How has Green Day changed your life?

[RevaRad]

I couldn't find a post like this, and i think this is a very important subject.

How has Green Day changed your life?

Since I started listening to Green Day it has helped me escape from everyday stress. I feel at peace when I'm listening to their songs, and I feel I'm a much happier person.

My friend recently got into Twenty One Pilots and we have great banter about who's the better band as well

[spark in the night]

You're asking for a New York Times best selling novel with that question.

[Platypus2000]

I can't even put it into to words to be honest.

[thisguy3496]

Because of Green Day, I met one of my closest friends and he introduced me his gang of friends. We started a band because we all had a love for Green Day back in high school and we still talk to this day. 

We are both kinda awkward kids but conversation is so easy to start when it's Green Day related 

[Billie Hoe]

Oooh, nice topic. I have so much to say about it that it'll probably nominate me for the TMI-Master GDC award, but you asked, so there's that  I'm gonna write up a little story tomorrow, it's a little too late for that now.  

[Maddie86]

Well Green Day got me into punk rock. I started listening to them when I was 9, and then when I was 11 I checked out Screeching Weasel because I saw Mike wearing one of their shirts. When I ordered the Screeching Weasel CD Lookout records started sending me catalogs and I read them and checked out all these other bands and I was hooked. Then in 8th grade a senior with a band saw me wearing a Screeching Weasel shirt and he told me to come check out his band, then I found out that my hometown had a local punk scene, and then I eventually started a band and started playing punk shows when I was 14 and I'm now 30 and haven't stopped going to shows and playing in bands.

[21guns&novacaine]

1 hour ago, spark in the night said:

You're asking for a New York Times best selling novel with that question.

Same haha 

 

I know I talk about my experience here a lot, and to avoid being repetitive (Since I already posted a blog on it a few days ago) I think they distracted me from the certain path of failure I would have gone down at the time I got into them. It was a rough patch of my life and I was resentful towards my family, specifically my sister, for plaguing me with an incureable case of depression. The space she put between us, taking away the care free inseparable quality we had shook me. We'd been so close I'd never worried much about making actual friends, so when she left, I was high and dry and had no one to turn to to vent to about the problems I was having. So I cooped it all up right until I found Green Day and I was thrilled because it was an outlet for my anger and frustration. Really, if I hadn't found them, I don't know how I would have turned out, and that's a scary thought. I know I wouldn't be doing most of the stuff I enjoy now like playing guitar and such. 

[strangestat]

Freshman year of High School was really shitty, I found solace in Green Day. They were like my friends I could count on. I have no idea what kind of person I'd be without them. Maybe dead, who knows?

[lizziebix]

They helped me become a mod on the greatest fansite of all times. 

[GDFan96]

Green Day means so much to me I can't even put it into words, but I'll try. First, they introduced me to punk rock. I had heard some songs here or there, but it never would have become my favorite genre if it wasn't for them. Second, they have provided an outlet for me to realize that it's okay to be different, it's okay to be an outsider. You should embrace that, celebrate that, not be ashamed of it. I always had a tough time making friends. I felt alone through most of high school. Their songs speak to that part of me, and have helped me make new friends who like Green Day as well. Some of my closest friends, we met talking about Green Day. They mean more to me than I could write on paper. They're more than just my favorite band of all time.

[moonj17]

I've loved Green Day since Dookie was released my sophomore year of college. I mentioned this in another post, along with the fact that I feel like I grew up and matured with them, as we are close in age. There are so many memories associated with different songs and stages in my life, good and bad.

There is one Green Day related memory that stands out for me. I can't say it changed my life, but it made a very difficult time much more tolerable. Several years ago my family and I went through a nightmarish ordeal right before Christmas. It wasn't a death or an illness, but it was still devastating and horrible. I absolutely love Christmas and suddenly all of the excitement and anticipation was completely shattered. It was difficult to even function, nevermind prepare for the quickly approaching holiday. I still had so much to do and I hadn't even wrapped a single gift. Normally, I would be listening to Christmas music 24/7, but I just couldn't. Everything was in complete disarray and my spirit was drained. We decided to postpone celebrating Christmas until things were somewhat normal again. I know this sounds strange, but that's what needed to happen. I still had a million things to do, so instead of listening to Christmas music to try and spark my darkened spirit, I completely immersed myself in Green Day. I played it really loud and I played it almost constantly. Somehow, this made it possible for me to function again and bake and wrap gifts and do everything I needed to do to prepare for our delayed Christmas. Somehow, their music reached me when nothing else could. It pulled me out of a very dark place. There was still pain, worry and sadness, but there was also hope - something I thought was lost. For this, I will always be grateful.

I never told anyone the Green Day part of this story before because I know that none of my friends or family would truly understand. However, I'm certain that many of you reading this can relate to the connection I feel to the band and their music and how emotionally powerful it can be in so many ways... You get it. 

 

[straighttohell]

Got into Green Day in 95 when a friend played Basketcase for me. They were the first punk band I ever heard. Before that I was listening to music that my dad listened to, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, 60s rock n roll stuff, which I loved back then and still love now. But punk is really what opened things up for me. And it all started with Green Day. The local record store in my hometown used to list "related bands" on the label cards in between records on the shelves. So it would say "GREEN DAY..... ALSO SEE: Pinhead Gunpowder, Lookout Records, Blatz, Screeching Weasel" or "RANCID.... ALSO SEE: Operation Ivy, Downfall, Lars Fredrickson and The Bastards, etc". This was before the days where the internet was really around, so I would go there and search for hours through records and through compilations and through DIY zines, just trying so hard to learn about bands and labels and scenes. I would save all my pennies and then blow every dime on records, would buy all of those bands and their related bands albums. And then would obsess over record labels, Lookout, Alternative Tentacles, Dischord, 31G, Deranged, Epitaph, SST, Recess, etc. I loved it all so much, and all I wanted to do was be in a punk band. 

I've played in countless punk bands over the years, have toured, written and put out records, played hundreds of shows, loved every single minute of all of it. I still play in a punk band to this day, and still obsess over obscure rare punk 7"s and LPs and cassettes and zines and DIY venues and small punk labels and all of it. Punk rock was the soundtrack and guidebook to my childhood and is still the soundtrack and guidebook of my adulthood. 100% of that is due to Green Day. They opened the door and welcomed me in to a whole world of music and politics and life style that has informed every single aspect of my life.

So far I haven't even mentioned how Green Day's actual songs have changed my life, how every album has come at the exact right time in my life where i've needed it, and feels almost as if it's written for me, as I'm sure they do for all of you. They are a special group of guys who have written some absolutely incredible music and have opened up so many people to the world of punk and rock n roll. It's fucking beautiful. Viva Green Day!

[Denice]

It's cause of Green Day that I'm even interested in music. Before I found Green Day I only listened to the music my friends listened to, I didn't have a favourite artist or a favourite band. But my dad has always been a huge rock fan, like all kinds of different rock genres, and he showed me Green Days music when I was 11. And yeah, I kinda realised then that this is the kind of music that I like. 

And also, their music just makes me a happier person. 

[stories and songs]

I don't know if they really changed my life so much as they helped shape my life. I was introduced to them when I was 11, and really became a fan when I was 12. That's a really important age when you need good influences, and I think they really helped create the person I became throughout middle school—someone who was shy and didn't have a ton of friends, but who was confident enough to be true to herself during one of the most difficult points of adolescence. 

Beyond that, their influence has been immeasurable. I became a socially aware, truly open-minded person because of them—it's funny, because I always feel so connected to what they have to say about politics, but that's probably in large part due to getting that initial introduction to politics from them. And now more than ever, I am more proud than I can possibly express to love a band that uses their voice for change and to speak out about issues that matter. Their outspoken nature has really made an impact on my taste in people, honestly—whether it's a new person I'm meeting or a celebrity I'm reading about, I have a major aversion to apathy.

Stemming from that, I became interested in journalism because of them. I'd always been interested in creative writing as a child, but as I got older I realized that journalism was the type of writing that blended my interest in politics with my passion for writing. I've always wanted my career path to really feel like it matters to the outside world—for my voice to be heard in some way. That interest, and the courage to follow that career path, absolutely came from Green Day. 

Basically, they came into my life at a really important time. Nowadays their impact on my life is a lot simpler—they provide a soundtrack to my daily commute, and make me smile on days when nothing else can. But it always blows my mind to think back and trace all of the ways they've genuinely touched my life over the years. I really would be a very different person without them.

[ZSebs]

I first heard a Green Day song when I was in the sixth grade. My dad put American Idiot on my brand new iPod and I really enjoyed the song, but I never felt the urge to look into their catalog more until 8th grade, when I received 'Static Age' as a free song download. I really enjoyed the song, so I decided to get my hands on every Green Day album that I could so that I could see what I have been missing out on. I have nearly every one of their songs on my phone now, but to be honest, my life hasn't changed too much since I became the fan I am today. There are definitely songs that mean a lot to me that they have released, but I supposed I have never been in an situation where a Green Day song has helped me get through a rough time or where a Green Day song connected me with someone else. To me, Green Day is a super solid band that gives me pleasure when I listen to them, but really, nothing more.

I know this isn't an exciting answer to the question, but it is how I feel. This is a band that I can listen to all day, a band that I want to learn everything about, a band that I love, but that is all they are to me, a band

[M0n3y]

Green Day didn't change my life, they build it up from scratch or they didn't change a thing . I'm a fan since I was 11, so they either made me the person I am today, or I'm Billie Joe's Belgian twin.

Now for real. In times when things are only going south, I find a lot of comfort in their music. It's just so relateable and it gives me the feeling that atleast one guy on this planet understands what I'm going through. Their ideals and world vision are pretty much the same as mine. That also makes me feel that other people are sharing my thoughts 

[M0n3y]

Double post, my bad

[Ric503]

Well first of all I already liked music but after hearing about GD I became a real fan of music of all kinds. Then because of that and specially because of GD I got motivated to learn guitar to play their songs. Also, their music inspires me as a musician and through bad times it helps me and right now RevRad is helping through a new phase of my life, which is University, that I'm liking but for the first time I'm having difficulty to make friends and this kind of nostalgic and party theme from the album is making me think of my friends and family and the good times I had with them and I'm trying to think positive about the future.

[Haushinka!]

I got into Green Day when I was an incredibly shy, awkward 11 year old with zero self esteem. 5th grade and middle school sucked ass. I just kind of let people walk all over me. I didn't vent to my parents or even my friends when shit bothered or hurt me. This band was actually the only thing that gave me some sort of confidence in myself, that encouraged me not to care what people thought. Jamming out to their music was a way for me to get my anger and frustrations out at times, and made me realize that I shouldn't let other people's opinions get me down. There will always be dickheads in life, don't worry about them - just do what you want.

Emotionally, they definitely had a positive impact on my life and i'm grateful for that.

 

[Spike]

Well I started playing bass and guitar the day after I saw them live for the first time, which ultimately led to me doing a music degree and recording three albums (to date). I mean you could argue that might have happened anyway, but being aware of Green Day took me down that path a lot quicker than might have been the case otherwise. I also met some brilliant friends through GDC, one of whom is gonna be best man at my wedding. That's a pretty big deal.