Old Green Day vs. New Green Day

[rbandghpingu]

This always happens. I like a band because of their new stuff, even though it isn't that good (Green Day - American Idiot and, holy crap, Metallica - St. Anger). Then I kind of forget about the band for awhile (Green Day only, Metallica is too good). Then I get into the band's older stuff, which is much better (Dookies and Master of Puppets...). So I'm just here to say:

OLD GREEN DAY (1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk)

versus

NEW GREEN DAY (American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown)

Personally I like the old stuff better because I'm a punk guy. (Paper Lanterns or 21 Guns? Your pick). Flame away!

[afterstasis]

i don't like any green day, but the old stuff is definitely more tolerable for me.

[back_blows]

Neither are really my cup of tea.

[DarthAthema]

I like both...why does it have to be either/or?

Oh, and how dare you compare American Idiot to St. Anger. St. Anger was an abomination, but American Idiot is Green Day at their creative peak. I suggest you give it a re-listen and check the genre allegiances at the door. It's a brilliant piece of work and possibly one of the most important albums of the decade. 21st Century Breakdown is not quite as good, but still a great album. I can see the conflict between the old slacker-punk attitude and the new socially relevant Green Day, but you can just enjoy them both for what they are.

[Evilbottom]

American Idiot was the biggest piece of **** they made. The rest is tolerable

[Cubecubed]

i love how people pretend 39 smooth and kerplunk! are their best albums just to sound cool.

[ThrobingCane]

I can listen to their old stuff, but their new stuff...come on its terrible. that new single IMO has one of the worst riffs I have ever heard.

[rbandghpingu]

Oh, and how dare you compare American Idiot to St. Anger. St. Anger was an abomination, but American Idiot is Green Day at their creative peak...
I can see the conflict between the old slacker-punk attitude and the new socially relevant Green Day, but you can just enjoy them both for what they are.

I'm just saying American Idiot was their worst album. The riffs are so watered down with effects and it's all trying to sound really heavy though. Some songs are good though, like St. Jimmy, unlike St. Anger where Frantic is the closest thing to a real song. And slackers rule*! Look were it got some people, like a whole ton of musicians (including me, I'm just too lazy to actually get my band started).


i love how people pretend 39 smooth and kerplunk! are their best albums just to sound cool.

Yeah, I see what you're poking at. I'm actually a fan of the music, but I like mostly everything until Warning (the punk songs at least). Kerplunk is not better than 39/Smooth (or the compliation) though. It's probably below Dookie, along with 39/Smooth and Insomniac. But yeah, it took me awhile to actually listen to a song before Dookie (what, maybe 3 and a half years? :eek:).

*sometimes

[FlyGuyLXI]

Old Green Day by a mile, the newer stuff is mediocre, Know Your Enemy is nothing special at all (I think it's garbage), yet it hit #1 on both rock charts, hell, these over-hyped bands today can release a song consisting of nothing but flatulent noises as a single, and watch it skyrocket to #1.

Oh Right, Should'nt there be a poll?

[Julio_Strikes_Back]

Old Green Day by a mile, the newer stuff is mediocre, Know Your Enemy is nothing special at all (I think it's garbage), yet it hit #1 on both rock charts, hell, these over-hyped bands today can release a song consisting of nothing but flatulent noises as a single, and watch it skyrocket to #1.

Oh Right, Should'nt there be a poll?
Polls are stupid. People just come in, vote, and leave and not much discussion happens.

[AKALink]

I don't know, but I listened to 21st century breakdown and found it had an message American needed to hear, along with a lot of anti Christian garbage.

[DerTommissar]

I'm not sure who wins, but I'm pretty sure music loses.

[Buffdog18]

I pick Green Day, I know a Green Day song when I hear it. Doesn't matter from what era, I like both. Always have, always will.

[Rockbandfan23467]

Polls are stupid. People just come in, vote, and leave and not much discussion happens.

Great, now you're acting like those dicks at scorehero.

[Cubecubed]

anti Christian garbage.

this may be why i enjoyed the album so much.:D

my ranking of the albums

21CB>Warning>Nimrod>Dookie>Insomniac>Kerplunk!>American Idiot>1039 smoothed out slappy hours


the song writing is just miles above anything they've ever done on the new album.

[D4rW1n13]

Old green day was (just) okay. The new stuff is just garbage to cash in on.

[Julio_Strikes_Back]

Great, now you're acting like those dicks at scorehero.

Scorehero is a wonderful community. You just don't like it because you would be banned within a minute of posting there.

[Aragha]

I like the older stuff moar.

[timmay9]

I actually really like their new album. My favorite was always Nimrod though, with either Dookie or Warning coming in second.

I get the hate on American Idiot, since it was overplayed to death, but it's a pretty damn good record.

[classicrockdude]

American Idiot was the biggest piece of **** they made.

How??? I think American Idiot is great. I've always liked the New Green Day better

[Buffdog18]

How??? I think American Idiot is great. I've always liked the New Green Day better

This is coming from CRD so you know it has to be somewhat true!

[classicrockdude]

This is coming from CRD so you know it has to be somewhat true!

I just don't get it, Why do people call it bad. It was prolly their biggest album

[franticfish]

This is coming from CRD so you know it has to be somewhat true!
Lies!

[Buffdog18]

I just don't get it, Why do people call it bad. It was prolly their biggest album

I'd have to agree with you there.

[Gowienczyk]

Old (Kerplunk and earlier) was sub-par attempts at garage-quality punk, but even then the punk community rejected them. Not that matters. But once they started making albums like Nimrod and Warning they hit such a good polish and balance. American Idiot watered down elements of Warning and Nimrod and did it well, but still it wasn't as great as Warning. But with this new record.... it's great, it's their magnum opus.

[classicrockdude]

I'd have to agree with you there.

*High Five!*

[SenorLarry]

I like their new stuff. I think 21st Century Breakdown is one of the greatest rock albums of all time (although not the best).

[timmay9]

I like their new stuff. I think 21st Century Breakdown is one of the greatest rock albums of all time (although not the best).

I like the album, but are you really calling it one of the greatest of all-time?

[idiotec]

Just listened to the new album..... It bored the hell out of me. What it needs are more songs with a slow intro that then begin to rock! Jesus.... It sounds like Elton John with tattoos.

There are some good songs, same with American Idiot, but give me their older stuff any day. I started listening to them when Kerplunk came out, so maybe it is just sentimental, but this is the Green Day I still love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4jW0Cz0jEQ

[gmarsh]

neither, in my opinion green day always fails.

[Cubecubed]

neither, in my opinion green day always fails.

in my opinion you are very closed minded.

[General Lein979]

I think I like new greeday better from an album stand point because the rock operas have more flow, but the old stuff it great too from a stand alone song stand point.

[idiotec]

So this got me to looking up some Green Day video's and I stumbled across this.

Regardless of your opinion on Green Day, tell that you would not **** your pants if you got to do this!?! How ****ing cool for this guy.... Check out the video.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXg1qpUiY7Y&feature=related

[cherokeesam]

So this got me to looking up some Green Day video's and I stumbled across this.

Regardless of your opinion on Green Day, tell that you would not **** your pants if you got to do this!?! How ****ing cool for this guy.... Check out the video.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXg1qpUiY7Y&feature=related

Billie Joe does that at all of his concerts. Brings up somebody to play bass, guitar, and drums to hit some really easy riffs. Sometimes he even gives away his guitar if the fan is good enough.

And American Idiot is an absolute classic, the greatest rock opera since Tommy. I still prefer older Green Day, though.

[Rockbandfan23467]

Billie Joe does that at all of his concerts. Brings up somebody to play bass, guitar, and drums to hit some really easy riffs. Sometimes he even gives away his guitar if the fan is good enough.

And American Idiot is an absolute classic, the greatest rock opera since Tommy. I still prefer older Green Day, though.

What about The Wall?

[idiotec]

Billie Joe does that at all of his concerts. Brings up somebody to play bass, guitar, and drums to hit some really easy riffs. Sometimes he even gives away his guitar if the fan is good enough.

And American Idiot is an absolute classic, the greatest rock opera since Tommy. I still prefer older Green Day, though.
Can't say that is true. I am been to a half dozen or so Green Day concerts and at none of them did he have someone on stage to play guitar. I will say though, their live shows are GREAT. Can't speak for the current shows since it has been quite a few years, but they do a great job interacting with the crowd. I have always thought they are a MUCH better live band than studio band.

Here is a show I attended. Wish I had the whole footage, great show.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A22CV6Zu2IM

[onidragon]

Old green day was more "punk" than new green day, but in the end, I like both.

[Physic4lGr4fiti]

I find it really hard to try and compare Green Day's "American Idiot" to that of "Tommy".

[Cubecubed]

I find it really hard to try and compare Green Day's "American Idiot" to that of "Tommy".

this. i love green day, but the Who stand alone with rock operas.

[cherokeesam]

I find it really hard to try and compare Green Day's "American Idiot" to that of "Tommy".

I wasn't *comparing* them. I just said AI was the greatest rock opera since Tommy. (And yes, I'll revise: greatest rock opera since "The Wall.")

As to which was better, there's no question that Tommy was better (see my avatar; there's a little bias there), and so was The Wall.

[Sir_Phobos]

Nimrod and Warning are their best albums, so I'll go with "middle Green Day".

[macamatic]

Old green day was (just) okay. The new stuff is just garbage to cash in on.
This.

American Idiot is HORRIBLE. To those asking "why does everyone say it's bad", I'll let you in on a little secret:

When people say something is bad, it's usually because they think it's bad. Radical, I know.

Old Green Day (up through Dookie) was tolerable. 21st Century Breakdown shocked me, though, by being decent and not pure and utter garbage.

[DarthAthema]

I'm just saying American Idiot was their worst album. The riffs are so watered down with effects and it's all trying to sound really heavy though. Some songs are good though, like St. Jimmy, unlike St. Anger where Frantic is the closest thing to a real song. And slackers rule*! Look were it got some people, like a whole ton of musicians (including me, I'm just too lazy to actually get my band started).


I guess I'm showing my age here by being shocked that a lot of young people and perpetual 15-year-olds on a message board are still judging music by guitar effects and tempo and how "heavy" something is. I did the same thing when I was in high school, but I think you get to a certain point where that stuff doesn't matter much anymore and you start to like music that's interesting and has something to say. Sort of like how your taste for food matures over time and you start appreciating more complex foods. I personally think American Idiot is probably one of the most relevant albums to the time it was released ever. Some of you on this board must not have actually listened to it. I'm guessing you turned it on in the background while you were on the internet, decided it didn't sound enough like Dookie, and never listened to it again. I suggest you get out the cd booklet (or look up the lyrics since you likely didn't buy the cd), sit down, pretend it's 2004 again, and REALLY LISTEN to it. You'll find it's extremely engaging and has a story and flow all its own. Try and interact with it as an emotional experience, not just as a collection of more loud and fast punk songs that you seem to expect from Green Day every time. Then do the same for 21st Century Breakdown. You'll see that they are companion pieces in a lot of ways and are great contributions to American pop culture history.


Can't say that is true. I am been to a half dozen or so Green Day concerts and at none of them did he have someone on stage to play guitar. I will say though, their live shows are GREAT. Can't speak for the current shows since it has been quite a few years, but they do a great job interacting with the crowd. I have always thought they are a MUCH better live band than studio band.

Here is a show I attended. Wish I had the whole footage, great show.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A22CV6Zu2IM

They did that at the show I went to. They actually had three people come up and replace the whole band for a song. It was pretty cool.

[macamatic]

Some of you on this board must not have actually listened to it. I'm guessing you turned it on in the background while you were on the internet, decided it didn't sound enough like Dookie, and never listened to it again. I suggest you get out the cd booklet (or look up the lyrics since you likely didn't buy the cd), sit down, pretend it's 2004 again, and REALLY LISTEN to it. You'll find it's extremely engaging and has a story and flow all its own. Try and interact with it as an emotional experience, not just as a collection of more loud and fast punk songs that you seem to expect from Green Day every time. Then do the same for 21st Century Breakdown. You'll see that they are companion pieces in a lot of ways and are great contributions to American pop culture history.
I won't disagree that the messages of their songs are very relevant. However, I really, really don't like the music they use to convey it.

[packerfan8675309]

Old Green Day by a mile, the newer stuff is mediocre, Know Your Enemy is nothing special at all (I think it's garbage), yet it hit #1 on both rock charts, hell, these over-hyped bands today can release a song consisting of nothing but flatulent noises as a single, and watch it skyrocket to #1.

Oh Right, Should'nt there be a poll?

exactly how I feel.

[Cubecubed]

Nimrod and Warning are their best albums, so I'll go with "middle Green Day".

wow...somebody who actually listens to their albums rather than assuming Dookie is the best. Bravo,good sir,bravo.

[iwolfe]

Both are good. Basket Case is one of my favorite punk songs ever, while the album 21st Century Breakdown has lots of great and varied stuff on there. My favorite is "Restless Heart Syndrome."

[cherokeesam]

This.

American Idiot is HORRIBLE. To those asking "why does everyone say it's bad", I'll let you in on a little secret:

When people say something is bad, it's usually because they think it's bad. Radical, I know.

Old Green Day (up through Dookie) was tolerable. 21st Century Breakdown shocked me, though, by being decent and not pure and utter garbage.

And I'll let *you* in on a little secret:

5x Platinum (6x in the UK and 8x in Canada); Best Rock Album *and* Song of the Year Grammies, in addition to a sh*tload more hardware; enormous critical praise; record store owners placed it in the Top 100 of all albums EVERYONE should own....

So yeah....some of you can cry "crappy album" all you want, but you're arguing against the fans, the critics, the industry and, well, the facts.

[Quinarvy]

Both. I love songs like Longview and Basket Case, but my favorite Green Day song is Letterbomb off American Idiot. And it always seems to be the song on the album that gets overlooked...Know Your Enemy isn't a good song, well, it wasn't. But then they went on the Colbert Report and added a verse "I thank god for freedom, beef, and the constitution, I thank god for church, world war II, and the revolutin." Also the title track off the new album is pretty good.

[Rockbandfan23467]

We need a thread based on the four or so eras of Green Day.

[Yellowcake]

old green day. no contest.

[Punisher2191]

Dookie is their only good album