Unpopular Green Day Opinions

[Spike]

Pretty sure anyone with a few years of guitar playing experience could stand in the corner and play power chords for 2 hours

In guitar playing terms that's a lot more than Billie did through the entire AI era. Jason was even playing the solo in American Idiot live, it's no wonder people who had never heard of them before didn't think Billie could play very well

[Guest]

In guitar playing terms that's a lot more than Billie did through the entire AI era. Jason was even playing the solo in American Idiot live, it's no wonder people who had never heard of them before didn't think Billie could play very well

That's pretty much what I meant, haha. "Backing Guitarist for Green Day" doesn't exactly scream "hugely talented" on a CV

[Spike]

That's pretty much what I meant, haha. "Backing Guitarist for Green Day" doesn't exactly scream "hugely talented" on a CV

It's still far better than "occasional backing vocalist who doesn't have legs" though

[Guest]

It's still far better than "occasional backing vocalist who doesn't have legs" though

Hey he also plays unnecessary acoustic guitar and kicks pigeons

I think I saw him play piano once but I'm not sure.

[Flyingdonutz]

I think many of you are writing Jasons' ability off because he plays as the support in Green Day. But he's an exceptional musician, just because he can play what Billie Joe writes doesn't mean he isn't really damn good in his own right. I remember talking with Jason Freese a couple years ago and he said one of his biggest highlights of touring with Green Day was to be able to spend time playing music with Jason on the tour bus. Actually both he and Jeff Matika talked about just how great he is. His role in Green Day is not in the limelight, because that's not where he wants to be. But it's pretty silly to judge his abilities solely based on that.

Me specifically, I'm not trying to write him off I just don't think he could possibly be better than Billie. He's obviously a great guitarist, you have to be to get a role like that in a band. But Billie writes the solos, riffs, and everything else for Green Day and as far as songwriting goes I think that proves he's superior to Jason. Technicality is almost completely irrelevant, because after almost 30 years of guitar playing for Billie he could probably do almost anything a guitar will let him do.

I've been playing for a year and I could play pretty much anything Green Day, including any of their solos, besides maybe a couple solos, so trying to judge them based off of that is just plain silly, anyway.

In guitar playing terms that's a lot more than Billie did through the entire AI era. Jason was even playing the solo in American Idiot live, it's no wonder people who had never heard of them before didn't think Billie could play very well

Yeah lets just ignore the solo Billie rips out after the solo is over. Oh and let me remind you the American Idiot solo is primarily power chords minus the D string.

[Spike]

Me specifically, I'm not trying to write him off I just don't think he could possibly be better than Billie. He's obviously a great guitarist, you have to be to get a role like that in a band. But Billie writes the solos, riffs, and everything else for Green Day and as far as songwriting goes I think that proves he's superior to Jason. Technicality is almost completely irrelevant, because after almost 30 years of guitar playing for Billie he could probably do almost anything a guitar will let him do.

I've been playing for a year and I could play pretty much anything Green Day, including any of their solos, besides maybe a couple solos, so trying to judge them based off of that is just plain silly, anyway.

I don't see why he can't be better than Billie just because he doesn't write stuff for Green Day. Maybe he isn't as good as Billie, but he's handled every solo Billie wrote but chooses not to play live with ease. Plus, songwriting is only one aspect of a huge amount that one can consider musicianship. Green Day stuff might be simple, but they're also one of the tightest live bands in the world. The skill required to have the timing and dynamic control that goes along with playing alongside a rhythm section as kickass as Mike and Tre is too often underestimated, and I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people who can play most of their back catalogue on guitar wouldn't be able to keep up with them if they were part of the band. I know they've had people up to play JOS and Basket Case in the past, but no one ever played them anywhere near as well as Jason does night in, night out. Hitting the notes is only a small part of the puzzle.

Yeah lets just ignore the solo Billie rips out after the solo is over. Oh and let me remind you the American Idiot solo is primarily power chords minus the D string.

What, those two notes repeated? I'm talking specifically AI era, I know Billie has got adventurous with his live solos again. I've said many times that he's an incredible guitarist when he lets himself go. I don't really know what your point is about the AI solo, though?

Oh, and without the middle note, in this case on the D string, it's not a power chord, just octaves

[The Disappearing Boy]

You two leave Jeff alone AND he does have legs!

[Guest]

AND he does have legs!

Of course he does. How else would he kick the pigeons?

[Spike]

You two leave Jeff alone AND he does have legs!

He's actually got two sets of arms. He likes to keep the lower ones hidden to avoid embarrassment.

[Guest]

He's actually got two sets of arms. He likes to keep the lower ones hidden to avoid embarrassment.

He's furiously wanking to pigeon BDSM porn the whole way through Shout.

[Spike]

He's furiously wanking to pigeon BDSM porn the whole way through Shout.

Ian Watkins, is that you?

[Guest]

Ian Watkins, is that you?

Ian Watkins ain't into bestiality. He's fucked up, but not pigeon fucking fucked up.

[Spike]

Ian Watkins ain't into bestiality. He's fucked up, but not pigeon fucking fucked up.

http://www.theprp.com/2012/12/31/news/lostprophets-frontman-ian-watkins-to-remain-in-custody-on-child-sex-related-charges/

"Watkins and a 24 year old female who remains unnamed have been charged with conspiracy to engage in sexual activities with two young children; plus charges related to making, downloading and distributing child pornography and accessing bestiality pornography."

I don't even get why it's called bestiality, it's clearly the worst form of iality.

Anyway, Green Day...

[Flyingdonutz]

I don't see why he can't be better than Billie just because he doesn't write stuff for Green Day. Maybe he isn't as good as Billie, but he's handled every solo Billie wrote but chooses not to play live with ease. Plus, songwriting is only one aspect of a huge amount that one can consider musicianship. Green Day stuff might be simple, but they're also one of the tightest live bands in the world. The skill required to have the timing and dynamic control that goes along with playing alongside a rhythm section as kickass as Mike and Tre is too often underestimated, and I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people who can play most of their back catalogue on guitar wouldn't be able to keep up with them if they were part of the band. I know they've had people up to play JOS and Basket Case in the past, but no one ever played them anywhere near as well as Jason does night in, night out. Hitting the notes is only a small part of the puzzle.

What, those two notes repeated? I'm talking specifically AI era, I know Billie has got adventurous with his live solos again. I've said many times that he's an incredible guitarist when he lets himself go. I don't really know what your point is about the AI solo, though?

Oh, and without the middle note, in this case on the D string, it's not a power chord, just octaves

I don't know a lot about theory. My point remains. Jason practices with Green Day, dude. Playing Green Day isn't that hard as a band compared to other groups like Rush or Led Zeppelin, however I get your point as certain stuff, especially off of Dookie, can be hard to keep time with keeping in mind the technicality (or quickness) of the drums and bass. And yes, I have played many Green Day songs as a group without much practice. Certain stuff like Homecoming is hard to keep time with at certain parts though.

My point with the AI solo is that while Jason plays the solo, Billie comes out and plays something a hell of a lot harder after that (while still not being very technical compared to other guitarists).

TBH I dont even know why we're talking about this when Green Day really aren't technical with guitars at all in any way even the live solos are absolutely nothing compared to stuff by Metallica or Van Halen or something.

[Spike]

I don't know a lot about theory. My point remains. Jason practices with Green Day, dude. Playing Green Day isn't that hard as a band compared to other groups like Rush or Led Zeppelin, however I get your point as certain stuff, especially off of Dookie, can be hard to keep time with keeping in mind the technicality (or quickness) of the drums and bass. And yes, I have played many Green Day songs as a group without much practice. Certain stuff like Homecoming is hard to keep time with at certain parts though.

My point with the AI solo is that while Jason plays the solo, Billie comes out and plays something a hell of a lot harder after that (while still not being very technical compared to other guitarists).

TBH I dont even know why we're talking about this when Green Day really aren't technical with guitars at all in any way even the live solos are absolutely nothing compared to stuff by Metallica or Van Halen or something.

Well yeah, I guess it's a moot point really I actually think Billie is a really good bluesy guitarist, so I love it when he rips a solo out a lot more than someone like Kirk Hammett or EVH, but I guess on a technical level they can't really be compared. Maybe Billie is the best metal guitarist in the world and he just chooses not to show it

Wow guys, I think Jason would cry if he realized he caused so much controversy

How I imagine his face when reading this thread:

How I imagine his face 100% of the rest of the time:

[Anaïs.]

Maybe Billie is the best metal guitarist in the world and he just chooses not to show it

He has called himself "The best fucking guitarist in the world" on occasion.

[Spike]

He has called himself "The best fucking guitarist in the world" on occasion.

Well he's also called Mike the best bassist in the history of punk, so I'm more than willing to believe him!

[Anaïs.]

Just watch—in twenty years at their big reunion tour, he'll be playing his guitar solos with a violin bow for two hours straight.

[Flyingdonutz]

Well he's also called Mike the best bassist in the history of punk, so I'm more than willing to believe him!

Yeah but Mike actually probably is the best bassist in punk history (if you dont count the Who, I don't and i dont know why people do), but Billie is like mediocre compared to the other guitar giants.

[Cath]

Billie is like mediocre

woah

[Spike]

woah

I think it was unfair to take that out of context. Billie's primarily a rhythm player, and rhythm guitarists are inherently less impressive than lead. Look at Angus vs Malcolm Young. Billie plays lead with a lot of soul and is very bluesy, easily up there with Robert Johnson and Chuck Berry as a guitarist. But compared to Alex Lifeson or Joe Satriani, not so much. He's still easily the best punk guitarist ever though.

[Flyingdonutz]

woah

Lol you must listen to some pretty terrible guitarists if you can't figure that one out. Jimmy Page was playing more complex and way way WAY better stuff than Billie will ever write in the 60's and 70's. Even the guitarists that are just "good" like Joe Perry are way better than Billie. He's great for a punk guitarist. But he's certainly not a great guitarist. He plays 3 power chords. He can write awesome riffs but they aren't really complex or original or anything really. They just sound memorable. Which is important, but not everything. TBH I think Billie would laugh his ass off if someone tried to tell him he's an awesome guitarist in the context that he's up there with legendary names like Stevie Ray or something.

Best punk guitarist of all time? No doubt. Even close to being in a top 50 guitarist list? Nope. Not a chance in hell. He's like Angus Young with power chords, basically.

[Spike]

Best punk guitarist of all time? No doubt. Even close to being in a top 50 guitarist list? Nope. Not a chance in hell. He's like Angus Young with power chords, basically.

Apart from Billie hasn't been writing the same song on repeat for 30+ years

[Flyingdonutz]

Apart from Billie hasn't been writing the same song on repeat for 30+ years

Yeah ACDC is like the least dynamic band of all time. The only reason they're so loved is because they basically invented what cool means.

[Spike]

Yeah ACDC is like the least dynamic band of all time. The only reason they're so loved is because they basically invented what cool means.

The only good album they ever did was Back In Black, and even that's worn thin because every.single.fucking.album since then has sounded just the same.