I'm torn up over the matter of Green Day.
On the one hand, they say their new album, American Idiot, is simply a reference to a disillusioned character, who just so happens to be both American and idiotic, that singer Billie Joe based on himself.
"It's part of my self-deprecating sense of humor," he explained. "Years ago I had this T-shirt I would wear and I wrote 'idiot' and pointed an arrow right up to my face. Idiot - it's just a great word."
And the lead track takes its fair shots at the media and how it controls people's sense of events. It's a sentiment I do agree with. The media does emotionally poke and prod us.
But, on the other hand, who's kidding who? This album is intensely political and the band doesn't deny its anti-Bush message. The song "American Idiot" is stating, along with other Lefties so critical of the War on Terror, that the media have us all worked up over nothing, there is no terror threat, and that scared Americans are Bush voters. The song "Holiday" goes even further, making sarcastic references to killing peace protestors and everyone who thinks that life in America under the Bush administration is so intolerable.
And so, it turns out that the album isn't solely about some idiotic American slacker. It's really a concept album about "the alienation and disillusionment of the American citizen under Bush's post-War On Terror administration."
Furthermore, the band has been active on the U.S. rock circuit, encouraging their aged-18-and-over fans to vote in the upcoming election - to vote for the Vietnam war hero, wouldn't you just know it.
I bought Dookie only a week after its release in 1994, after hearing "Longview" on the radio and I loved the album. I also checked out their earlier releases, and got every subsequent release. They've had a special place in my CD collection and I could always count on a great tune from them to get me up and moving.
But Green Day, like me, has grown up. However, I didn't grow up to be a Democratic anti-war squawker. I'm now seriously re-thinking my love for this band.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
thanks MEM - politics aside do you like the album?
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
i loved this record. working on my review as of this minute. interesting take on it, Mark, although i don't see how a punk band making a political statement is much of a suprise. I'll link to you when i get my own review up, hopefully later tonight
3 - BRICKLAYER
Don't let the door hit ya on the way out!
4 - Sammy Beckett
"There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet."
5 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
just about to post the review. I linked to this article.
6 - Mark Edward Manning
Eric O.: "politics aside do you like the album?"
I have no problem with Green Day from a musical perspective. They can still make a great song with plenty of drive and energy; they haven't lost that. In fact, they maintain an adventerous musical ground without sounding boring like they did on most of Warning. But I saw no point in actually discussing the music on the album as I have other, greater concerns about it.
7 - JR
MEM: I have no problem with Green Day from a musical perspective. They can still make a great song with plenty of drive and energy; they haven't lost that. In fact, they maintain an adventerous musical ground without sounding boring like they did on most of Warning.
Now that is the beginning of a good music review.
8 - Muddro
You're rethinking your love of the band because you don't agree? Perhaps it's because it's just that kind of bullshit that they're most likely blasting with American Idiot.
Is it a good record or not?
I thought it was. Your political views didn't help anyone who wants to know whether this record is any good.
9 - Mark Edward Manning
Muddro, with all due respect, I reprint here part of what I wrote to Duke de Mondo on his review of American Idiot:
And that is the line I tow with these bands making political statements. Musically, Green Day is sound and American Idiot rocks. But that is not what's important to me concerning this album.
10 - Mac Diva
According to the author of this entry, questioning the invasion and occupation of Iraq is "the foulest, most dangerous area of politics." I wonder what a discussion of why one's country is at war in a democracy would like. Is one of the Ms for Mussolini?
11 - Anon
Mac Diva, I see what you're saying, but I think Mark's saying that this goes beyond that and sort of over-generalizes and portrays our government as so evil that they are no better than Osama bin Laden. While I am by no means a Bush-supporter, this strikes me as uneducated and preaching to the choir for purposes of making money. I LOVE political punk, but I prefer it to be intelligent. This doesn't strike me as brave OR intelligent.
Of course, I haven't bought the album, so this is only speculation. :-)
Musically, I never quite got into Green Day, although I really liked Dookie.
12 - Mac Diva
If Mark is chagrined by Green Day's anti-war music, I guess he has not heard Moby & Public Enemy's "Make Love F--k War" yet. Now, that is an arse-kicking anti-war song. The video rocks, too. The link is not working, but the video is viewable at the iTunes Music Store. You can hear the song here.
13 - Mark Edward Manning
Anon: "I think Mark's saying that this goes beyond that and sort of over-generalizes and portrays our government as so evil that they are no better than Osama bin Laden."
That is exactly what I'm saying, Anon, and thank you. That, and Green Day's assertion that the war on terror is all hyperbole.
14 - uli
the headline says - from a political punk band to american idiots. aha. if you concider a punk band as stupid white men, because they ask questions, and have a serious concern about the politics in your land, than you give an answer about the real idiot. green day have been too long a commercial teenage band which now took the change to get this land out of trance. why not talk about politics? rumsfeld told the public (last week ny times) , there were no mass destruction weapons found in irak, there is no connection with al caida an saddam hussein, but still every second american believes that saddam hussein bombed the world trade center...george w. bush lied to the whole world. it is a crushade only of the brave not to duck but to take a stand against bush and its agressive and murderous foreign politics. please burn all your punk cds, you didn`t understand any text line. uli
15 - Sean
What was it Joe Strummer once said about them that fuck nuns?
16 - Tyler G
Green Day is alwayz going to be a kick ass band. I agree w/everything there doing.I mean the war on Irak is such a joke. All you have to do is watch Bush give a speech and it is spooky he's are president. lol I hate biggots and redneck retards. I think a lot of music is turning more political which is good it's how they feel. I even like eminems new shit he makes the same points in the song mosh.
17 - Dave Nalle
There's only one line in American Idiot which can be construed as referring to Bush at all - "I'm not part of the redneck agenda" - and all it isn't a terribly specific reference.
Everything else in the song is about people being unable to think critically and being pawns of the media. That's non=partisan as far as I can tell, so I'm going to keep liking Green Day.
Back when I was the right age to listen to this kind of music I listened to The Clash. I liked their message of revolution against the establishment. Of course, I thought it referred to the liberal establishment of the Carter administration, or at least the labor party in Britain. Only later did I realize that they embraced a lot of socialism along with their anarchism. But I still liked their message of freedom, integrity and revolution even if our specific agendas were different.
Dave
http://www.diablog.us
18 - Mark Edward Manning
Dave, I appreciate what you said here, very intelligently argued.
However, as stated in my piece here, Green Day has not denied that American Idiot is about Bush and the Iraq War.
Even if it wasn't for that link, I'd still say it's pretty damning stuff. I just hope Green Day have the honesty to record their next album in Canada.
19 - Mark Saleski
yes. remember, dissent is not allowed if you are an artist.just keep your trap shut.
gawd bless america.
20 - Mike Kole
I have looked forward to having Republicans in the White House for one reason: the punk rock scene gets re-energized every time.
There are very few bands/artists who can consistently keep up the heat, no matter who is in the White House. What was Green Day writing about when Clinton was President? Yeah.
21 - Dave Nalle
You mean Clinton wasn't a Republican?
Dave
22 - Mark Edward Manning
Mike Kole: "What was Green Day writing about when Clinton was President? Yeah."
Exactly. They were writing slap-happy songs about not much at all. America's image being stained by a president committing perjury didn't matter to them. Nor did Clinton's hawkish behavior in Sudan and Iraq matter either. Or how about that war in the Balkans? Nope. Nary a word about that.
Bush could be a Nelson Rockefeller-type Republican, never engage in a war, spend tons on liberal pork to keep the Dems off his back, give the O.K. for states to legalize gay marriage, and wear flowers in his hair: And "artists" would still scream about how terrible he is.
As Mike Kole says, you need only to be a Republican - even if in name only.
Mark Saleski: "yes. remember, dissent is not allowed if you are an artist.just keep your trap shut."
Mark, all I said was that I hope Billie Joe, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt find a little honesty in their lives. If they're going to sing about how intolerable American life is, then leave it behind. If they want to remain in the States, hypocritical as it is for them to do so, then by all means.
23 - Kasha Chang
Before I begin, there are a few things anyone reading this should know about me:
1. I loved the record American Idiot. I think it's the best Green Day album to date, partially BECAUSE of it's political nature. Not necessarily just because I agree with the viewpoint expressed - although we'll get to that in a minute - but simply because it has a purpose, a message, instead of just being a bunch of great songs all strung together.
2. I've also loved Green Day as a band ever since I started listening to music - FYI, that was about age 11.
3. I was born, and live in Canada.
4. I'm anti - Bush. Strongly.
Okay, so I think that's it...didn't want you to start reading this without being warned of my stance.
Mike Edward Manning: "I just hope Green Day have the honesty to record their next album in Canada."
First off - just a small, nit-picky little point - not all canadians are anti-Bush. About 83% are. But we have a 13% population that rooted for him in the last election. They're the ones that scare the heck out of me.
So I understand your point about canada - to be honest, due to my views, I'm living proof that what you're saying has some truth to it. But please, don't generalize so broadly.
Second itsy-bitsy, nit-picky point: There are plenty of americans IN AMERICA who are anti-Bush as well. Just in case you hadn't noticed. Unfortunately, there weren't enough of them this past November to stop him from getting re-elected. Or were there? If you believe Micheal Moore (which I don't, BTW - I may be canadian, and I may be a leftie, but I'm not that conspiracy crazy)maybe Dubya is a cheat. But that's beside the point, and I digress.
My main point - and only major beef - is the fact that mike seems to imply that it is impossible to love your country but disagree with the policies of the body governing it. And this, if I may make so bold, is exactly the attitude that the Bush administration has been pushing. Come on, don't tell me you haven't noticed. The frequent use of the word "patriot" in speeches and pieces of legislation, the implication that a person cannot be a patriotic american and have an opinion that differs from that of the government. Your suggestion that it would be more "honest" for Green Day to record in canada owing to their views quite frankly scares me. If you take this idea to its inevitable conclusion and apply it to everyone rather than just artists, you come to the point wherein EVERYONE - protesters, opposing political parties/groups, etc. - who disagree with the actions of the current government should expatriate themselves in the name of being "honest", or be branded a hypocrite. Now let's see - we have A) no opposing political party, B) no protesters, C) no one with views that differ in any way, shape or form from the government...so, in that case, what's the point of holding an election? What's the point of even being a democracy, if every "honest" person who has the temerity to voice an idea that contradicts the claims of the white house, has left?
Considering that the Bush administration has sent many soldiers overseas to supposedly fight for the cause of democracy, I doubt this would go over too well.
But don't listen to me. I'm just a crazy socialist canadian.
24 - BRICKLAYER
"If they're going to sing about how intolerable American life is, then leave it behind. If they want to remain in the States, hypocritical as it is for them to do so, then by all means."
Why should they leave it behind, rather than try to change it? Because their viewpoints are different from yours?
That's a damn shame that you're all grown up, and not a Democratic anti-war squawker, and you can't like Green Day anymore. But for the band, they're probably happy that this album is serving as an a-hole filter to cut the fat off their fair weather fanbase.
But don't worry, Toby Keith is writing a brand new song about tying a yellow ribbon around his brand new Ford truck, before filling up the bed with illegal aliens, and driving them back across the border himself. So, you'll still have something to listen to when Rush Limbaugh goes on rehab vacation again.
25 - kasha chang
Thank you, BRICKLAYER.
Just one small thing to add - punk rock itself has over the years been defined, originally, as socially aware. That, in case you're wondering (who knows, MEM, you might be) means, or at least is a direct precursor to, POLITICAL. Some sources attribute the mass appeal of punk circa 1970 - 80s to the fact that in the united kingdom at this time, there were a significant number of young people out of work, creating an angry, proactive portion of the population who had a message and a cause, and wanted it to be heard by the government. If you were to say that this explanation is overly simplistic, I would be inclined to agree with you. However, the fact remains that many bands popular during the "heyday" of punk were political in nature. If we're being strictly definitional and accurate here, we could say that American Idiot is a return to form for Green Day's music, rather than a digression from it.
BOTTOM LINE: Much of punk is political. If you can't deal with artists expressing opinions that don't match yours, then stop listening to punk.