Musical Notes – Green Day

Produced by Lawrence Standifer Stevens

Written by Joseph E. Casanova

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Punk rockers Green Day exploded onto the scene in 1994 with the major label debut Dookie and the alternative radio staples When I Come Around and Basket Case.

The trio were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with Lou Reed, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Texas blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.

Green Day, comprised of guitarist/lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong, drummer Tré Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt, have won three Grammies and sold 85 million records worldwide.

The band’s 2004 release, American Idiot, sparked much controversy with its politically charged title track but also earned them their biggest chart hit, Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

For my nephew Cole’s 11th birthday, I bought him a record player and copies of the Dookie and Appetite for Destruction albums.

For our first concert, I hoped it would be Green Day since they were our favorite band. I’d seen them three times already, but catching that show with him would’ve been so cool.

However, the group wasn’t on the road this year. Cole had something else in mind.    

Instead, I took him to the Warped Tour, an all-day music festival outside the AT&T Center in San Antonio. I had attended that one in 2003 as well as Lollapolooza and Ozzfest so I knew what to expect – more or less.

Boy, was I wrong? My nephew packed our survival kits and constantly reassured me.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Joseph. You’re gonna like the bands. They’re awesome and they’re all different, too.”    

I wonder if we were at the same stage because they all sounded alike to me. All I heard was over-the-top guitar playing and really annoying growling and yelling. 

I used to tell my folks, “If it’s too loud, you’re too old!” 

Does anyone know where I left my hearing aids? By the way, when’s Tony Bennett coming to town?