LauraG Posted August 6, 2011 Posted August 6, 2011 I’m still trying to figure out why Green Day came to my life as a hurricane. My brother used to play Dookie a lot when I was growing up, so their music was always around. But it wasn’t until I finished high school that I thought it was time to start listening to them. So I bought Dookie and Nimrod, both at once. I thought they were great records but I don’t know why back then I didn’t really pay much attention to them, at least not as much as I do now. Well, in fact, none of the bands I was into at that time were special to me. Maybe I just had too many things in my head. Maybe I was just dumb. Ten years later -and after listening to half their records- I decided I liked Green Day as much as to attend one of their concerts, which is a lot ‘cause I haven’t been to many concerts in my life. I thought it was going to be just a regular gig: I would have a good time jumping around and singing along to half their songs and that would be it. It turned out I was completely wrong! I’m not sure what happened that night, but it was pure magic. The feeling of bond with 35.000+ strangers singing at the top of their voices was something I’ve never experienced before. That surreal moment when you realize you’re sharing such an incredibly emotional moment with people so different to you is priceless. But the thing that impressed me the most was probably the deep connection between the band (especially Billie) and the audience. I felt like I was being part of something really special, beautiful and unique; a celebration of music, joy and happiness. You could see it in everybody’s faces. The music was appropriately loud as hell and the band sounded even better than on the records (if this is possible!). Life gave me the chance to witness this overwhelming and indescribable experience called a ‘Green Day show’. I went to that concert as a simple spectator and when I left, I’d become another fan! In just 3 hours! The day after the show I obviously started my avid search for the rest of their albums, listened to all of them day after day and enjoyed every second. I’ve never been so passionate about music since my early teenage years, and I never thought I would experience so much passion in my life ever again. It feels so great! Every ‘new’ song I discover is like a long-time hidden treasure. Their lyrics are now so meaningful to me that I can’t understand why it took me so long to realize it. Maybe I needed more experiences to really appreciate their greatness. Every song is a tribute to joy, values and emotions; a tribute to life. All through their music I can see powerful and honest messages, like ‘don’t let society censor you’, ‘you’re a beautiful person no matter how different you’re (or you wanna be) from the rest’, ‘individuality is one of the most important things you have’, ‘be true to yourself’. That was just the beginning of a personal transformation. The weird and amazing effect only music can have on you. Suddenly I found myself questioning everything in my life, from the most trivial matters to the most important ones. It was as if they’d put fire under my butt! I realized I wasn’t really happy with the way some things were at that point and that I needed a change. I’m still trying to figure out what life I want to live and how I get there, but I feel I’m on my way to be the person I want to be. So, THANK YOU Green Day! You’ve definitely changed my life!
GreenDay07. Posted August 7, 2011 Posted August 7, 2011 I just wanted to say I loved reading this! I always find it interesting to see how people discovered Green Day. Also, I have to agree that hearing them live is definitely incredibly better than listening to the album, which is weird to think about but soo true! As to why it took you a while to appreciate Green Day, I have learned that people go through many phases and it takes a long time to find something that will stick with you the rest of your life. So maybe you just had to experience other things first? Regardless, it's always great to see people praising the band.
LauraG Posted August 7, 2011 Author Posted August 7, 2011 Thank you so much! Also, I have to agree that hearing them live is definitely incredibly better than listening to the album, which is weird to think about but soo true! Yeah, and I can't think of many bands that can praise themselves for sounding so good on stage!
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