I'm a HUGE Green Day fan, but...pre-American Idiot Green Day > post-American Idiot Green Day

[dudley dawson]

I'm sure most of you on here are probably going to disagree with me, but how many of you actually became fans when Dookie came out, as opposed to American Idiot? Most of you on this board are pretty young and don't remember the greatness of Green Day when Dookie was released. I like their new stuff, don't get me wrong, but it just isn't the same as the Dookie-Warning era. In fact, I think Warning is their second best album after Dookie, but Dookie, Insomniac, Nimrod, Warning (and 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk) are all > than American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown.

Any old school Green Day fans feel me on this?

[Hermione]

Green Day is Green Day. It's all good :eyebrow:

[Punk-tastic32]

A lot of people here may have heard of Green Day later like with Warning, or they popularity boom with American Idiot. But pretty much all of us here appreciate every album from 1039 SOSH to 21 Century Breakdown.

Green Day is Green Day. It's all good :eyebrow:

Very well put.

[Spider Tre]

I like their new stuff, don't get me wrong, but it just isn't the same as the Dookie-Warning era.

it's not the same because they grew up and matured as musicians?

[XxRedundantCastaway86xX]

Green Day is Green Day. It's all good :eyebrow:

Exactly.

[dudley dawson]

it's not the same because they grew up and matured as musicians?

They broadened their sound, yes, but that doesn't necessarily make it better. They just appeal to a wider audience now. I find AI and 21stCB to have much less replay value than their previous albums.

To me, Warning was them branching out, but staying true to their original sound. AI was a totally different route to go. Not saying its bad, but I like the older stuff better.

[Fuzz]

Some people will always feel a greater connection to the era that got them involved. For me it was Warning, I still consider it their best album (lyrically) - and for the people who got into them during American Idiot, I'm sure that'll be their favorite 10 years down the road.

I do not think any album or era is actually better than the previous, because Green Day continues to grow as musicians. It's all different enough that it will appeal to different people.

So yeah, there are definitely people here who got into Green Day during Dookie (and some even before then) who will agree with you.

[ifmemoryserves]

I love American Idiot, but I also love Dookie, Insomniac, and Nimrod. I don't see why people always bring up this subject. I don't really know where I was going with this, but yes, I became a fan later, but that doesn't mean I don't love and appreciate early Green Day. In fact, I think I like it more than current Green Day. 21st Century Breakdown just isn't really my deal.

[Pedestrian9394]

This is probably the most redundant and irritating topic of discussion.

[umbjisfhinefum]

i like green day. i was a teeny when AI came out.

i don't understand why people still ask this. there has to be so many threads related to this. most of the people on GDC aren't people who just have a passing interest in green day. most of us really give a shit. A LOT of shit.

[Pedestrian9394]

i like green day. i was a teeny when AI came out.

i don't understand why people still ask this. there has to be so many threads related to this. most of the people on GDC aren't people who just have a passing interest in green day. most of us really give a shit. A LOT of shit.

Exactly.

I was 10 when American Idiot came out. But I have a huge respect for Green Day as Green Day. I have an issue with breaking them up into "eras". And I really don't believe that your age determines which album you like the best.

[VanVan]

i became a fan after hearing american idiot. but ive grown up with them. id been hearing them for years on the radio and just never knew who they were. i dont think its fair to say most of the younger people dont remember/appreciate their older stuff. i was 4 years old when dookie was released. but i freaking love it now. i dont think age really has anything to do with it.

[Tiffx]

Well this is an entirely new debate I've never heard before, thanks for bringing it up.

[MCC]

I was first introduced to Green Day by my older siblings in 1992 when I was nine. I am an "older" fan but my love for GD spans all eras of their music. While I may like certain albums more than others, I feel that all these arguments about pre/post AI are getting old. Does it really matter when a person started liking the band? Am I special because I become a fan before others?? No, I am not. We are all fans, we are a community of fans and that is all that should matter. No fan should feel superior to anyone else.

[dudley dawson]

This wasn't mean to "attack" any fans whatsoever. I am happy that most people on here seem to love Green Day, old and new.

But it seems in general, the younger crowd, outside of these forums, fell in love with AI and don't even acknowledge the band existed before then. Obviously, none of you are like that, even the ones who first became fans with AI.

The point of this thread was to discuss which era of Green Day is better. When you became a fan is irrelevant to the topic. I probably shouldn't have even started that discussion. But it seems to me like many people consider AI to be the band's "magnum opus", and I just couldn't disagree more, regardless of how successful it was. I just enjoyed their sound more before that album. But again, to each their own.

Can we at least all agree on this: no more rock operas please! It has ran its course now with 2 albums and I would like to see GD just make a traditional "Green Day" record, whatever that may sound like these days.

[MCC]

This wasn't mean to "attack" any fans whatsoever. I am happy that most people on here seem to love Green Day, old and new.

But it seems in general, the younger crowd, outside of these forums, fell in love with AI and don't even acknowledge the band existed before then. Obviously, none of you are like that, even the ones who first became fans with AI.

The point of this thread was to discuss which era of Green Day is better. When you became a fan is irrelevant to the topic. I probably shouldn't have even started that discussion. But it seems to me like many people consider AI to be the band's "magnum opus", and I just couldn't disagree more, regardless of how successful it was. I just enjoyed their sound more before that album. But again, to each their own.

Can we at least all agree on this: no more rock operas please! It has ran its course now with 2 albums and I would like to see GD just make a traditional "Green Day" record, whatever that may sound like these days.

I am sure that regardless of what their new album sounds like, I will love it. Rock opera or not, it will still be Green Days music. That being said, I have heard speculation about the guys going back to their roots. I think that would make for an interesting album but I wonder how it would be received after AI and 21CB. I honestly don't have a strong opinion on the matter, I am just wanting a new album already.

Yeah, AI brought a new generation of fans in but I am happy about that. It shows that GD is still relevant and speaking to the minds of the youth with their music.

[dudley dawson]

I am sure that regardless of what their new album sounds like, I will love it. Rock opera or not, it will still be Green Days music. That being said, I have heard speculation about the guys going back to their roots. I think that would make for an interesting album but I wonder how it would be received after AI and 21CB. I honestly don't have a strong opinion on the matter, I am just wanting a new album already.

Yeah, AI brought a new generation of fans in but I am happy about that. It shows that GD is still relevant and speaking to the minds of the youth with their music.

I read that too about returning to their roots...could be an epic album if true.

[umbjisfhinefum]

This wasn't mean to "attack" any fans whatsoever. I am happy that most people on here seem to love Green Day, old and new.

But it seems in general, the younger crowd, outside of these forums, fell in love with AI and don't even acknowledge the band existed before then. Obviously, none of you are like that, even the ones who first became fans with AI.

The point of this thread was to discuss which era of Green Day is better. When you became a fan is irrelevant to the topic. I probably shouldn't have even started that discussion. But it seems to me like many people consider AI to be the band's "magnum opus", and I just couldn't disagree more, regardless of how successful it was. I just enjoyed their sound more before that album. But again, to each their own.

Can we at least all agree on this: no more rock operas please! It has ran its course now with 2 albums and I would like to see GD just make a traditional "Green Day" record, whatever that may sound like these days.

i'm sure you didn't mean to offend anyone or whatever, its just that so many of us have heard this 32814708329170498320 times and we don't feel like hearing it again or writing what we think again even though it is inevitable that someone else will ask.

[Zero.]

Green Day is Green Day. It's all good :eyebrow:

^ This...

But I have said this before, I can't label bands in era's like old and new, for me it's thats a good album, great song etc..

[Silverlight]

dude, just 'cause we're younger and weren't around when they debuted, doesn't mean that we appreciate the older stuff any less. And any way, fuck American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown got me into them

[Micky]

I was only 4 when Dookie came out, but I've known Green Day around the Nimrod era, I think, I don't even remember now.

But I don't care, I love every single album and I hate seeing Green Day as Dookie era Green Day, Warning era Green Day, American Idiot era Green Day ... It's just Green Day .

[whatsup?]

I was only 4 when Dookie came out, but I've known Green Day around the Nimrod era, I think, I don't even remember now.

But I don't care, I love every single album and I hate seeing Green Day as Dookie era Green Day, Warning era Green Day, American Idiot era Green Day ... It's just Green Day .

THIS!!

....and would be fucking boring if they are still playing the same music (even if they are masterpieces)! Even more fortunate that theirs art is more diverse!!

[Jenny95]

I was only 4 when Dookie came out, but I've known Green Day around the Nimrod era, I think, I don't even remember now.

But I don't care, I love every single album and I hate seeing Green Day as Dookie era Green Day, Warning era Green Day, American Idiot era Green Day ... It's just Green Day .

Yes that's also what I think about that cause I wasn't even born when insomniac came out but I like it and all the other albums ,too

and AI and 21 Century ... brought me into Green Day but before that I was just too young to understand the lyrics or whatever

[Bubbles.]

Uh, how many topics are needed on this?

I dunno, it feels like people are discussing it over and over...

I myself have been a fan since 2002, but why does it matter?

Just because someone became a fan with American Idiot doesn't make them any less of a fan.

Of course their music is not the same, they've matured as musicians.

Most people would probably think they were a joke if they were still singing about masturbation, girls and smoking pot in their late 30's (I'm not saying that's the reason they changed direction with their music, but yeah).

It's been said before that Green Day were 'the band that brought out the girls', so it was no suprise (or change, really) that their fan base expanded and changed with American Idiot.

The whole debate over their earlier or newer stuff being better is all down to preference.

But anyway, I see no competition between their earlier music and more recent music, it's still Green Day and that's why I love them.

[solongfromthestars]

Dookie's a great record, but so is every GD album. Green Day are a great band and everything they write is just Green Day, and everything that's just Green Day is going to be good. They've grown up, but that just means they've decided to sing about things that are relevant right now. Even if I didn't like an album GD released I'd still recognize it as a great record by a very talented band. I don't think it's different eras, it's just the same band a few years older. I'm not criticizing or anything, each to their own.