How has your relationship to Green Day evolved?

[BradGreenDay]

Green Day changed my life big time after becoming a fan...

[amy_runs]

i became a crazed/obsessed fan after american idot. i knew all the little useless facts about the band and bought EVERYTHING that had green day written on it. i'm still a huge fan, but i've forgotten most of the facts and i no longer buy excessive amounts of green day merch.

[Jaybles]

I was in the second grade when American Idiot came out, and I had heard of them through my sister because she watched a lot of MuchMusic. I heard a lot about them from award show performances and then I was like "I wanna see these Green Day guys," So I ended up getting my dad to download the mp3 of the song for me, which I really enjoyed. He warned me quite a bit not to repeat those swear words or I'd be in shit.

Eventually, I got the album and heard AI in whole. It blew my mind. My mind was blown so much, I wanted to play guitar and learn all of AI, front to back. Eventually, I found GDA, and then Green Day's entire history and discography. I was hooked until about the 3rd/4th grade, when the tour ended and the whole Idiot era was over. When there was that long drawn out silence from AI to 21CB (I paid no attention to Foxboros at the time), I stopped listening to them. Then Know Your Enemy came out and I was back listening to the albums again. And that leads me here.

I found so many bands from Green Day, like NOFX, Less than Jake, Goldfinger, Sum 41, Blink 182, The Clash, Pinhead Gunpowder, The Frustrators, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Bodyjar, Emily's Army, etc. While I do enjoy tons of other genres and bands, there's always going to be a place in my heart for Green Day and punk rock.

[porksoda]

I've liked Green Day for a long time. Other than Metallica, they're the first band I actually claimed to like and could recognize songs of. The first time I heard them, I was about 9 or 10, and I had a neighborhood friend who was kind of a 'rebel.' We were hanging out one day, and he took me into his brother's room and played me "All By Myself" and then asked, "Do you know what that song's about?" I said, "Sneaking around someone's house when they're not home?" and he goes, "No, it's about masturbation." I didn't knkow what masturbation was at the time, but I played along. We then listened to most of Nimrod while I looked extensively through the album art. Warning was released soon after, and I found myself obsessed with the singles and constantly had "Minority" stuck in my head. I was still too young to buy CD's my mom didn't approve of, so a friend made me a mix tape with songs from Warning and songs from The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show by blink. I wore the tape out. Soon after, International Superhits was released and I received it for my birthday. I listened to it almost every day on the way to and home from school.

Fast forward to the release of Shenanigans. I had my parents take me to Circuit City after school and buy me the CD. I had no idea it was a b-side album, but I played it to death. A year or so later, I found Green Day Authority, Kazaa, and began my obsession with them. I had to ease into a lot of their earlier music. I remember hating most of Dookie when I first heard it, and some of the harder stuff on Nimrod. But eventually, I adjusted.

I remember being ecstatic reading about the premiere of the "American Idiot" single and patiently waiting by my radio to hear the song. It was almost life changing. And then the actual album came out. I was going through a rough time in my life, struggling to fit in in high school and just hating my parents and the world. Sounds cliche and all, but American Idiot was my salvation almost. I remember thinking, "Wow. This sounds exactly like how I feel. I'm not alone." I also spent this period collecting every Green Day mp3 I could find, downloading countless bootlegs and photos, and just memorizing every stupid fact about the band that I had read. I had an entire harddrive on my computer dedicated to Green Day.

Green Day really helped get me into a lot of other punk bands - which I'm really grateful for, and over time, and the course of a few new computers, my GD collection has dwindled. I aim to change that as soon as I get the chance, but it's almost overwhelming seeing the amount of info and bootlegs and interviews and mp3's from the band that I've missed. And I've killed a lot of time just reading (and watching things) about Green Day.

They definitely changed my life, and I think the only way my relationship with them has changed is by getting stronger, even if I have less time as an adult to devote to them.

[BJA TC MD]

If anything, my relationship with Green Day grows stronger each day. 

I first heard Green Day back in the American Idiot era. I liked the songs, I thought they were the best songs around for the time. Then again, I was only 7 years old. Around 5 years later, I saw the video for Know Your Enemy, and I loved the song. That's when everything started. 

Now Green Day have really become an important part of my life. They are the one thing that can make me happy when im sad. Listening to their music can always put me in a better mood. The other night, all I felt like doing was crying, and I heard Green Day, and it really helped me. For example, when i hear Jesus of Suburbia, I get this feeling of power and strength, and I just think "no one can fuck with me now". It's a feeling I can't get from anywhere else. 

I think, as the days go on, my relationship with Green Day will only continue to strengthen, no matter happens to me or them. 

[serenade_xx]

They've done a huge part to make me who I am today.Therefore they will always have a special place in my heart.Of course there are times I don't listen to them that often,but at the end of the day I'll always love them.They were the first band I really listened to,I can't even describe how special AI is to me.It made me feel like someone understood me,and that it is okay to be yourself even if you're messed up sometimes...

I just love them,always will.No matter what they'll do,even if I won't like their newer stuff at some point (what I doubt),nothing can take away what their music gave me.

[DannyDirnt]

To be honest, Green Day were sort of my source of power when I was down. I was having a real personal crisis and they helped me go through it. I'll always be grateful for that. I was more into them before, but I'm still very into them. It's just that now I don't have that much to discover so I started paying attention to other bands too.

When I'm sad any GD song can cheer me up, even Wake Me Up When September Ends. Just for the immense epicness.

[SOMEONEKILLTHEDJ]

the first i heard of green day was at the age of 10 when i first heard basket case i loved that song alot and eventualy when i was in year 7 i started listening to green day more mainly the albums american idiot and 21st century as they were the main ones at the time and eventualy after a period of time i listened to the over albums they had my love for this band wont ever change they made me who i am today

[jacknovella]

Awesome thread

For me, it started with American Idiot. I remember sometime around the time it came out we heard WMUWSE on the radio on the way to school (I was 11) and my mom asked me if I liked them. At the time I hadn't really heard that much, so I just kinda shrugged. They ended up buying me the CD for my birthday and I loved it, I listened to it all the time, I was always asking my parents to play it in the car. After a while I kinda stopped listening to it, although it remained my favourite album. I didn't really get back into Green Day until some months prior to the release of 21st Century Breakdown, I saw an article talking about the new album and I just remember thinking "Holy shit, Green Day! I remember them!" So I dug out my old AI CD and put it on and since then I've gone on to buy their entire discography and I'm about as much of a fan as you can be.

I'm sure everyone will know what I mean when I say that any of their songs, even the less upbeat songs like Rest can cheer me up and make me happy. No other band has been able to do that for me, I just relate so much to this band and their music and philosophy and whole kinda vibe in general I think. There was a period where I was almost obsessively watching interviews and stuff with the band but I think I've pretty much seen all of them at this point so I stopped doing that XD I'm still very much into the music though, especially during this amazing era with the trilogy.

It goes beyond words, to be honest.

[St3veHimself]

I had heard basket case on the radio a lot and I did like the song, but just never really knew about the band or the record dookie. I was a fan but never really listened to them that much until nimrod came out. I absolutely fell in love with that album! I listened to their old music and was blown away. Warning was great, AI was great, 21st CB was ok. None of my family members or friends except for a few really understand what they mean to me. Ever have the feeling or understanding of not knowing how much something means to you until something bad happens? For me I always new they meant a lot to me, but when BJ entered rehab, I felt like someone I've known for years or my family member was sent to rehab. It was all I thought about. I was so upset he was there.

[localinsomniac]

Well, they don't call me anymore. Whenever I write to them, all that comes back is an invitation to join something called the Idiot Club. For a long time, they were wearing more eyeliner than my 21-year-old sister on a Friday night at the ootz-ahtz club. Now I hear that Billie Joe is in rehab, and I had to find out from TMZ.

I get it- they're big rock stars now. They don't have time for me anymore. The relationship is practically non-existent, to put it mildly. I'll still pick up their CDs, grudgingly. Just a shame that they forgot their roots.

Can't wait to see how many people take this seriously.

[mbk]

I've been reading through everything on this thread. I love that so many people have been moved to write their histories out. Thanks!

[The Grohl]

My history with GD has defnitely grown stronger. Of course when they were out in the 90s I was too young to really know or understand who they were or even be interested in them. And like a lot of people I became a fan around American Idiot. I loved the songs and everything so much that I went through their entire catalog and at that time I liked that the songs were catchy and had some kick ass guitar riffs that I wanted to learn how to play myself. But I as I got older I started paying attention to lyrics and realizing what they are actually saying in the songs. I love how so many are so relatable and how they can be really witty. Also, I started watching more interviews with them and getting to know how they are not just as a band, but as people.

I remember someone once asked me who was a musican I respected and I didn't have an answer. But now I do: Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day. I want to be a writer and so many people look down on that. the only thought that goes through their head is good luck being poor. But whenever I listen to GD and remember how they got started, it inspires to keep doing what I love no matter what anyone says to stop me.

Thanks for keeping me going Green Day

[Backyard Skulls]

My mum used to listen to a lot of rock/punk rock music when I was younger, I knew the words to All The Small Things and Pretty Fly (for a white guy) when I was about 7 haha. She used to listen to green day when dookie came out and then forgot about them, guess her taste rubbed off on me

In 2004 I started hearing green day on the radio and thinking 'wow'. I forgot about them until 2005 and got ai for Christmas that year. I was only 11 and the lyrics just seemed amazing. In 2006 I became obsessed, I lived and breathed green day. I bought biab and was just amazed, they just looked awesome, that was the first time I was exposed to their older stuff. I remember my mum watched it first incase it was dodgy :L My uncle sent me copies of dookie and nimrod, as well as proper versions of Insomniac and IS in the summer after hearing he was a huge fan. I listened to IS constantly, on my last day of primary school I played time of your life on repeat for about 4 hours, being 12 at the time. That summer I made a ~band~ an wanted to play bass due to Mr Dirnt <3

I got into their older stuff eventually, my interest wad always there. I finally saw them in 2009 it was amazing. I still love them to pieces but my interest isn't as huge as it was, I like a lot of indie bands now and I'm into other types of music.

They've always been there though and have gotten me into music. Without them I would have never wanted to learn guitar, to be told I can't and take up the trumpet instead. I also got into tons of other bands through them just through association. They've never saved me or anything, just gotten me through different times in my life.

Thank you green day <3

tl;dr green day are amazing but I'm not as crazy for them now

[mafeidiot]

Before I become a fan I had already heard American Idiot and 21 guns on tv. Then I found out that the guy I liked loved Green Day and all I wanted to do was talk to him,so I started listening Green Day. Ended up that I even like him now and now I am a crazy fan of GD.

[Australian1diot]

For me, it kind of started with Warning, but mainly American Idiot. My Dad has been a fan since Dookie and I was born in 1997. In 2002-04, my Dad started to teach me to appreciate music, and just played Warning for me when I was 4-6. I don't remember clearly of listening to it but I remember Castaway from when I was 5. Then when I turned 7, American Idiot was 4 months away and then was the day my Dad brought home American Idiot. I remember as if it were yesterday and we played through the album. It was magical, that moment of the punch of the solo in American Idiot blew me away and I just wanted more. My Dad brought me to their concert in their 2005 tour and I remember us in the very front row, squashed, sweaty, and tired from waiting in lines. Then they came on and gave a fantastic show. My appreciation at that point made me come home after the concert and asked my Dad for more music by them, he of course has a discography by them and I listened to them all over time. From listening to all their music I felt really inspired to play guitar, I started lessons when I was seven years old and still play a lot today. After learning Holiday and Basket Case and others from Dookie and American Idiot but the album I was so attached was Nimrod. The songs had a wide variety from slow stuff to fast stuff and I wouldn't bother learning the music on the guitar, I would rather listen to it. Every day (and counting) Green Day make me feel more and more special and I feel more and more attached to them every day. Then 21st Century Breakdown came out and I actually loved it, because of the new album and also tour dates. I went to their concert with my Dad in the mosh pit because we came late to the front, then they played and it's my favorite show to this date. Then waiting for any sign of a new album was a real pain, I found it hard to find any websites with any constant Green Day news so I just watched a shit load of YouTube videos like interviews, live performances, funny moments etc. Then I looked up Wikipedia and found a lot of information there. Then in 2011, I finally found Green Day Authority, the headlining post was Billie's Incident on the plane with his saggy pants, and a good day that was. I looked around and found a lot of new information. I found Green Day Community quite a while ago but was never to keen on it. Then a few moths ago, I signed up and looked around the forums, curious. I have found out so much more on Green Day Community and I would really like to thank Andres for Green Day Authority and Green Day Community, not only for producing great news almost every day but for making me realize how much of a special band Green Day are. I also found out I could buy tickets for somewhere in Germany and as a surprise, my Dad got us tickets for Berlin, amazing concert (mostly because of Stray Heart and Let Yourself GO) and an amazing mosh pit. This band I believe will continue to inspire me for as long as I can imagine but I will always know, even if they do anything that I disagree with, I will always love them because of what they have given me.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

I remeber the first time I ever heard Green Day was when I was about eight years old or so. I was sleeping over my friend's house, and she had stolen her older brother's dookie CD so that we could listen to it. I instantly loved what I was hearing!!! The next day, I asked my dad to buy me that CD and he said no. . That was the end of that.

When I was a sophmore in high school, Green Day came back to me when another friend of mine had me listen to American Idoit. I remeber she was so excited because Green Day was coming out with a new album, and she told me when she picked it up, I could have a listen. After she listened to it, she ended up letting me keep the CD, because she apparently hated it. Me on the other hand....I fell in LOVE with it!! . Turns out, the album helped me

get through some of the roughest years of my life.

In 2005, I saw them live for the first time, and of course I was once again blown away!! Not only was it my first Green Day show, it was my first rock concert. I remember these people that had to be in their 20's at the time were talking to me and my friends before the show started, and they basically told us we are about to have "the time of our life", not to mention, they help protect us from the pushy crowd. That was awsome of them!

I've been listening to them ever since, and it seems no matter what they do, they never cease to amaze me.

Anyways, It's because of Green Day that I am the person I am today. If it wasn't for them, I would probably never founded any of the other great bands I listen to today, or started playing guitar,or met any of the friends that I have come to care about dearly. Who knows, I might not have even made it through high school.

[desecrator09]

Seems like alot of us were attached to both Metallica and Green Day as our first bands that we liked a lot. Green day branched me off into different punk bands and Metallica to different Metal bands.

[mbk]

One thing I noticed in a lot of people's stories that I think is really cool is that a lot of people first got into Green Day when they were really really young. I can kind of see that about Green Day, that they are so straightforward and just really good that a lot of different people at different points in their lives can appreciate them. I think that young kids might actually be some of the hardest judges: you can't tell a 10-year-old what they're supposed to like!

[scottpilgrim10]

I didn't listen to much music when I was younger, because I didn't have an Ipod till Late last year. I had a CD player and the only 2 CDS I owned with it were Simple Plan Still Not Getting Any and Green Day Intenational Superhits! I think my favorite song was Welcome to Paradise. I also listened to Dookie and AI alot with my dad in his car, but I have been listening to Green Day a lot since last year.

[musso_kn]

My relationship with Green Day's music?

Man, it's been beautiful all the way through and we just celebrated our 5th anniversary together.

I met Green Day through American Idiot on some shitty, rainy Friday afternoon in December 2007. Word on the street was that it was something special. I liked the look of it, so I took it home. That night left me with me such an empty feeling. I didn't know what I though of the whole thing, so I curled up and fell asleep. I awoke the next morning, at around nine a.m., in a cold sweat. What had happened? There it was, right next to me. We did it all over again. And again...By the end of the week, man, I was infatuated. I had never met anything like it before. It was intelligent, funny, interesting and..it understood me. Yet, I felt so guilty. Avril Lavigne's Best Damn thing hadn't crossed my mind at all that week. That was more than enough to cause concern. How could I do that? And then I thought, fuck it! Why should I suffer, if it can't satisfy me?Lavigne was history from there on in.

It was risky business getting to know this rebellious, revolutionary, deep music. I knew I could end up disappointed. But I wasn't about to give up without a fight. I got to know so much about it so quickly. It's life since 1988. I never got tired or bored of the stories, so poetically told, sometimes angry, sometimes playful, and sometimes so sad. Two weeks later and I was in love. My parents told me I was mad. I said they didn't understand.

"You really love it that much?" they asked

My response?

"I do", with all its wonderful connotations.

Since then, I have to be honest, I nearly cheated in 2010/11. I was this close to filing for a divorce. I'd met Radiohead through in Rainbows. Yet, there was always something that stopped me from doing so. It's my best friend, but in retrospect, nothing more. A little bit of a pretentious bastard sometimes, you know? I realised I had been taking it for granted. I finally found I was happy with the relationship I magically fell into with Green Day, and I just pray to God everyday that we grow old together happily.

[Jean]

We had a little rough patch but the make up sex has been great.

[RiseDay]

It was back in 2010 when I heard 21 Guns first in the radio. I was like "what the fuck was that?!" (in a good way). You know, this little break in the middle of the song..I just creamed my pants I've never heard something like that before. And I started thinking about how the fuck they managed it to start at the same point again..man I hope you get what I mean. I knew nothing about music back then. After a couple of hours shouting at the radio, ('cause they didn't want to tell me who made that song ) they finally said it I saved the band name on my phone, so I don't forget it. When I arrived at home, I searched after "Greenday" (yeah I wrote it together..dumbass me ) and found American Idiot..after a while, I realesed that there was a whole record. I think I heard the record like 10 times per week The rest..is history

But they helped me a lot in shittie situations. I was on a school trip (you know, that shit where you drive with your class on vacation and stuff?) and my teacher is an insane motherfucker..trust me, I don't overdo it. He freaked out a couple of times and I started kinda crying..manly tears! But then, I started listenning to Last of the American Girls and everything stops sucking ) I think that's why I just love 21st Century Breakdown..so if you fuck with that record, you're fucking with me! :angry

There are a lot of other situations like that, but I don't wanna disturb you with my emotional shit

But another biiiig fucking point why I love Green Day is, they brought me into a lot of other bands. My iPod is now full with Green Day,Sum 41, Rise Against, Blink 182 and Billy Talent (and Cro )

Wop Wop bad english is bad

Sorry for mistakes

[Yaz.]

They were my first really huge pre-teen band love when I got into them, so it was pretty naive and fangirly. My love and appreciation for them grew as I grew older, but it changed tenfold when I finally saw them in reality, on stage for the first time. It's only got worse from there.

[Gwen Stacy]

Billie Joe has become my lover