i think they were promoting a benefit album for Amnesty International where all proceeds go to help save Darfur... and the images behind the band as they played kinda showed that...
Like five years ago, these guys were still writing songs about farts. Now I'm supposed to take them seriously?
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
this is a joke. bands appear on tv all the time to promote songs/albums. why are you all so bitter? because it was american idol? and its cool to not like it?
i guess bands that appear on leno/letterman/snl (hello pearl jam) are sellouts too? they're doing the same exact thing green day did.
The difference is, American Idol represents all that is wrong with music today. Seriously.
Instead of promoting artists with something to say, they promote cookie cutter acts singing other people's songs, and the one with the prettiest hair wins.
This is offensive to those of us who came of age in a time when music and the message actually mattered. I'm sorry.
Promoting your album on TV isn't selling out, IMO. Doing it on a show that is killing music as we know it is.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
The difference is, American Idol represents all that is wrong with music today. Seriously.
Instead of promoting artists with something to say, they promote cookie cutter acts singing other people's songs, and the one with the prettiest hair wins.
This is offensive to those of us who came of age in a time when music and the message actually mattered. I'm sorry.
Promoting your album on TV isn't selling out, IMO. Doing it on a show that is killing music as we know it is.
But I don't understand how it's killing music? I watch the show but I've never once (nor will I probably ever) buy an album from any of the contestants. Why? Because it's not my cup of tea. I watch the show b/c I find it fun & entertaining. Trashy? Sure. But you know what? At the end of the day when it's over, I put on my PJ cds, or The Clash or Arcade Fire or The Who & I enjoy them. So how exactly is it killing music? I watch it & STILL enjoy good music. And if you're going to argue that it's made it difficult for legit artists to get deals then I'm sorry but that's historically inaccurate. The music industry was fucked up way before AI & will continue to be fucked up after it. I've said it before but I'm an actress & if I let every no talent millionaire actress or every mindless Hollywood film (when I have talented friends who are scraping to get by) get me down then I'd never get out of bed in the morning. But I do b/c, while it may not be mainstream & it may not be easily accessible good art, good filmmaking, good theater, good music, is still out there. So what if I have to go in search of it. In my opinion that's half the fun. My sister & I couldn't possibly have more different taste in music but if she enjoys the latest Gwen Stefani cd why the fuck should that effect me. I have my music, she has hers & we're both happy.
But I don't understand how it's killing music? I watch the show but I've never once (nor will I probably ever) buy an album from any of the contestants. Why? Because it's not my cup of tea. I watch the show b/c I find it fun & entertaining. Trashy? Sure. But you know what? At the end of the day when it's over, I put on my PJ cds, or The Clash or Arcade Fire or The Who & I enjoy them. So how exactly is it killing music? I watch it & STILL enjoy good music. And if you're going to argue that it's made it difficult for legit artists to get deals then I'm sorry but that's historically inaccurate. The music industry was fucked up way before AI & will continue to be fucked up after it. I've said it before but I'm an actress & if I let every no talent millionaire actress or every mindless Hollywood film (when I have talented friends who are scraping to get by) get me down then I'd never get out of bed in the morning. But I do b/c, while it may not be mainstream & it may not be easily accessible good art, good filmmaking, good theater, good music, is still out there. So what if I have to go in search of it. In my opinion that's half the fun. My sister & I couldn't possibly have more different taste in music but if she enjoys the latest Gwen Stefani cd why the fuck should that effect me. I have my music, she has hers & we're both happy.
I believe the problem lies within the fact that some consider Green Day (including the band itself) as artistic. When you mix "art" with "trash" problems will arise, such as being labeled a sell out.
"The leads are weak!"
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
But I don't understand how it's killing music? I watch the show but I've never once (nor will I probably ever) buy an album from any of the contestants. Why? Because it's not my cup of tea. I watch the show b/c I find it fun & entertaining. Trashy? Sure. But you know what? At the end of the day when it's over, I put on my PJ cds, or The Clash or Arcade Fire or The Who & I enjoy them. So how exactly is it killing music? I watch it & STILL enjoy good music. And if you're going to argue that it's made it difficult for legit artists to get deals then I'm sorry but that's historically inaccurate. The music industry was fucked up way before AI & will continue to be fucked up after it. I've said it before but I'm an actress & if I let every no talent millionaire actress or every mindless Hollywood film (when I have talented friends who are scraping to get by) get me down then I'd never get out of bed in the morning. But I do b/c, while it may not be mainstream & it may not be easily accessible good art, good filmmaking, good theater, good music, is still out there. So what if I have to go in search of it. In my opinion that's half the fun. My sister & I couldn't possibly have more different taste in music but if she enjoys the latest Gwen Stefani cd why the fuck should that effect me. I have my music, she has hers & we're both happy.
As an actress (artist) I would be interested to know what you thought of my earlier statement which you didn't comment on like you had my other remarks. This is what I said earlier:
"It is because it is on American Idol, but not because it's cool not to like it, but rather for what the show stands for and who it is being marketed to. Letterman is a sardonic, no nonsense host who you can tell when he does and does not like an act or guest. He seems to respect music and musicians and enjoys having a good time. Whereas AI whores their contestants out on some tour, force them to sign a recording contract of the likes of producers from the 1950's where the "artists" get screwed everywhich way from Thursday, and have no say in what they can or cannot do."
"The leads are weak!"
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
One last thing and then I'm done. I just want to say, that if Pearl Jam were to ever appear on AI or the Super Bowl, I would also label that as selling out. The difference is that due to the amount of respect and love I have for their music and causes I would still buy their music and attend their shows, but would be disappointed. Not that my opinion matters, I just wanted to state this in case anyone threw at me "what if PJ was to do...".
"The leads are weak!"
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
green day this linkin park, some of u people need to relieve that there are other good bands out there besides the ones the pj likes. I can't believe lp is opening for pearljam,lp only has the #1 selling album by far this year after an opening week ,but they suck cause there not mmj,jack johnson,sk,sonic youth. get out of the bubble and respest green day and lp u narrow minded fools. Pearljam is my fav band by far but lp first 2 albums and american idiot but are better then riot act.
As an actress (artist) I would be interested to know what you thought of my earlier statement which you didn't comment on like you had my other remarks. This is what I said earlier:
"It is because it is on American Idol, but not because it's cool not to like it, but rather for what the show stands for and who it is being marketed to. Letterman is a sardonic, no nonsense host who you can tell when he does and does not like an act or guest. He seems to respect music and musicians and enjoys having a good time. Whereas AI whores their contestants out on some tour, force them to sign a recording contract of the likes of producers from the 1950's where the "artists" get screwed everywhich way from Thursday, and have no say in what they can or cannot do."
I assume you want me to comment on the AI contract part of your post. It's a good question. So here goes...the entertainment industry is a business on both sides. In a perfect world we'd all make art for art's sake. But I also have to eat. I have to pay rent. I have to pay bills. Life isn't free and in L.A. & NYC especially, it's certainly not cheap. I've done things sorely lacking artistic sensibility (no not porn!) but I did it because bills had to get paid. I've had friends (actors, directors, writers, etc) work on SHITTY projects for the same reason. I'd draw the line at something that would offend me morally or politically. For instance, I couldn't ever bring myself to appear in a commercial for a corporation I don't approve of, like say Walmart, but I don't begrudge anyone else who would take the job. Who knows if it's true but I remember reading that during the Green River days Jeff used to have to defend wanting to play metal clubs to Mark Arm & Steve Turner. He'd have to explain to them he had to pay his rent, that he didn't exactly come from a privileged family, & that he wasn't going to be made to feel bad for whatever temporary sacrifices he had to make. I understand that feeling all too well.
It's easy to criticize the AI contestants but when you find yourself struggling in this industry...well just trust me. It's not fun. So if I was in a comparable situation & say I was offered a role on a shitty sitcom pilot, yeah I'd probably snatch it up in a heartbeat. They might "own" me for a few years but I'd see it as a stepping stone. My hope being of course that it would simply be a jumping off point for my career & a chance to make connections (an invaluable tool in my industry); one that would hopefully allow me to move on to bigger & better things (i.e. projects I could actually be proud of)
I've been joking around about Kelly Clarkson's new album with Mike Watt but the rumors are that her label (mainly Clive Davis) are incredibly unhappy with it. They wanted her to shelve it. They wanted something more pop friendly. There's another rumor that they also told her she needed to lose weight before she started promoting it. Her response? The rumor is she told them to go screw themselves on all fronts & that she was going to be doing things her way. I think that's what every artist hopes for one day; you may have to make sacrifices here & there, but hopefully you'll be able to reach a stage in your career where you can make your own policies.
I believe the problem lies within the fact that some consider Green Day (including the band itself) as artistic. When you mix "art" with "trash" problems will arise, such as being labeled a sell out.
I can understand being disappointed if you liked the band (like you were talking about if PJ ever "sold out" majorly, you'd be really disappointed) but if you don't like the band in the first place, then why does it matter? I can see why it would matter to a fan but a non-fan? It's like U2, I'm not a fan by any means so I don't tend to concern myself w/ what they do. It's just not important to me.
It's easy to criticize the AI contestants but when you find yourself struggling in this industry...well just trust me. It's not fun. So if I was in a comparable situation & say I was offered a role on a shitty sitcom pilot, yeah I'd probably snatch it up in a heartbeat. They might "own" me for a few years but I'd see it as a stepping stone. My hope being of course that it would simply be a jumping off point for my career & a chance to make connections (an invaluable tool in my industry); one that would hopefully allow me to move on to bigger & better things (i.e. projects I could actually be proud of)
I agree with everything you have said here. I'm not criticizing the AI contestants, they're just trying to get their break. My complaint is with the the people behind AI and what they do to their contestants. As such, I have a problem with any band, whether I am a fan or not, when they associate themselves with a show like AI. Like you said you would never do a Walmart commercial. Green Day is very successful, with no need to do AI ever. If they want to do AI for the sake of promoting the issues in Darfur, then they, as artists with any fraction of an ounce of integrity, should make it explicitly clear why they are there more than just a couple of flashes of a "message" on a video screen. To me this would be like you, after having a successful sitcom run doing a Walmart commercial.
"The leads are weak!"
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
I can understand being disappointed if you liked the band (like you were talking about if PJ ever "sold out" majorly, you'd be really disappointed) but if you don't like the band in the first place, then why does it matter? I can see why it would matter to a fan but a non-fan? It's like U2, I'm not a fan by any means so I don't tend to concern myself w/ what they do. It's just not important to me.
I guess for me in this case is that at one point I liked Green Day. I know about their shot to stardom, the backlash they received in the Bay Area after they signed to a major label, and their attempt to turn the focus on some of their music from fodder to political awareness. I am no longer a fan, not because of their actions, but rather because I grew tired of them (same thing happened with AC/DC). Because they did struggle at one point, I would hope that they would look out for younger artists and not associate themselves with AI. I still like to see people stand up for the greater good, which is the antithesis of what American Idol is and stands for. I know I am asking a lot, but hey, that's how I am.
"The leads are weak!"
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
I agree with everything you have said here. I'm not criticizing the AI contestants, they're just trying to get their break. My complaint is with the the people behind AI and what they do to their contestants. As such, I have a problem with any band, whether I am a fan or not, when they associate themselves with a show like AI. Like you said you would never do a Walmart commercial. Green Day is very successful, with no need to do AI ever. If they want to do AI for the sake of promoting the issues in Darfur, then they, as artists with any fraction of an ounce of integrity, should make it explicitly clear why they are there more than just a couple of flashes of a "message" on a video screen. To me this would be like you, after having a successful sitcom run doing a Walmart commercial.
Well okay. A lot of people on here talk about the contestants like they're horrible human beings for being on such a show. I just always want to say to those people unless you've been in their position you have NO idea how hard it is to not only make it in this business, but to simply keep your head above water. I guess I thought you were one of those people. I'm glad to hear you're not though.
I understand what you're saying. It's a lot harder to defend an established (not to mention filthy rich) act like Green Day than a relative unknown, like an AI contestant. I still think their actions, in the long run, do more good (in Darfur for instance) than bad. But that's something they & their fans have to debate. It really doesn't pertain to me.
can't be bothered to read through all the posts on this thread, but the bottom line as far as I'm concerned is that this is a charity song raising money for a seriously fucked up situation, and at the end of the day Green Day knew this show would bring the cause maximum exposure. While people piss and moan over whether Green Day have 'sold-out' people are being killed every day, which is far more important than bull-shit credibility. Fucking get over yourselves people and get some bloody perspective!
While people piss and moan over whether Green Day have 'sold-out' people are being killed every day, which is far more important than bull-shit credibility. Fucking get over yourselves people and get some bloody perspective!
You could read all 8 pages or you could just put it as beautifully as you just did
can't be bothered to read through all the posts on this thread, but the bottom line as far as I'm concerned is that this is a charity song raising money for a seriously fucked up situation, and at the end of the day Green Day knew this show would bring the cause maximum exposure. While people piss and moan over whether Green Day have 'sold-out' people are being killed every day, which is far more important than bull-shit credibility. Fucking get over yourselves people and get some bloody perspective!
and I'll put a period to that to end this thread, because what's it's all about!!
It is because it is on American Idol, but not because it's cool not to like it, but rather for what the show stands for and who it is being marketed to. Letterman is a sardonic, no nonsense host who you can tell when he does and does not like an act or guest. He seems to respect music and musicians and enjoys having a good time. Whereas AI whores their contestants out on some tour, force them to sign a recording contract of the likes of producers from the 1950's where the "artists" get screwed everywhich way from Thursday, and have no say in what they can or cannot do. So, no I don't feel that artists appearing on talk shows are sell outs, unless you appear on Carson Daly. That guys just a fucking tool!
letterman is no-nonsense? bullshit. his show is full of ridiculously funny nonsense. what else would you call "will it float" or other such segments?
who "awakens" to politics at 35? this shit is going on in front of your eyes from day one.
why does it matter when? isn't the important thing that they care? i mean jesus christ, simply playing that song on that show is more effort than the average american does for charity, yet you want to bring it down? green day is by no means close to my favorite band, but the way you people here are acting is crazy. yeah maybe it took them 35 years to care, but caring is still better than not caring right? and they're using their popularity as well as the immense popularity of AI to make people aware of the issue. it all seems very smart to me. i dont get you guys here who want to bash them for it. get off your high horse for a second and be grateful that people care about something more than themselves. it's not like they were directly profiting from the song. all you guys seem to care about is AI and its corporate leanings. you ignore the fact that the show allows some people who otherwise would not try to make something of themselves really succeed at what they are good at doing. plus, the idol gives back charity project was an enormous success. i'm sorry that it's popular and it's not music that you (or even i) like, but dammit it's entertaining and now working to do good things. to me its a great example of what our generation can do. people who complain that it's too corporate or ruining music or whatever are just insecure and cant acknowledge the positive qualities of an institution that you do not care for. so what if you don't like the show or the music produced by it? it's entertaining for millions of people and it raised a shitload of money and awareness for worthy causes. much more than you have done by yourself. get over yourself. let people do what they want.
/end rant
*edit* sorry for incorrect grammar or spelling, but i've been celebrating the long weekend for a while and don't have the energy to proofread
can't be bothered to read through all the posts on this thread, but the bottom line as far as I'm concerned is that this is a charity song raising money for a seriously fucked up situation, and at the end of the day Green Day knew this show would bring the cause maximum exposure. While people piss and moan over whether Green Day have 'sold-out' people are being killed every day, which is far more important than bull-shit credibility. Fucking get over yourselves people and get some bloody perspective!
I'm hoping we can end this thread with this awesome post. It isn't about the band, it's about the exposure for Darfur.
ANyone able to find a version of this cover that isn't censored? I'm looking for just audio only, and everything has a gap where he says 'fuck' twice in the song. Annnoying me.
green day this linkin park, some of u people need to relieve that there are other good bands out there besides the ones the pj likes. I can't believe lp is opening for pearljam,lp only has the #1 selling album by far this year after an opening week ,but they suck cause there not mmj,jack johnson,sk,sonic youth. get out of the bubble and respest green day and lp u narrow minded fools. Pearljam is my fav band by far but lp first 2 albums and american idiot but are better then riot act.
QFT
A lot of people here just bash every band unless their 99% like PJ.
Just cause the style is different doesn't mean it's any worse.
ANyone able to find a version of this cover that isn't censored? I'm looking for just audio only, and everything has a gap where he says 'fuck' twice in the song. Annnoying me.
You can buy it off of itunes uncensored to support the charity, I'm sure you wouldn't want someone to just give you something that is meant to raise money for the people of Darfur.
I am a Green Day fan and I was disgusted to hear they were going to be on American Idol. I don't watch the show, but apparently they did an entire show about a month ago that was a charity event to support Amnesty International's work to help those in the Sudan. The money from this benefit album is going to Amnesty International to help those in Darfur. Yoko Ono has donated all of John's solo catalog to Amnesty International for the album. Due to the overwhelming success of the American Idol show dedicated to the starving in Darfur, Amnesty International asked Green Day if they would go on American Idol to help promote their single and the album. If you notice the screens behind Green Day during the performance are in the shape of Lennon's trademark glasses. The name of the website was running during the performance on the screens. along with the videos showing the abject poverty of the people. Green Day had no control over the camera shots. They could have said no to an appearance on the show and I still can't stand the show itself, but they agreed to help this cause and they are doing what they have been asked in order to raise as much money as possible.
They did not play the Superbowl, they played the reopening of the Superdome after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, along with U2. The song they performed was also to raise money for charity, specifically for the Red Cross' Katrina relief efforts. Billie Joe Armstrong and his entire family spent his children's spring break this year in New Orleans helping to build a house for Habitat for Humanity.
Green Day has always been political, but most of their charitable efforts were specifically for the community they lived in and it could be argued they didn't start recording anything overtly political until Macy's Day Parade on Warning, although many of their earlier songs deal with living in the lower class of American life. They have raised money for AIDS charities since the beginning and had Pansy Division, a gay band, as their opener for their first tours in order to try and open up their fans' eyes to the issues of homophobia and gay rights.
The "new" guitarist in their band is Jason White. He's one of the original founders of Billie's record label Adeline and was in the Influents. He's toured with Green Day since Warning and played lead guitar on the American Idiot tour to allow Billie to be more of a front man. He is not an official member of the band although he has played with them either on tour or on cd's since Dookie.
Personally, I think they have an overwhelming compulsion to do anything with the initials AI, American Idiot, Amnesty International and now American Idol, can American Inventors be far behind?
Comments
Like five years ago, these guys were still writing songs about farts. Now I'm supposed to take them seriously?
for the least they could possibly do
The difference is, American Idol represents all that is wrong with music today. Seriously.
Instead of promoting artists with something to say, they promote cookie cutter acts singing other people's songs, and the one with the prettiest hair wins.
This is offensive to those of us who came of age in a time when music and the message actually mattered. I'm sorry.
Promoting your album on TV isn't selling out, IMO. Doing it on a show that is killing music as we know it is.
for the least they could possibly do
But I don't understand how it's killing music? I watch the show but I've never once (nor will I probably ever) buy an album from any of the contestants. Why? Because it's not my cup of tea. I watch the show b/c I find it fun & entertaining. Trashy? Sure. But you know what? At the end of the day when it's over, I put on my PJ cds, or The Clash or Arcade Fire or The Who & I enjoy them. So how exactly is it killing music? I watch it & STILL enjoy good music. And if you're going to argue that it's made it difficult for legit artists to get deals then I'm sorry but that's historically inaccurate. The music industry was fucked up way before AI & will continue to be fucked up after it. I've said it before but I'm an actress & if I let every no talent millionaire actress or every mindless Hollywood film (when I have talented friends who are scraping to get by) get me down then I'd never get out of bed in the morning. But I do b/c, while it may not be mainstream & it may not be easily accessible good art, good filmmaking, good theater, good music, is still out there. So what if I have to go in search of it. In my opinion that's half the fun. My sister & I couldn't possibly have more different taste in music but if she enjoys the latest Gwen Stefani cd why the fuck should that effect me. I have my music, she has hers & we're both happy.
Brave to try to gamble at times
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
"What's your name?"
"FUCK YOU! THAT"S MY NAME!"
As an actress (artist) I would be interested to know what you thought of my earlier statement which you didn't comment on like you had my other remarks. This is what I said earlier:
"It is because it is on American Idol, but not because it's cool not to like it, but rather for what the show stands for and who it is being marketed to. Letterman is a sardonic, no nonsense host who you can tell when he does and does not like an act or guest. He seems to respect music and musicians and enjoys having a good time. Whereas AI whores their contestants out on some tour, force them to sign a recording contract of the likes of producers from the 1950's where the "artists" get screwed everywhich way from Thursday, and have no say in what they can or cannot do."
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
"What's your name?"
"FUCK YOU! THAT"S MY NAME!"
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
"What's your name?"
"FUCK YOU! THAT"S MY NAME!"
I assume you want me to comment on the AI contract part of your post. It's a good question. So here goes...the entertainment industry is a business on both sides. In a perfect world we'd all make art for art's sake. But I also have to eat. I have to pay rent. I have to pay bills. Life isn't free and in L.A. & NYC especially, it's certainly not cheap. I've done things sorely lacking artistic sensibility (no not porn!) but I did it because bills had to get paid. I've had friends (actors, directors, writers, etc) work on SHITTY projects for the same reason. I'd draw the line at something that would offend me morally or politically. For instance, I couldn't ever bring myself to appear in a commercial for a corporation I don't approve of, like say Walmart, but I don't begrudge anyone else who would take the job. Who knows if it's true but I remember reading that during the Green River days Jeff used to have to defend wanting to play metal clubs to Mark Arm & Steve Turner. He'd have to explain to them he had to pay his rent, that he didn't exactly come from a privileged family, & that he wasn't going to be made to feel bad for whatever temporary sacrifices he had to make. I understand that feeling all too well.
It's easy to criticize the AI contestants but when you find yourself struggling in this industry...well just trust me. It's not fun. So if I was in a comparable situation & say I was offered a role on a shitty sitcom pilot, yeah I'd probably snatch it up in a heartbeat. They might "own" me for a few years but I'd see it as a stepping stone. My hope being of course that it would simply be a jumping off point for my career & a chance to make connections (an invaluable tool in my industry); one that would hopefully allow me to move on to bigger & better things (i.e. projects I could actually be proud of)
I've been joking around about Kelly Clarkson's new album with Mike Watt but the rumors are that her label (mainly Clive Davis) are incredibly unhappy with it. They wanted her to shelve it. They wanted something more pop friendly. There's another rumor that they also told her she needed to lose weight before she started promoting it. Her response? The rumor is she told them to go screw themselves on all fronts & that she was going to be doing things her way. I think that's what every artist hopes for one day; you may have to make sacrifices here & there, but hopefully you'll be able to reach a stage in your career where you can make your own policies.
I can understand being disappointed if you liked the band (like you were talking about if PJ ever "sold out" majorly, you'd be really disappointed) but if you don't like the band in the first place, then why does it matter? I can see why it would matter to a fan but a non-fan? It's like U2, I'm not a fan by any means so I don't tend to concern myself w/ what they do. It's just not important to me.
I agree with everything you have said here. I'm not criticizing the AI contestants, they're just trying to get their break. My complaint is with the the people behind AI and what they do to their contestants. As such, I have a problem with any band, whether I am a fan or not, when they associate themselves with a show like AI. Like you said you would never do a Walmart commercial. Green Day is very successful, with no need to do AI ever. If they want to do AI for the sake of promoting the issues in Darfur, then they, as artists with any fraction of an ounce of integrity, should make it explicitly clear why they are there more than just a couple of flashes of a "message" on a video screen. To me this would be like you, after having a successful sitcom run doing a Walmart commercial.
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
"What's your name?"
"FUCK YOU! THAT"S MY NAME!"
I guess for me in this case is that at one point I liked Green Day. I know about their shot to stardom, the backlash they received in the Bay Area after they signed to a major label, and their attempt to turn the focus on some of their music from fodder to political awareness. I am no longer a fan, not because of their actions, but rather because I grew tired of them (same thing happened with AC/DC). Because they did struggle at one point, I would hope that they would look out for younger artists and not associate themselves with AI. I still like to see people stand up for the greater good, which is the antithesis of what American Idol is and stands for. I know I am asking a lot, but hey, that's how I am.
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
"What's your name?"
"FUCK YOU! THAT"S MY NAME!"
Well okay. A lot of people on here talk about the contestants like they're horrible human beings for being on such a show. I just always want to say to those people unless you've been in their position you have NO idea how hard it is to not only make it in this business, but to simply keep your head above water. I guess I thought you were one of those people. I'm glad to hear you're not though.
I understand what you're saying. It's a lot harder to defend an established (not to mention filthy rich) act like Green Day than a relative unknown, like an AI contestant. I still think their actions, in the long run, do more good (in Darfur for instance) than bad. But that's something they & their fans have to debate. It really doesn't pertain to me.
You could read all 8 pages or you could just put it as beautifully as you just did
and I'll put a period to that to end this thread, because what's it's all about!!
letterman is no-nonsense? bullshit. his show is full of ridiculously funny nonsense. what else would you call "will it float" or other such segments?
why does it matter when? isn't the important thing that they care? i mean jesus christ, simply playing that song on that show is more effort than the average american does for charity, yet you want to bring it down? green day is by no means close to my favorite band, but the way you people here are acting is crazy. yeah maybe it took them 35 years to care, but caring is still better than not caring right? and they're using their popularity as well as the immense popularity of AI to make people aware of the issue. it all seems very smart to me. i dont get you guys here who want to bash them for it. get off your high horse for a second and be grateful that people care about something more than themselves. it's not like they were directly profiting from the song. all you guys seem to care about is AI and its corporate leanings. you ignore the fact that the show allows some people who otherwise would not try to make something of themselves really succeed at what they are good at doing. plus, the idol gives back charity project was an enormous success. i'm sorry that it's popular and it's not music that you (or even i) like, but dammit it's entertaining and now working to do good things. to me its a great example of what our generation can do. people who complain that it's too corporate or ruining music or whatever are just insecure and cant acknowledge the positive qualities of an institution that you do not care for. so what if you don't like the show or the music produced by it? it's entertaining for millions of people and it raised a shitload of money and awareness for worthy causes. much more than you have done by yourself. get over yourself. let people do what they want.
/end rant
*edit* sorry for incorrect grammar or spelling, but i've been celebrating the long weekend for a while and don't have the energy to proofread
Touche.
"The leads are weak? Fuckin' leads are weak? You're Weak! I've Been in this business 15 years"
"What's your name?"
"FUCK YOU! THAT"S MY NAME!"
A lot of people here just bash every band unless their 99% like PJ.
Just cause the style is different doesn't mean it's any worse.
You can buy it off of itunes uncensored to support the charity, I'm sure you wouldn't want someone to just give you something that is meant to raise money for the people of Darfur.
I am a Green Day fan and I was disgusted to hear they were going to be on American Idol. I don't watch the show, but apparently they did an entire show about a month ago that was a charity event to support Amnesty International's work to help those in the Sudan. The money from this benefit album is going to Amnesty International to help those in Darfur. Yoko Ono has donated all of John's solo catalog to Amnesty International for the album. Due to the overwhelming success of the American Idol show dedicated to the starving in Darfur, Amnesty International asked Green Day if they would go on American Idol to help promote their single and the album. If you notice the screens behind Green Day during the performance are in the shape of Lennon's trademark glasses. The name of the website was running during the performance on the screens. along with the videos showing the abject poverty of the people. Green Day had no control over the camera shots. They could have said no to an appearance on the show and I still can't stand the show itself, but they agreed to help this cause and they are doing what they have been asked in order to raise as much money as possible.
They did not play the Superbowl, they played the reopening of the Superdome after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, along with U2. The song they performed was also to raise money for charity, specifically for the Red Cross' Katrina relief efforts. Billie Joe Armstrong and his entire family spent his children's spring break this year in New Orleans helping to build a house for Habitat for Humanity.
Green Day has always been political, but most of their charitable efforts were specifically for the community they lived in and it could be argued they didn't start recording anything overtly political until Macy's Day Parade on Warning, although many of their earlier songs deal with living in the lower class of American life. They have raised money for AIDS charities since the beginning and had Pansy Division, a gay band, as their opener for their first tours in order to try and open up their fans' eyes to the issues of homophobia and gay rights.
The "new" guitarist in their band is Jason White. He's one of the original founders of Billie's record label Adeline and was in the Influents. He's toured with Green Day since Warning and played lead guitar on the American Idiot tour to allow Billie to be more of a front man. He is not an official member of the band although he has played with them either on tour or on cd's since Dookie.
Personally, I think they have an overwhelming compulsion to do anything with the initials AI, American Idiot, Amnesty International and now American Idol, can American Inventors be far behind?