed fun. and there's nothing wrong w/ that.

chrisopalooza

catefrances wrote:

i am listening to 'boulevarde of broken dreams' as we speak.

personally i prefer my punk with a message. this has it, so i'd rather listen to american idiot than an actual american(or any other nationality) idiot singing 'dick' punk.

if you prefer punk, why are you listening to green day?

facepollution

3sheets wrote:

if they wanted to, they should've done the entire album front to back. and then encored for about 45 min. to an hour w/ other material. it would've worked much better than splicing it up the way they did.

They did that a fair few times on the tour.

I'm not saying AI fever didn't become too much, because it absolutely did, but a lot of that was out of the bands' hands, just as when Pearl Jam became big after Ten, the difference being that Green Day aren't as bothered by the pressures of fame. But when all is said and done, despite the over playing on the radio, and Green Day becoming a brand rather than just a band, AI is still a brilliantly crafted record.

catefrances

chrisopalooza wrote:

if you prefer punk, why are you listening to green day?

well, mr genre nazi, sometimes i like to take a break from the saints and anti-flag.

pushmepullme

Green Day, are now the N'Synce of rock music, and have absolutely no credibility whatsoever nowadays. They are a pop band, producing music for 12 year old girls.

catefrances

pushmepullme wrote:

Green Day, are now the N'Synce of rock music, and have absolutely no credibility whatsoever nowadays. They are a pop band, producing music for 12 year old girls.

oh that is such bullshit. but hey i was 12 years old once...maybe twice.

facepollution

pushmepullme wrote:

Green Day, are now the N'Synce of rock music, and have absolutely no credibility whatsoever nowadays. They are a pop band, producing music for 12 year old girls.

I seriously hope you are kidding, here's some of the lyrics to Jesus of Suburbia - a far cry from the bullshit boy bands peddle.

I'm the son of rage and love
The Jesus of Suburbia
From the bible of none of the above
On a steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin
No one ever died for my sins in hell
As far as I can tell
At least the ones I got away with

And there's nothing wrong with me
This is how I'm supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don't believe in me

Get my television fix sitting on my crucifix
The living room or my private womb
While the moms and brads are away
To fall in love and fall in debt
To alcohol and cigarettes and Mary Jane
To keep me insane and doing someone else's cocaine

And there's nothing wrong with me
This is how I'm supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don't believe in me

prytocorduroy

pushmepullme wrote:

Green Day, are now the N'Synce of rock music, and have absolutely no credibility whatsoever nowadays. They are a pop band, producing music for 12 year old girls.

Back up this complete bullshit statement instead of just making a claim. Have you even heard the album?

pushmepullme

Yes. And its fucking drivel. Formulaic, cliched fucking shit of the highest order.

prytocorduroy

pushmepullme wrote:

Yes. And its fucking drivel. Formulaic, cliched fucking shit of the highest order.

I think you're thinking of Nickelback's new album

ledvedderman

I don't mind the album. It's not one I listen to every week, but it's still a decent album to listen to put on when you want some pop rock (which there is nothing wrong with if it's done right).

Here's my question, didn't Green Day put out a new wave album before American Idiot under another name? If so does anyone know where I can get it?

lalalalaaaaaaaa

For pop rock, it's a decent album I think. I don't think it's their best though. I think Insomniac is their best because that album best captures what Green Day is: a hard-charged pop-rock band. I've always liked them, but I started growing out of them recently.