New Song: "Here Comes the Shock"

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, greendepent said:

I find it funny how people can consider FOAM fake when I think it has some very dark and honest lyrics. For instance, I never though that BJ was glorifing the that behaviour, but more like how he ended doing so. That's why I like the record so much. It has a high amount of self-inspection that I loved from the very begining.

You beat me to it! Yes, there are some pretty deep and honest statements on that album, as I noted above.

2 minutes ago, Beerjeezus said:

Speaking of the coke/alcohol/whatnot stuff, obviously it’s his business and it’s something I want to be respectful about, but at this point, the respectful thing seems to be aknowleding it, because I see no point in criticizing the songs for this kind of lyrical content without any regard for the fact that he’s got a problem with substances, so there’s a fair chance that it’s not just a case of a party-hungry middle aged guy being embarrassing. 

Exactly. This is what I have been saying. I admire how he has addressed these things honestly in his music. I don't know what the coke sniff in HCTS means, but I don't think we can assume it is celebrating drugs.

[Little Boy Named Booze]

I really don't want to go back to this Billie Joe / Cocaine stuff again but he gave us the opportunity to talk about it on a silver plate again.

[pacejunkie punk]

1 minute ago, Beerjeezus said:

Speaking of the coke/alcohol/whatnot stuff, obviously it’s his business and it’s something I want to be respectful about, but at this point, the respectful thing seems to be aknowleding it, because I see no point in criticizing the songs for this kind of lyrical content without any regard for the fact that he’s got a problem with substances, so there’s a fair chance that it’s not just a case of a party-hungry middle aged guy being embarrassing. 

That’s where the concerning part comes in. Assuming he’s being honest (and let’s give him the benefit of the doubt because he always has been) then we’re not prying into his personal life by discussing this, because he’s putting it out there publicly over and over again.  And I do think there is a lot of honesty on FOAM, much of it is very dark. And it’s not just us that believes what he says. He said when Junkies on a High came out and the line “rock and roll tragedy/I think the next one could be me” he had friends and family call him to ask “Are you ok?” 

And we’ve gone over all this before and it’s not new. I would love to put the images and content of FOAM behind us as a blip, except he just dropped another song and there it is again, another coke reference. He keeps putting it out there.

5 minutes ago, Little Boy Named Booze said:

I really don't want to go back to this Billie Joe / Cocaine stuff again but he's giving us the opportunity to talk about it on a silver plate again.

Exactly 

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

That’s where the concerning part comes in. Assuming he’s being honest (and let’s give him the benefit of the doubt because he always has been) then we’re not prying into his personal life by discussing this, because he’s putting it out there publicly over and over again.  And I do think there is a lot of honesty on FOAM, much of it is very dark. And it’s not just us that believes what he says. He said when Junkies on a High came out and the line “rock and roll tragedy/I think the next one could be me” he had friends and family call him to ask “Are you ok?” 

And we’ve gone over all this before and it’s not new. I would love to put the images and content of FOAM behind us as a blip, except he just dropped another song and there it is again, another coke reference. He keeps putting it out there.

Exactly 

I would add that we are in very difficult times, as we all know. A lot of people are struggling, and substance abuse is through the roof. Billie may not be facing the same kind of hardships economically as many people are, but we must still consider the fact that the one thing he loves most--performing for fans--has been taken away from him, even if only temporarily. That can't be easy on him, and we don't know what else that is leading to. If people are wondering as before why he seems down, that's probably why. So I think we should all have a little compassion for that circumstance.

[Beerjeezus]

4 minutes ago, BillieMyLove said:

This is what I have been saying. I admire how he has addressed these things honestly in his music. I don't know what the coke sniff in HCTS means, but I don't think we can assume it is celebrating drugs.

I think it’s dumb (and HCTS isn’t very good for a green day song). I’m not sure if it’s exactly celebratory or just juvenile humor, but I would judge the song and a lot of stuff GD has done recently a lot harsher if I didn’t take this into account. I don’t want to make fun of anyone for having mental health problems. So let’s say this is a precaution I take. Worst case scenario, he’s totally fine writing dumb lyrics and I don’t make fun of him for it on the internet. 

[Rumpelstiltskin2000]

16 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

That’s what he finally went to rehab for, but he’s used every recreational drug under the sun to varying degrees over many years. (Unless you’re saying that he didn’t go to rehab for coke and that somehow that makes it okay?)

No, not saying that at all. Just that Billie specifically said in Rolling Stone that rehab was for booze and prescription drugs

[pacejunkie punk]

3 minutes ago, BillieMyLove said:

I would add that we are in very difficult times, as we all know. A lot of people are struggling, and substance abuse is through the roof. Billie may not be facing the same kind of hardships economically as many people are, but we must still consider the fact that the one thing he loves most--performing for fans--has been taken away from him, even if only temporarily. That can't be easy on him, and we don't know what else that is leading to. If people are wondering as before why he seems down, that's probably why. So I think we should all have a little compassion for that circumstance.

Absolutely. Performing is also one of the addiction substitutes he relies on because he had said it is like a drug and a healthy high for him. It must be extremely difficult to cope without that and I feel for him

[Beerjeezus]

8 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

That’s where the concerning part comes in. Assuming he’s being honest (and let’s give him the benefit of the doubt because he always has been) then we’re not prying into his personal life by discussing this, because he’s putting it out there publicly over and over again.  And I do think there is a lot of honesty on FOAM, much of it is very dark. And it’s not just us that believes what he says. He said when Junkies on a High came out and the line “rock and roll tragedy/I think the next one could be me” he had friends and family call him to ask “Are you ok?” 

And we’ve gone over all this before and it’s not new. I would love to put the images and content of FOAM behind us as a blip, except he just dropped another song and there it is again, another coke reference. He keeps putting it out there.

Exactly 

Yes, honestly I don’t think he makes the lyrics up completely now when he’s always been autobiographical. It’s never been just a schtick and I have no idea what the appeal of Green Day would be if it ever was. Would anyone care for Basket Case if it was written by someone who never experienced anxiety? So I don’t think it’s fair to assume these new songs are insincere, but there are some dark, complicated emotions that they elicit and it’s difficult to pick up on that, because on a surface level, some of these songs really do sound like “it’s so much fun to pretend I’m 20 lmao let’s party!!! drugs are so cool!!!”.

[Xelgrim]

Ok this is driving me crazy, does anyone know what the backing vocal lyric is at ~0:37 after Billie sings "Annie get your gun"?  Can't make out a single word.

[Rumpelstiltskin2000]

2 minutes ago, Xelgrim said:

Ok this is driving me crazy, does anyone know what the backing vocal lyric is at ~0:37 after Billie sings "Annie get your gun"?  Can't make out a single word.

Lyrics are in this article I posted a few pages ago if that helps 

https://www.kerrang.com/amp/green-day-have-released-a-brand-new-single-here-comes-the-shock?__twitter_impression=true

[Xelgrim]

Just now, Rumpelstiltskin2000 said:

Lyrics are in this article I posted a few pages ago if that helps 

https://www.kerrang.com/amp/green-day-have-released-a-brand-new-single-here-comes-the-shock?__twitter_impression=true

Thanks, but they leave the lyric out of this and every other source I can find 😓.  Guess no one else knows either and the band didn't put it in the official lyrics in the video description.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, pacejunkie punk said:

It almost broke the band up in the nineties and this is public knowledge too, that Billie couldn’t take all the criticism Mike and Tre were dishing out to the point where he was reluctant to bring songs to them for fear of their reaction and his growing lack of self confidence.  Also, listen to the way he rants about message boards in HLAHG (“See? They get in your head the little pricks they’re like gremlins!”). 

I don’t have exact interviews to point you to I can never find them easily again, but he has also always been his harshest critic.

“My mother said to me/you’re gonna have your enemies, don’t beg, don’t follow

I’ve heard it all before/I’ve smashed my fingers in the door, my downward spiral”

Well, I think the important take away from all of this is that in spite of these challenges, the band stuck together and achieved great things. These are people. We all go through challenges where we bang heads with friends, family, coworkers, etc, but in the end we work things out. They have talked quite a bit about how they are all best friends outside their work, and that's what holds them together. I think that is something worth admiring. 

I am honestly surprised by the message board bit since Billie has talked about how he does not read his own press since he thinks it interferes with the songwriting process. But while we are on the subject of message boards and Instagram and such, I think his reactions are totally appropriate. There aren't many "music critics" on social media; what there are, if you will forgive the cliche, are a lot of "armchair quarterback" dudes in their mother's basements who think they can write a Grammy-winning song when they can barely write their own names. They launch personal attacks whenever they don't like something and show zero respect for the effort that goes into an artform they know nothing about. In all honesty, it's why probably why Billie left Instagram, and that is probably for the better.

It is important to be able to take feedback from the people you work with and use it to improve your work. But giving weight to every negative thing every Joe Asshole says is not healthy. To be successful, there comes a point where you have to tune out the noise and the naysayers and believe enough in yourself to keep pursuing your goals regardless of what others say. I think Billie has found a way to do that, and in all honesty, I find that inspiring. I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy all my life, and while the drive to overcome them has led me to accomplish a decent number of things, I also eventually realized that I was doing some things to prove that I was "enough" rather than because I actually wanted to. I have spent the past few years figuring out what I really want out of life and becoming much happier, and I truly find the example of someone like Billie who is unapologetically himself very helpful.

[dirnt286]

I love that they got Hilken from Punk Rock Aerobics to star in the video. She's from Boston, and I recently spent 3 years living there. My wife and I have participated in a few of her classes in the past couple months, so it was delightful to see her on the big (or small?) screen. I hope the band paid her well.

[DookieLukie]

The song is growing on me, I must say.

[Cunt]

10 hours ago, Little Boy Named Booze said:

Billie Joe literally can't handle criticism.
He act like a baby sometime when he reply to some criticism or even on Instagram.

You mean Butch Walker?

[Eric]

better than The offsprings new song

[Hermione]

2 hours ago, Eric said:

better than The offsprings new song

I subjected myself to listening to it because of it getting mentioned here. It was an assault on my ears

[Beerjeezus]

5 hours ago, Cunt said:

You mean Butch Walker?

Maybe that’s why he and BJA seem to get along so well

[Little Boy Named Booze]

3 hours ago, Hermione said:

I subjected myself to listening to it because of it getting mentioned here. It was an assault on my ears

Damn well I learn that's it's subjective cause I love the song and hate HCTS!

[Beerjeezus]

It’s a rare occassion when the Offspring song has a louder handclaps track than Green Day’s.

[legendary]

First hearing: meh

Now: HERE COMES THE SHOCK! HERE COMES THE SHOOOCK!!!! 

[The Grohl]

Honestly, I give no thought to the references to coke. My thought is Billie is a writer, he can write about whatever and it doesn't necessarily have to be about his life. I get where the concern is coming from, but this is just how I see it.

[Rumpelstiltskin2000]

15 hours ago, pacejunkie punk said:

 (Unless you’re saying that he didn’t go to rehab for coke and that somehow that makes it okay?)

Felt I had to come back to this. I know you don't know me but I'm 32 years clean and sober out of rehab and I would never suggest anything like that 

Maybe I'm just a stickler for getting the facts straight 

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Rumpelstiltskin2000 said:

Felt I had to come back to this. I know you don't know me but I'm 32 years clean and sober out of rehab and I would never suggest anything like that 

Maybe I'm just a stickler for getting the facts straight 

I don't know you but I want to say I am very proud of you and you are very brave sharing this. And I honestly mean every word of that 1000%.

[pacejunkie punk]

13 minutes ago, Rumpelstiltskin2000 said:

Felt I had to come back to this. I know you don't know me but I'm 32 years clean and sober out of rehab and I would never suggest anything like that 

Maybe I'm just a stickler for getting the facts straight 

I know perfectly well what he went to rehab for but that had nothing to do with the point I was making. There is no appropriate use of cocaine. Any use is abuse. Just because you didn’t go to rehab for it doesn’t make it any less of a concern (it’s maybe even more of a concern)