Why did Green Day stick on you?

[Katarina.]

Just.. because

[Ivy Ramsbottom]

I remember watching Green Day on MTV as my daughters(now 23 and 26) were watching them. I really liked them, punky with a kinda F***You 'tude plus they were hot even then-I'm only 52 now!!!!I 'd hear them now and again and then in October this year I really heard them and thought wow-I need to hear more of them. Now I have pretty much everything of them that I can find, Pinhead Gunpowder, FBHT, etc., I then read Seize the Green Day by Niki Lee in the editorial section on this site, and OMG, it really woke me up. Not the Bailey's and the drugs, but some habits of my own that needed change. I had my own catastrophic incident and Green Day is kicking my ass into gear along with "80" Huzzah Green Day!

[The Disappearing Boy]

because i like their music. simple.

[captain peroxide]

If I'm totally honest, I appear to be rather in the minority in that it was not the lyrics that immediately entranced me. TBH, I couldn't understand Billie Joe all that well until a couple of repeat listenings. Once I twigged what the lyrics were, then that just cemented Green Day in my personal Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but I think what originally attracted me to them was the raw simplicity and emotion in the songs. I hadn't listened to very much punk music before GD, so this was an entirely new genre for me. The fact that songs could be that uncomplicated while still being amazing to listen to was a very new notion for me, and Green Day have always been the best at that, in my eyes. Letting the music back the words, not vice versa. Cause so many bands are the exact opposite, with weak lyrics as an excuse to show off technical ability on an instrument or add twenty layers of effects. Which is all well and good when and if it is done properly, but Green Day were quite unique to me, and always will be.

[Astrid.]

Because they are sticky. They have this 'field' around them that attracts you to them. I'm speaking the truth here, nothing to do with my tiredness.. nope completely nothing to do with that. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Tubbie Head]

Because they are sticky. They have this 'field' around them that attracts you to them. I'm speaking the truth here, nothing to do with my tiredness.. nope completely nothing to do with that. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

hahaha.. I totally agree with you!

[Modern Zero.]

There are actually a couple reasons why they've stuck to me:

1. Billie's lyrics are amazing. Just..the way he words things together. The words he puts together sometimes seem random when you read the lyrics, and yet the way he sings the song, it all seems makes sense. I just love how he plays on words, it's like he has his own unique style of writing that I don't think anyone else could try and imitate. It's like the lyrics just come out of him and onto paper so easily. The lyrics just flow so nicely together also.

2. None of the albums sound exactly the same. I think that's one of the most interesting things about Green Day is that they actually change and they're not afraid to experiment and try new things with each album. They just don't make the next album sound like the last. Dookie and Insomniac are totally different in sound, but it still sounds like something Green Day would do. Same with even Warning compared to American Idiot. It makes it exciting to find out what they're going to do with the next album cause it's like, what's Green Day cooking up this time? I think it makes it not boring to people, although there probably are some fans who don't like all the changes and just want them to stick with Dookie sounding music. I personally think that the difference in sounds with Green Day make them more diverse. It shows that they can do more than just one type of music.

3. Their personalities. I love how they present themselves in things such as interviews. They all have great sense of humor and are known to randomly mess around during interviews. I think it's funny how Tre just randomly goes off in his own world and starts doing things like putting a guy's mircophone in the microwave or putting a bag over a girl's head (which is actually kinda...dangerous...O_o) or how after everytime they perform on David Letterman he does something stupid. I love how Billie can go on and on about a subject and just starts rambling for like 5 minutes, managing to get in tons of "you know's" in them and Mike and Tre just stare out into space after awhile xD. I also love how Mike randomly does dancing moves and all of his jokes are funny. I don't know...It's just that a lot of celebrities don't just randomly mess around in interviews and joke around like they do.

4. Their background. Another interesting thing about Green Day is their history. They just have a lot of depth to them as a band. I love learning about their lives before Dookie and just getting to know how they came to be a band. I love how they worked hard to get gigs and another thing that amazes me is how they traveled around the US and even Europe without having a lot of money and how they'd just randomly sleep in strangers houses. Just how much they're dedicated to do what they love to do and became so successful even though they came from having little or no money, they still made it, and I think that is so inspiring to many people. It shows that although you don't have much you can still do something you love to do if you work hard at it. It's just...not all bands have such depth and background to them. Another band I can think of that have a lot of depth to them is The Beatles. A lot of the older bands do. I don't know...I think it also depends on how long a band has been together and how old they are.

So yeah...those are just a few reasons why I've stuck with Green Day for as long as I have which is almost 6 years. I first discovered them when I was 10. My dad had Nimrod and I guess I just found it one day, thought it looked interesting, and decided to listen to it. I got hooked basically at the first song. I couldn't stop listening to that album after that. I traded the album with my dad and gave him my Good Charlotte hat when i used to like them before Green Day for about only a year so Nimrod is mine now. lol

Oh..and sorry that the post is kinda long >_<

[Hermione]

^So much truth in that post! I have to agree, there's so many different things that add up to make them great. They really do have the whole package.

[Guest LusciousZ]

Jaysus Christ you guys type a lot. I read everything though, and I have to agree...

Well, for me.. they've been one of my moms favorites since Dookie first came out so i've always been aware of them and listened to it but it wasn't until 1998 when I was 9 when they became one of my favorite bands.

I watched the Godzilla remake with Mathew Broderick, and i'm sure it was a horrible movie but Brain Stew was in it and all I remember is how cool I thought the song was. While all the girls in my school were in love with the backstreet boys i was listening to green day. I'm pretty proud of that

[Juan]

Well, I was 12 and in 6th grade

I was a total song whore, not caring about any band, just the singles and whatever was on on MTV

When I first heard Green Day I felt bitchslapped on the face, like a true emoting coming out of the speakers and not just another song about sex, something with meaning

I remember laying on the ground with American Idiot blasting full volume and thinking: "Should I just be a casual fan or do I go full-on, and become a true fan for the first time?" And I was just in too deep

From that point on my values and music taste changed dramatically, I cut off all my phony friendships and started new ones that I still have to this day, I got into rock, I became politically aware

That's why Green Day is still to this day my favorite band

[Modern Zero.]

^So much truth in that post! I have to agree, there's so many different things that add up to make them great. They really do have the whole package.

Exactly.

It's just that...at the time when I was 10, before I listened to Green Day, I was listening to really...just crappy music such as Hilary Duff, Nsync, Backstreet Boys, and even Good Charlotte arn't all that great in my opinion. And sure, all my life I grew up with tons of metal rock from my dad like Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Black Sabbath, that kind of stuff. (My dad is the same age as Billie and has played the guitar since 8. I learned guitar from him.) And then my mom always listened to Shania Twain like...non stop >_< But I also grew up around bands like U2 and Aerosmith as well. But...let's just say I was attached to pop music at the time so I focused all of my attention on that. I used to be obsessed with Britney Spears when I was like 5 or 6. Mostly her poppy older stuff, none of her really provocitive music thank god. xD I was also obsessed with the "band" Dream Street. So when I discovered Green Day's music for the first time and listened to it, it sounded so foreign to me. I was like wtf? REAL MUSIC? lol.

So after I started listening to Green Day, I quickly got off of all that poppy junk and learned the guitar from my dad and also..another great thing about Green Day is that I discovered so many great bands from them like The Beatles and The Ramones (obviously i've heard of them before, but never really looked into their music.) and also Rancid, Operation Ivy, The Kinks, The Who, The Clash, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, Iggy Pop, Billy Talent, David Bowie, etc. A lot of bands that Billie likes I started getting into. He has an amazing taste in music xD

But yeah, I just love how they act in interviews. They just act like they normally would act if there wern't any cameras on them. They never try to impress anybody. Like most celebrities just act so informal in a way in interviews, they just seem so fake and they try to be all "sophisticated". Green Day isn't like that. They just act like themselves. Them as their personalities I feel have not changed one bit. Tre is still a crazy nut even now, Billie still talks a lot in interviews lol and just has this kind of sarcastic attitude and he has always spoke his mind, and Mike is still laid back and funny. The only thing really that has changed is that they've got older. It's just that they seem so real as just ordinary people, whereas most celebrities try and impress people and it's like they have to act a certain way. You feel like you actually really know Green Day even though you've never met them in person.

Not only is their music amazing, but they're also amazing just as human beings in general. =)

[Spark of Insanity]

From that point on my values and music taste changed dramatically, I cut off all my phony friendships and started new ones that I still have to this day, I got into rock, I became politically aware

That's why Green Day is still to this day my favorite band

Exactly the same thing with me, and I got into Green Day when I was depressed and I wanted to die. They gave me something to look forward to and I loved all of their music. I became more politically aware because before I wasn't at all. I knew nothing and they actually helped my vocabulary skills. I wanted to know what some of the words they were saying were so I figured them out for myself and started to broaden my vocabulary. Thier music is unique and changed my musical taste. I love rock now, as to before I didn't really and they made me love music a billion times more. Now all I think about it music and what I may be missing. Like if I would have missed out on Green Day and mostly known by everybody as the girl who loves Green Day and music.

[Naked and Famous]

Mmm... I started listening to GD when I was about 9 years old, when Dookie first came out & the singles were on the radio all the time. Their fun & catchy (though incredibly overplayed) tunes held my interest until I found out one of my friends had the album & she let me borrow it.

So, basically what attracted me to them in the first place was the fact that they were fun lol

While still being the most entertaining band ever, they managed to make me a lifetime fan through their personalities. The 3 of them are very unique people, & they seem to remain genuinely goodhearted & humble regardless of the limelight.

ETA :

they actually helped my vocabulary skills

Same here ~ As a kid, I learned a lot of new words from Insomniac lol ~ BJ turned me into a hell of a poet back when I was in high school

[Juan]

Exactly the same thing with me, and I got into Green Day when I was depressed and I wanted to die. They gave me something to look forward to and I loved all of their music. I became more politically aware because before I wasn't at all. I knew nothing and they actually helped my vocabulary skills. I wanted to know what some of the words they were saying were so I figured them out for myself and started to broaden my vocabulary. Thier music is unique and changed my musical taste. I love rock now, as to before I didn't really and they made me love music a billion times more. Now all I think about it music and what I may be missing. Like if I would have missed out on Green Day and mostly known by everybody as the girl who loves Green Day and music.

Well, if it weren't for Green Day, I'd be everything I despise

[Spark of Insanity]

Well, if it weren't for Green Day, I'd be everything I despise

Pretty much the same for me, since I was depressed and I wouldn't say suicidal but I was hoping for something to happen to kill me. If I hadn't found something to drag me out of it. I would still be in that state and never have advanced on anything I like or love today. No education, no dreams, nothing.

And then my friends always wonder why I love this little ol' band so much. Because they helped pull me out of extreme depression. In which I need to listen to music to help me think and it calms and helps me emotionally.

They helped me so much, I have decided to write an portfolio on how music can help you out in life and change your life for the better. And my teacher thought it was an ingenious idea.

[Juan]

Pretty much the same for me, since I was depressed and I wouldn't say suicidal but I was hoping for something to happen to kill me. If I hadn't found something to drag me out of it. I would still be in that state and never have advanced on anything I like or love today. No education, no dreams, nothing.

And then my friends always wonder why I love this little ol' band so much. Because they helped pull me out of extreme depression. In which I need to listen to music to help me think and it calms and helps me emotionally.

They helped me so much, I have decided to write an portfolio on how music can help you out in life and change your life for the better. And my teacher thought it was an ingenious idea.

I agree, that's a good idea

Also, Courtney is on, people

[sharon mitchell]

If I'm totally honest, I appear to be rather in the minority in that it was not the lyrics that immediately entranced me. TBH, I couldn't understand Billie Joe all that well until a couple of repeat listenings. Once I twigged what the lyrics were, then that just cemented Green Day in my personal Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but I think what originally attracted me to them was the raw simplicity and emotion in the songs. I hadn't listened to very much punk music before GD, so this was an entirely new genre for me. The fact that songs could be that uncomplicated while still being amazing to listen to was a very new notion for me, and Green Day have always been the best at that, in my eyes. Letting the music back the words, not vice versa. Cause so many bands are the exact opposite, with weak lyrics as an excuse to show off technical ability on an instrument or add twenty layers of effects. Which is all well and good when and if it is done properly, but Green Day were quite unique to me, and always will be.

I love you

Another thing I love about these guys is how they stick to their principles - no Botox, no teeth bleaching - they stay natural. I was most impressed by the little holiday Billie took in New Orleans a couple of years ago with Habitat for Humanity - he could have thrown money at the project and stayed in his cosy home - he didn't. He took his wife, and most importantly, his kids, down to the disaster area and got his hands dirty. That's a fabulous gesture, and a wonderful lesson for his boys to learn.

If that had been certain other nameless *coughbonocough* stars, the world's press would have been there every day by prior arrangement. All we knew about it was a personal diary and a handful of pictures released after the event. And I bet he did make a generous donation as well - that's just how he is.

[punkfunkdisco]

Aw, I love reading these stories! Makes my tummy all warm and fuzzy (I'm a bit of a loser - yes)

I think I stuck with GD originally because I had never listened to anything like them before. They were the first proper band I got into and so they'll always be special. Like most people it was a lot to do with the lyrics. I think Billie's lyrics are genius, even when they're not the songs I relate to. He's got an amazing way with words.

When I was at school, I would listen to the whole of Insomniac in the morning while getting ready. It was pretty much exactly how I was feeling (because I was getting bullied) and helped me to know other people didn't really like themselves much either.

Also: Billie Joe is hot and I was 14.

[Katarina.]

Because they are sticky. They have this 'field' around them that attracts you to them. I'm speaking the truth here, nothing to do with my tiredness.. nope completely nothing to do with that. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Hahaha xD

[tatianakp]

MY FEELINGS OF BEING A GREEN DAY FAN

Hi everyone, my name is Tatiana Podstavkova, I'm from Slovakia, a small country in the heart of the Europe.

Let me share with my feelings of being a fan of one of the greatest bands ever. I would like to describe some of my favorite songs

those mean something to me. I will use some Billie Joe's lyrics. But first, sorry for my English, if it sucks.

When I was younger so much, in spring of 1994, I was 14 and sitting in front of the TV and suddenly, Basket Case video started.

At the beggining I was impressed by Billie's voice. I liked it. After seconds he started strongly strumming his guitar, Mike and Tre joined loudly

and I was like "wow this certainly will be one of my favorite bands!" And it is. Not only one of my favorites, but my the most.

It was for the first time, I've heard something about Green Day.

Did I have the time to listen to them whine about nothing and everything at once? Yes, I did.

So, Basket Case graved in my mind forever.

The other old one, Christie Road, oh I love it so much! I feel like it's about me. In my teens, I probably had the same feelings about being lonely

as Billie had. I had nothing to do, I was bored, confused and disappointed, I just wanted to run away, wherever, just gotta get away

or my brains will explode! If there's something that I need, that's makes me feel complete, it's Christie Road, home to me

and I feel like me once again.

Good Riddance, this great one reminds me all the things I made to change my life. It was another turning point, something unpredictable,

but in the end it's right. And I can tell I have the time of my life now. Good Riddance brings back good memories.

Minority makes me think about the wrong things those happen, about the people who don't know how to change their lives, even if they want to.

Minority opened my eyes. I found out something about myself what I've never knew before. I realized who I am and who I want to be my entire life.

This song taught me to be myself, how to live, not to be scared to tell the truth and to march out of time, to my own beat now, the only way I know.

This powerful song describes everything Green Day stands for. They challenge people to think about who they are, tell them to be an individual

and to stand for their beliefs. And it's really awesome to see how much they enjoy performing songs like this.

It's makes me happy and it fills my heart with joy.

For the first time I was listening to Jesus of Suburbia, I was feeling something unbelievable. Was that true or was I only dreaming?

Is that boy named Jesus thinking about his life in the same way as I'm thinking about mine? I was confused. I realized Billie wrote lyrics

for this song as if he was writting about me. It's the same like when I'm listening to Christie Road.

The best song ever, for me of course, is Wake Me Up When September Ends. I love it the most! It's mainly because of the amazing lyrics.

It's too much emotional, sad, but beautiful and it always makes me cry. It reminds me close people I've lost, although they're not dead

like Billie's father is. I love the way Green Day plays this song live. You can feel Billie's heartache, his crying and his shaky voice.

I know, it's difficult for him, but he's a strong person, he has never ever let the sadness break him down, even if he sings with tears in his eyes.

That's why I love this such a beautiful song the most.

Another song of American Idiot album, Whatsername, it's one of the best, cause it's like the song describes my own experiences.

While listening to this song I'm remembering my friends I've lost. I haven't seen them for years, even though I didn't make a point

to burn all the photographs, but they went away and I took a different path. And now I'm wondering how they are.The first half of the song

is just like a silence before the storm, but the second imposing half with awesome loud guitars makes me sad, cause, I must confess,

I forget about my friends but not the time!

I would like to mention the entire American Idiot album. In my opinion, it's the best album ever! I love it because of the story line,

which reminds me myself. I love every single song of AI. It's lyrically amazing, musically unique, I love Billie's vocals, the wild guitars,

Tre's colossal drumming, Mike's awesome bass lines and all that stuff. It's incredible work of art!

I'm tired of people saying AI is not as good as thier old stuff. But why? Every single their album is different but perfect. People need to realize

our guys have grown up, they aren't crazy kids anymore. They change like the others, their music changes. Nowadays they want to tell us

something more important and we should to listen, cause they do their best.

They believe the music can change the world.

To tell the truth I really don't like people criticizing them for their look, for all the ties, shirts, eyeliners....

Please don't make a difference between „before eyeliner“ and „after eyeliner“. Their music is important not the look!

The others my favorite songs like Welcome to Paradise, Going to Pasalacqua,Having a Blast, She, Brain Stew, Jaded, Dry Ice,

2000 Light Years Away, 80, 86, Walking Contradiction, Scattered, Hitchin' a Ride, Longview, Misery, Church on Sunday, Castaway,

Waiting, Warning, J.A.R., Letterbomb, Holiday, American Idiot, Homecoming, St. Jimmy, Give Me Novacaine,.....and many, many more

(I would like to mention all Green Day's songs) ...all of these songs have catchy melody, musically and lyrically are awesome,

it always made my day!

Especially Boulevard of Broken Dreams! It reminds me the moments when I'm walking alone without a destination and thinking,

my shadow's the only one that walks besides me, my shallow heart's the only thing that's beating, sometimes I wish someone out there will find me.

I love this one so much, not only cause it was a huge success and very often played by media, but especially because of its sound,

which is comming out from Billie's heart and to know his gorgeous soul totally changed my life 4 years ago.

What's next? What about the new preparing record? I can't wait for it. I'm really wondering what it's gonna be like. I'm pretty sure it will be magnific

and marvelous as the others Green Day's records. Billie mentioned something about new songs. For example Last Night on Earth, this one,

romantic ballad is about love Billie feels to his wife Adie. I like songs like this, it seems this one will be one of my favorites.

Is it just me, or is Billie really getting more emotional? I think he is.

It's pretty perfect, he let us know his own emotions he puts into music... joy, sadness, fear, anger, love....whatever he feels in his life.

In this way he offers us o unique experience from listening.

Nowadays in my almost thirty I know very well what Green Day have given to me. They taught me how to live. My life isn't boring anymore.

I changed myself. I respect everything my life offers me, regardless of it offers me something good or bad.

Green Day give me too much energy. I'm very thankful that they do everything for us, their fans.

Listening to their very inspirational music and to Billie's lyrics (if you read between the lines, you understand his messages)

is one of the greatest way how to become a better person.

So, how to describe my feelings of being a Green Day fan in one word? It's LOVE

[rcolley]

I heard Green Day when I was about 11 and I think I heard 'Holiday' on the radio and i really liked the sound of the music so I started researching about them.

[Radioactive1]

Tatianakp that is the BEST thing I've read on here....the description and emotion you've written is

[Juju]

I was going through sort of a rebellious period, and when i heard them for the first time, i was just like, "this is perfect. they're my new favorite band."

when the rebellious-ness died, my love of GD kind of died with it.

I still listen to them, but not as often as I used to and it doesn't move me as much as it used to, so... yeah.

[Hermione]

MY FEELINGS OF BEING A GREEN DAY FAN

That was beautiful, I loved reading that

[Princess Consuela]

Wow, that was really beautiful. It's amazing how music can affect people's lives.

And welcome here Tatiana! It was a perfect post to start with