April 17, 2010

Hero Volunteers Wanted for Partying in NYC: MKOTC, AI, GD, FBHT… FBHT?!?

By Green Day Mind

In these strange days of exploding volcanoes, political teabagging, and general everyday crappiness, sometimes the only thing you can do to get through it all is to take a party break. As someone who was very politically involved for the last 20 years, I have taken a 21st Century Breakdown Tour Party Break. As such, I readily offer myself as a volunteer for some epic and heroic PARTY duties during the coming week. I recommend heading down to your favorite city if you can as we are recruiting volunteers here in Party Central NYC and we need YOU!

MKOTC: Heroes Aren't Born - They Volunteer!

I have been looking forward to the week of April 19-24 ever since I heard that the Mystic Knights of the Cobra were going to be in town to rock out at four venues in New York and New Jersey: Arlene’s Grocery on the Lower East Side (4/21), Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park (4/22), Don Hill’s in Tribeca (4/23) and the Millhill Basement in good old Trenton (4/24).

I have also been looking forward to seeing American Idiot on 4/22, the day after its Broadway opening, since AI tickets first went on sale back in January or February. Tickets then unexpectedly went on sale on April Fool’s Day 2010 for American Idiot’s opening night (the Holy Lushotology Day of 4/20), and now I’ll be sitting in the balcony on my favorite band’s craziest night of their lives watching while their iconic 2004 album of the same name officially enters the pantheon of Old Broadway. There just might be a few loud audience “AMENS” coming from the balcony during “Holiday.”

The week may get even better, too.  The Reverend Strychnine Twitch tweeted the following to the masses this past Thursday: “Ladys and germs!The tubbies are officially in nyc! Ready to stop drop and bukak! Oooh! Baby girl! Stay tuned for a big bash soon? STING” and I knew our Lushie Nuns Paradise supplications had been answered. Still no word on venue, but the Rev has given us manna from the Twitterverse and it’s all good. And Rich Russo tonight on RXP101.9 announced that the Foxies show will be on Sunday, 4/25, at midnight at a venue that will be announced the day of the show. Oh… and there are only 120 tickets available. Wow. Good luck to us all with that one.

Even though there are so many wonderful things happening this week, what I look forward to the most, though, is partying with old and new friends. Cause that’s what this week is going to ultimately be: Party! Party! Party! Sometimes, partying and enjoying good company is the only thing you can do in the face of so much that is wrong with the world. I hope to see you there. And if you can’t be here, party it up wherever you may be. After all, this week does have a Lushotology Holiday: 420 Day! Here’s to the week ahead!

8 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Green Day's American Idiot (Musical), Green Day's Other Bands, Other Bands

April 11, 2010

On the Foxboro Hot Tubs and New York City

By Green Day Mind

On the Band Known as the Foxboro Hot Tubs Making a Holy Appearance in the NY/NJ Area During the Opening Week of American Idiot as Stated by the Band Known as Green Day

It's Lushotology by Kryssi Kay

Some wiseguys were on the radio back on March 28th (listen to the audio to the 10:30 mark) and said that the band known as the Foxboro Hot Tubs would love to play around the opening week of American Idiot on Broadway (March 19-March 25). And of course, when some wiseguys said this, it sparked a frantic, “OMG OMG, The REVEREND in NYC!?!” squeeeeee heard ’round the world. Yes. I squeeeed. Shoot me. Of course, the wiseguys did not elaborate on important questions such as WHERE?? and WHAT?? when the DJ asked whether an appearance by the Reverend Twitch (“last seen in London throwing up on a jet”) and the Hot Tubs in the Greater New York City area was possible. Or likely. Mike and Billie Joe joked around and Billie Joe replied, “[I would love for the Rev. Strychnine Twitch and the Foxboro Hot Tubs] to do something around the opening of American Idiot, maybe at the place, Bowery Electric.” And then the band known as Green Day, Mike, Tre and Billie Joe shared a “tee-hee” moment of giggles.

London Call to Worship

Beautiful Hot Tubs in London by Chris Dugan

All I have to say is that I won’t get into a holy frantic over it until it happens. I learned my lesson in London last October when I made my supplications for a holy sighting of the band. Unfortunately, I picked the wrong weekend to see some band in England and missed Communion by a week when a surprise Hot Tubs show was announced on 11/1/09 at the Islington Garage (see Kerrang article about that show in the next section). Sigh. Patience is a virtue, right, Reverend Twitch?? The longer the wait, the harder the… uh… well… revelation… uh… will be… so let’s just say if it happens its going to be hella happening. (See all Foxboro Hot Tubs-related posts here.)

Cut to the Holy Chase

Wild Night in London Town - Foxboro Hot Tubs

Anyway, Mike and Billie Joe mentioned the “Bowery Electric.” I read somewhere that on March 11th, 2010, they attended the Bowery Electric for Adeline Records artist Jesse Malin‘s Burning The Bowery residency. A group of well-researched people (uh, y’know) did some digging and came up with speculative venue locations. There is a “Private Event” listing at the Bowery Ballroom on 4/19. And there’s a date on the Bowery Electric site, too, that is marked as “Surprise Show” on 4/27. And the must-see Mystic Knights of the Cobra will be in NYC and New Jersey from 4/21-4/24, too. The Cobras toured with FBHT in 2008. Hmmm.

Of course —>ALL OF THIS IS SPECULATION<— and only the Lushie Gods know when and if they will play, and who knows what could happen, but there are many possibilities! Now, if there’s a Kevin Preston (guitarist for the Foxies) or Jason Freese (he’s been known to play sax with them) sighting or if Billie Joe’s hair of a sudden turns blond, we’ll know for certain that something is afoot.

Other than that, I suggest checking Twitter feeds uh… religiously… during the opening week of American Idiot (last preview is Monday 4/19; show opens on Tuesday 4/20 (International Pot and Lushotology Holy Day) and the last show that week takes place on Saturday, 4/25) in order to keep abreast of any last second show announcements. Cause that’s how the Hot Tubs roll: at the last second and on the sly. Can’t let Warner Brothers know EXACTLY where the Foxboro Hot Tubs will show up! lol. And the Rev never says anything that he doesn’t mean. Right? Right??

If a show does happen sometime during Opening Week of American Idiot, Billie Joe noted in the interview that a prerequisite of the Foxies is “more people onstage than are actually in the band,” and Tre stated that there also must be “more beer than air” and Mike insisted on a low ceiling. New York Lushies are willing and able to commune onstage with beer under low ceilings! No worries about any of those prerequisites!

Get thee to a … bit of guilt

Actually, I’d like to say one other thing: There were a few people that I chatted with after the interview aired who were talking about heading to NYC for the Foxies without even knowing if the band were actually going to play. The only problem with that is that they are much-O brok-O right now and can’t afford to come that week but would love the chance to worship with the Foxies. They would be awfully disappointed if they traveled to NYC on a shoestring and a miraculous sighting of the Holy Fathers did not apparate (wait, how did Harry Potter get in here?) at some time in a New York Lushotologist’s future. So, don’t tease the Lushie Nuns unless you’re gonna do it. It would be scandalous to the Church!

I’m applying the guilt found above more so in the form of a fetish dungeon then in the form of a “guilty religion” dungeon, so I’m pretty sure that I’m not breaking any tenets of the Church of Lushotology. If, of course, there were any Lushotology tenets besides drinking to break.

Whatever happens,  NYC is waiting.

A Call to the Lushie Nuns

Won’t you, oh Lushie Nuns, add your supplications for an appearance in the NY/NJ area in the comments? Remember, make them Lushly!

8 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Foxboro Hot Tubs

April 10, 2010

Idiots On Broadway

By Green Day Mind

UPDATE: I mentioned yesterday the Amazon.com link to the American Idiot cast album, but I didn’t post the link to the site. I was trying to get this done fast so that I could head off to a fitting for a movie shoot that I was asked to do and then realized I couldn’t do the shoot because I couldn’t get off of work. The story of my life and acting. Oh well. Anyway,  you can listen to excerpts of the songs as sung by the cast at the Amazon site. The album “features” Green Day and includes the never before recorded song, “When Its Time” sung by Billie Joe Armstrong.

Give My Regards to Broadway

"American Idiot's" Green Day Caricature by Ken Fallin

The caricature, a portrait of one’s physical features styled in an exaggerated manner, is an old art form and has a long history and tradition on Broadway. Actors, playwrights, producers, directors, choreographers, composers, and sometimes designers, get their own caricature portrait, usually epitomizing the person at a particular time or moment, in a show, on a set, etc.  Sardi’s Restaurant, directly down the street from the St. James Theater on W. 44th, is legendary for its customers, who tend to be the movers and shakers of Broadway. The restaurant has a long tradition of hanging caricatures of its famous guests throughout the dining area and bar. Wikipedia says the rumored common thread among those hung in the place: they have all eaten in the restaurant. Now that’s marketing!

You may have heard about wild and crazy antics breaking out at Sardi’s after the first preview on 3/24. I’m sure that Sardi’s hasn’t seen that kind of action over a show since the 1950s. (See here – Vince Mediaa link – and here – GD fans ask Billie Joe to sign tattoo and go a little nuts outside of Sardi’s – for videos.) Maybe a portrait of this type will eventually make its way onto the walls of Sardi’s one of these days? Personally, I used to dream about having one at the famed restaurant as a kid. Though, I’ve only had drinks in the bar, I’ve never eaten there (but I’m pretty sure that I’m far from eligible anyway, lol).

The caricature of Green Day is by the modern-day caricaturist,  Ken Fallin as seen on the theatrical website, Broadway World. Thanks to Nicole for finding the photo.

You may have heard of the artist, Al Hirschfeld. Hirschfeld was the premiere caricaturist of the Broadway theater for a good portion of the 20th century. A master of his craft of illustration, there’s a great Youtube video of him drawing another legend of the theater, Paul Newman, from a production of “Our Town.” Hirschfeld was 99 years old at the time. The drawing took eight hours, but not because of his age. You can take a look here.

Preview Madhouse, 3/24

Billie and Adrienne and Rebecca heading to Sardi's after the first preview. Photo by Tanya Elder

I’ve had the good fortune to see the show three times on Broadway now, including the first preview (a benefit of living in the Greatest City on Earth, New York). I am pleased to report that I am thrilled with the production. During its run in Berkeley, I had some constructive criticisms of the show, and it was difficult to have a differing view from other die-hard fans. I’m a grouchy and jaded, NYC theater goer, so I’ll get over it. As far as I was concerned, the Berkeley run wasn’t meant to be polished. It was meant to be criticized and pulled apart and put back together again in order to make the show even more fantastic when, and if, it got to its destination. Afterall, that’s what a trial run of a Broadway show is all about. American Idiot is now in previews at the St. James Theater and ends this coming 4/19.

When the show opens on 4/20, it will be set, and it will be perfect.

I was able to buy a ticket to the show on 4/20 — International Pot Day — otherwise known as the Broadway opening of Green Day’s American Idiot. As they do in the theater, I’m going to wait to offer my review of the show until it officially opens. I’ll be in the balcony that night, along with a bunch of other Idiots. I will say that I am happy and quite pleased with the work done on the show. It shows more depth and feeling all around. Bravo!

Night View, American Idiot on Broadway Billboard. Photo by Tanya Elder.

I do want to highlight something that Time Out New York recently wrote in an article entitled, “Green Day’s concept album could revolutionize Broadway” by Rob Weinert-Kendt:

Though Mayer added little dialogue to Armstrong’s often impressionistic lyrics, he hopes that by sharing words among a dozen performers, he’s created a kind of found-text libretto for a multi-pronged narrative that entwines city, suburb and battlefield.

I have read others say that the story is “weak,” but I’ve always maintained that the story was adequately served (see my Book overview here) not only by the album’s lyrics, but also by the liner note-type “monologues” that appear in the few special editions of the album version released when American Idiot (see scans of the liner notes here) first came out and I stick to that. It certainly is a “soundtrack to a life” script or even a “portrait/snapshot of life” and I think that Mayer and Armstrong successfully found a way to make the lyrics and music stand out, combined with aspects of video, spoken word, captions, images,  all coming together to present a visual sense of what it feels like to head toward  a mental blow-out — as the mover of the story’s narrative arc. “Found-text libretto” is a good way to describe the mechanics of American Idiot‘s underlying book — a snapshot of memory affecting everyday life. It’s the most experimental feature of the show, and I like its hazy memory quality. Each piece of “found text” throughout the show contributes to the story.

OMG Greenday.com

New York Daily News article on the Greenday.com site

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that Mike Chickenman, Nicole Gary and I (as well as 12-year-old Ethan Udell, who I don’t know), appeared in a feature article on the show in the New York Daily News. I’m happy to say that both Greenday.com and Greendayauthority.com posted the scans on their sites! The three of us had a slight “21st century breakdown” when we saw it on the official site on 4/3. We all swooned a bit.

American Idiot on Broadway Facebook

If you haven’t been visiting American Idiot on Broadway’s Facebook or Main page, I suggest you do it you are interested in the show, opinions about the show, contests, and fan- and newsbuzz. While the FB site got off to a slow start, they have started posting up some great stuff, including Youtube videos of a backstage view of the theater with actor Ben Thompson, and the assistant director Austin Regan talks with guitarist Alex Berlin. (Thanks to Grassmah Girl for the correction!) The site also had an awesome contest for SUPERFANS to attend opening night, and tweet about the show from the show and attend the After Party. I didn’t enter the contest, and there are five or six Youtubes videos that I think are fantastic, three of which are terrific. There is one in particular that I have in mind that I hope wins, but I’m not gonna say what my favorites are until the winner is announced. Good luck to everyone who entered!

The Tony Awards

The Tony Award nominations are coming up on June 13th, and as I’ve noted before, Green Day’s European-tour leg, which kicks off May 29th (so far, at least, and it will be GREAT to have the band back on the road again), has a built-in break around Tony time. Unless some concert in Europe is going to pop up, which I doubt, Green Day will be flying from Austria to New York to Manchester (maybe?) because buzz has American Idiot winning Best Musical of the 2009-2010 Tony Season.

We’ll see. First of all, before that pans out, the Tony Committee has to meet in order to haggle over which shows are eligible for what categories for this season. Here’s an interesting article on who is allowed to vote this year. It also talks about American Idiot‘s biggest competition, “Fela!” The fellow who is predicting that American Idiot will win for Best Musical and Enron for Best Play will be nominated/win in their respective categories has some interesting things to say about “Fela!” that I had not considered before. Thanks to Justin for finding the article.

Mayer on Armstrong Interview – Playbill.com

This article from Playbill.com is a must read and listen-to. Michael Mayer interviews Billie Joe Armstrong about American Idiot, and talks about what happened at the Grammy After Partys.

LOGO Drama Club Interview

This interview that appeared on the LOGO Network cracked me up. It’s from LOGO’s Drama Club. I think it was the music. And Tre’s favorite, The Drowsy Chaparone was a good show that I wish I had seen. Oh well.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

eBay Auction – Two Front Row Mezzanine Seats for Final Preview, 4/19

My friend Diane is auctioning off two tickets to the final preview of American Idiot on 4/19. Diane was to travel to New York with her friend to see the show. Unfortunately her friend has breast cancer and will be unable to come to New York at this time. Diane and her community of friends in the Northwest are helping as her friend goes through cancer treatment, so she is also unable to attend the show that night. I was fortunate to see the first preview of the B’way version of AI with Diane. I’m glad you got to come and see the first preview and all the best with your friend!

All proceeds from the auction go to her friend’s cancer treatment fund. She does not have health insurance.

Original Cast Recording, MTV’s PUSH, Buzzworthy, and 4/22 contest

I posted last time about the back cover of the American Idiot Original Cast Recording. Green Day’s Facebook and site posted the front cover this past week, and again, thanks to Justin, Amazon.com says that the album will drop on 4/20. You can also pre-order until then, a copy at the theater. Just fill out a form and pay at the time. (h/t plaidducky) Lastly in the American Idiot on Broadway realm, MTV and Green Day have combined together to present many “Buzzworthy” presentations of AI on Bway. MTV’s offices look down from Broadway onto 44th street where the  St. James Theater is located, according to MTV’s twitter. Whatever one may say about corporate blahdeblah, I gotta say, this is an excellent move on MTV’s part. MTV is giving away tickets to a “Special Performance” of the show for April 22nd. I have no idea what this entails, by being special… but I’m going to the show that night as well. Hmm. Whatever could “special” and MTV mean? Double hmmmm. You can enter the contest here.

And with that, I’m off! Don’t forget coming up, Billie Joe on Bill Maher (last night, 4/9), and the Jimmy Fallon show is being taped here in NYC on 4/14. Later!

See the cast album cover after the jump.

Continue reading

8 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Green Day's American Idiot (Musical)

March 30, 2010

West Coast Meets East Coast: Party! Party! Party! with the Mystic Knights of the Cobra and Honah Lee, 4/21-4/24, 2010

By Green Day Mind

Party! Party! Party! with the Mystic Knights of the Cobra and Honah Lee

HERE WE GO! HERE WE GO! HERE WE GOOOOOOooooOOOOO!!

I went out to the East Bay back in February and saw two great bands and two wild shows: Pinhead Gunpowder playing at 924 Gilman in Berkeley (see Youtube video of that show here) and the Mystic Knights of the Cobra playing at the Uptown in Oakland. (See Michelle Lawlor’s great photos from the Uptown show here.) It was my first time seeing either band live and though it may be my last time seeing the elusive Pinhead Gunpowder, I’m happy to report that there are not ONE, but FOUR opportunities coming up in April to see the Mystic Knights of the Cobra on their first NYC/NJ/East Coast tour. If you want a show with it all, magic acts, vaudeville and funked-out punk from the visceral gut, don’t miss the Cobra shows coming up in either NYC (Arlene’s Grocery, 4/21; Don Hill’s 4/23) or New Jersey (Asbury Lanes, 4/22 and Trenton, Mill Hill Basement, 4/24). Trenton-based band Honah Lee (“Frolicking in the autumn mist of a land called Honah Lee“) along with a few other bands (and special guests?) will be performing as well.

GO COBRAS GO!

It’s difficult to describe the Mystic Knights of the Cobra (aka, MKOTC or the Cobras). Are they funk punk? Party punk? Punk punk? Just punks? Their Facebook and MySpace pages list the following genres: Rock, Punk, Showtunes (!) and goes on to say: “Mixing punk, hard rock and old school with the occasional rap/break-beat or booty bass line, the Cobras are hard to put in any musical box.” Well, you got that right, don’t even try to put Baby Cobra in a box, she’ll kick your ass. The Cobras follow few musical rules except maybe those referenced in the song “Tranny Sex” from their 2009 album, There Is No End and spoken by the extreme punk, GG Allin from an appearance on the Geraldo Rivera Show:

“My body is a temple of rock ‘n’ roll, and my flesh and blood and body fluid are a communion to the people. I’m not out to please anybody … I’m trying to bring danger back to rock ‘n’ roll and there are no limits or laws, and I’ll break down every barrier from this time until the day I die…”

They don’t go as far as GG did (and that’s a good thing), but they do live in the same rock ‘n’ roll neighborhood, only, they have toilets in their part of town.

Hailing from Crockett, CA, MKOTC’s tribal members all share the same last name, Cobra (Baby Cobra, Lady Cobra, Crystal, Gyptron, Chinatown Meatloaf, Hotel Trell, Call Me Donny (RIP), Night Moves, Big Chief, Ghostown, College Prep, Call Me Donna, Lockdown, Cakes, Hot Lips, El Leche, Sexual, Alcatraz, Hey Puto, Cup Cake, Lu-Lu, Ki-Ki, Soda Pop, Hebrew National and Dirty Nasty the Filthy Gentleman) and while not all of them will be making their way to NYC, many of them will be coming East for the first time. The core band consists of singers Baby Cobra (Rachael) and Lady Cobra (Monica), guitarists Chinatown (Michael) and Ghosttown (Aaron), keyboardist Trell (just call him Trell), bassist Night Moves (Sean), trombonist Crystal and Gryptron (Joshua) on the drums.

I expect all of you jaded New Yorkers and New Jersians to get off of your asses, come party with MKOTC West Coast-style, and welcome them with a giant East Coast presence. It’s going to be a PARTY! PARTY! PARTY! that you will not want to miss.

Oh, and buy the band some drinks, too. They will love you long time if you do.

Go Cobras Go! - Mystic Knights of the Cobra at the Uptown, 2/13/10 - Photo by Michelle Lawlor

7 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in East Bay Punk, Other Bands

March 29, 2010

Pinhead Gunpowder 2/12/10 – [Almost] FULL Video Now on Youtube

By Green Day Mind

You know you wanted to be there…. and now you can see it… via 924Gilman and KillThatCat.com.

UPDATE: I just really had the chance to watch this and realized that the last two songs are missing. The recording does not include: “Losers of the Year” and “Mahogany.” But that’s ok, it’s fabulous nonetheless.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Pinhead Gunpowder

March 23, 2010

Idiots Take Broadway in 24 Hours (with Cast Album Track List)

By Green Day Mind

American Idiot Cast Album Track List - Courtesy of deshabillage

A little over five years after Green Day’s American Idiot hit the music world gobsmacked in the face with a new sound from the band and a fierce story of suburbia, despair, longing, and American teenage angst, the Broadway version of the show is about to take the Great Green Way by storm in 24 hours with its first preview on March 24, 2010.

Yes, you heard me correctly, American Idiot, an album made by those “snotty punks” from the 1990s is going Broadway, baby, and if word on the street is correct, it’ll be a movie as well, as rumors (leaked yesterday and timed quite well, I might add…) are swirling around stating that Tom Hanks’ Playtone production company is in talks with the boys to take it to the big screen. And that’s the place where Billie Joe, Mike and Tre wanted it to be in the first place. I have a feeling it’s going to happen.

Theo Stockman posted this 1993 interview with the boys on his Facebook page the other day. If you want to see some eerie foreshadowing, take a look at this hilarious interview where Tre mentions that “Green Day rock opera available on very small records!” and Mike talks about calling it “Jimmy.” Say what you will, but these boys knew their destiny a long time ago. But man, are they so young looking in this clip and yes… dare I say it… stoned! LOL.

“Green Day rock opera available on very small records!” – Interview with Green Day on the Bookmobile, 1993

Today, Tuesday, March 23rd, is the final dress rehearsal, which happens tonight. That means that invited guests will be attending the show as if it’s going up from start to finish, unless some technical snafu gets in the way and they have to work it out during the production. Final dress, however, is usually conducted from start to finish and then the cast may sit down for a slew of notes from the director.

Prior to that however, the boys and the production will be holding a press conference for 500 or so lucky fans (LIKE ME!!!) today at the St. James. We’ll be heading into the theater at around noon today and from what I understand, Billie Joe will introduce director Michael Mayer who will then introduce the cast. Afterward, the cast will sing a few songs from the show and the press will go off and post their commentary in time for the papers tomorrow and the entertainment news shows tonight.

I was very lucky this past weekend to be featured in the New York Daily News with two other fans that I know, the crazy but sweet Mike Chickenman (you may remember him as the hardhat guy from MSG1 back in July) and Nicole Gary. We did a photo shoot at the theater a few weeks ago and then were interviewed by Gina Salamone of the Daily News. Unfortunately, the NYDN hasn’t put it on their website (they are never known for being a smart publication as they would have gotten a crap load of hits if they had), but luckily it was scanned very professionally by Nicole’s husband, and you can read it below.

In the meantime, I can’t imagine what is going through Billie Joe’s mind right now. All I have to say, is breathe, man. You are going to take Broadway by storm.

"The Great Green Way," by Gina Salamone, New York Daily News, 3/21/10

"The Great Green Way," by Gina Salamone, New York Daily News, 3/21/10

4 Comments   |  tags: | posted in Green Day's American Idiot (Musical)

March 20, 2010

Green Day is a Gateway Drug to the History of Punk

By Green Day Mind

Future 8-Year Old Punk (in gray hood) Listening to 21 Guns by Green Day on a NYC Bus

I was talking with a fellow Green Day fan the other day about the countless nonsensical arguments people have over whether Green Day is “punk,” is “punk enough,” is “power punk,” is “pop punk,” or just “punk sellouts.” It boggles my mind, these conversations spread over the Internet and in person, the constant arguments people have over what defines punk and who is eligible to be called punk or even listen to it or attend shows, apparently. I continued by saying that I just don’t understand why people diss Green Day so much in regards to their “punkdom.” While I intellectually understand the arguments, I said, “these guys are punk to their soul, and because of them and their stardom, many fans of Green Day, if they so choose, are exposed to the world of punk. They are like a gateway drug to the history of punk, and even if people don’t enjoy their music, punks especially should be proud that they keep punk alive for new generations to be exposed to.” She liked the phrase, “gateway drug to the history of punk.”

Proof in point that GD is a gateway drug is Billie Joe Armstrong’s induction speech of Iggy Pop and the Stooges at last week’s Hall of Fame induction. He never gives “good” speeches because it’s not really his thing and he gets really shy and nervous for the most part when he has to pull out a piece of paper and read it (see as an example the speech he gave in 2006 when Green Day received the “Spirit of Liberty” Award from People for the American Way), but one of the great highlights of the speech is that you could tell how much he loved and how damned happy and excited he was to be inducting Iggy and the Stooges into the Hall of Fame. He then rattled off a list of about 70 bands that considered Iggy and the Stooges their inspiration. Eldon from the Green Day Community was kind enough to compile a list of the bands that he mentioned.

View PostEldoon, on 16 March 2010 – 05:57 AM, said:

List of bands Billie namechecked in his speech! (in order):

The Adverts
Adolescents
The Ex (I’m iffyest on whether he said this, but I’m pretty damn sure)
The Avengers
Bad Brains
Bad Religion
Generation X
Blondie
The Boys
The Briefs
Blatz
The Buzzcocks
Circle Jerks
The Clash
D Generaton
The Damned
The Dead Boys
Dead Kennedys
Descendents
Devo
Die Toten Hosen
Eater
The Exploding Hearts
Gang of Four
The Germs
The Gun Club
Guns N Roses
The Hives
Joan Jett
The Runaways
New York Dolls
Rancid
The Libertines
The Lookouts
Pearl Jam
Metallica
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Nirvana
Fear
Operation Ivy
The Replacements
The Strokes
The Dwarves
Hole
The Ramones
The Pretenders
The Real Kids
Siouxsie & The Banshees
The Slits
NoMeansNo
Social Distortion
Husker Du
The Dictators
The Cramps
Stiff Little Fingers
Suicidal Tendencies
Black Flag
Peaches
Thee Headcoats
The Undertones
Mudhoney
The Sex Pistols
Gogol Bordello
Sonic Youth
Minutemen
Bikini Kill
The Weirdos
7 Seconds
X
Wire
The Saints
Queens of the Stone Age
Television
The White Stripes

And then the censor at the end makes it hard for me to tell if he said another band, but who knows, that’s at least 99% of it hahah!
ENJOY! If you don’t know ’em…CHECK ‘EM OUT

I’m pretty sure that the last band he mentioned that the censors bleeped was “and my own fucking band, Green Day, too!” Eldoon is right, check out this list of bands if you don’t know them because whether you call yourself a punk or not, the bands that he mentioned are great and powerful and each band will cause you to learn more about this music that exploded out of rebellion and rage and in its way, took over a little part of the world.

I recently wrote about the Pinhead Gunpowder show that I traveled to see out in Berkeley in February. I had the time of my life, was happy to support a woman suffering from cancer, see my friends, head to 924 Gilman for the first time, and see PHGP because I love the music, and yes, I happen to really like members of the band, particularly some guy named Billie Joe Armstrong. Some punk out in the East Bay decided to write a comment on the blog, calling the group of people I was with, “a bunch of losers.” Why were we losers? In his mind, we were only there to see Billie Joe and we wouldn’t like this band for any other reason than that. Fair enough, I suppose, even though he assumed a lot about me from one post without reading anything else I’ve written about Green Day or my life on this blog.

I was having dinner with friends when I read his comment, and I could easily have not approved it, but in this case, I was interested in his reasons (like I didn’t know what he was going to say in the first place) and wrote back then and there. I should have waited until I got home to reply, but I have tried my best to balance my fangirldom with real life commentary and was pissed and interested in knowing why he wrote that we were “losers.” He replied and implied that we were a bunch of losers because we were women traveling to see PHGP because of Billie Joe, and apparently, that is a not a good enough reason to see a band. Really, if that were the case, no one would see any band because of any member of it. He then went on to call me a bitch and a “women child,” telling me to “grow up” while complaining about my writing and misspelling “merrit” at the same time. Oh, and apparently punks don’t call themselves punks anymore.

There goes at least one idea of Gilman’s wall of ‘dont’s’ posted at the front door, “No Sexism.”

924 Gilman Rules of the Road

To be fair, maybe he was pissed that I mentioned that Aaron wasn’t very nice that night and seemed to have issues with the women in the audience, too. I know I had my issues when a fan screamed as Billie Joe walked into Gilman myself. What I wrote was meant to express how happy and determined I was to be a part of a special night at a special place with my friends that I had only recently heard about that made me feel part of a community and history that felt like home. I am a Green Day fan for sure, but this guy assumed (and I assume it was a guy myself) so many things based on the title of this blog and lines within the piece, that it made my head spin.

Billie Joe was recently featured in the gay-themed magazine, “Out.” It’s a great article and features a blog-only addition that can be found here. In the blog-only article, Billie Joe talks about what it means to be “punk rock.” He mostly focuses on the fact that the music brings together a community of somewhat like-minded people. Personally, I don’t care if you argue about the meanings of punk until you turn blue and drop dead. All I know is that I don’t know but one thing: it’s the music, stupid, that forms the community. It’s high time that punks stop arguing over every little thing and remember the sense of community, whether you are a punk, whether you don’t call yourself a punk anymore or whether you’re a bitch woman child. And for those young and old fans of Green Day that weren’t exposed to punk properly back in the day (or half-exposed to it like me), enjoy the gateway drug and the history and future as well.

ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE “PUNK ROCK”:
That’s like a 10 part answer. I think of it as something that you need to have of your own. For me it’s about community. I think it’s kind of spiritual in its own way, because people fight over it so much and the meaning of it. It’s a sense of self-discovery. But also a new set of ideas and a new poetry, a new music that you discover that you notice that no one else is really into, or goes against what other people are normally into. It’s like you’re free to be an individual and taking on new ideas and challenging old ideas. I think it has a lot to do with burning down the establishment to create something new. But at the same time, you find relationships within that too. It’s something that’s supposed to empower you. It’s about starting something new. Part of the problem with a lot of punk rock is that people believe that it’s supposed to be one thing. Everything for me starts off with punk rock when I’m writing songs — it’s almost like I’m stripped down to the bare bones of music again. It’s kind of in my DNA in this point.
-Billie Joe Armstrong, OUT Magazine, Popnography Blog

9 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Green Day General, Pinhead Gunpowder, Politics, Society

March 18, 2010

New Pinhead Gunpowder Live @ Gilman Megaupload with Cover Art

By Green Day Mind

Brian from the Green Day Authority comments posted an updated link to last February’s Pinhead Gunpowder show live from 924 Gilman. It’s got a bit cleaner sound, unlike the raw files posted by Gilman’s blog, as well as nice cover art. The songs are also split. The best of the three versions I’ve heard.

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March 16, 2010

Iggy and Billie Joe – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

By Green Day Mind

Iggy and Billie - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Waldorf Astoria, 3/15/10

UPDATE: A great blog entry from Detroit’s Metro Times on Iggy Pop’s speech can be found here.

It was rock ‘n’ roll (as opposed to the more formal rock and roll) in action. And the fact that it took this band – who are the very definition of the term, with a lead singer who is the very embodiment of rock ‘n’ roll – eight years to get into this institution makes one question the validity of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame all over again…especially when Billie Joe mentioned a multitude of bands and solo artists who would’ve never existed without this crew’s influence. As Iggy joked to me more than a decade ago when discussing the subject of the Hall of Fame and his chances of joining the elite crew: “Well, maybe if I titled one of my albums Fucking Heroic Young Record Executive or something like that…”

– Bill Holdship, Metro Times Music Blagh

Billie Joe Armstrong inducted legendary band, The Stooges, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night at the Waldorf. He was really excited and rattled off a long list of incredible bands that have been influenced by The Stooges. Afterward, the master himself, Mr. Pop, sang “I Want to Be Your Dog,” and invited the rockers and the suits and the rich in the audience to sing with him onstage. Tre and Mike rushed up, Mike with bottle in hand. It was a classic and strange Iggy moment. If there is some sanctioned video out there of Iggy’s performance (I love me some Mr. Pop), I’ll add it to this post when I find it. Meanwhile, the GDA put up a gallery of photographs that can be found here.

Courtesy of the Green Day Authority (for however long the clip will stay up):

UPDATE: Stooges Press Conference:

UPDATE: Stooges performance of “I Want To Be Your Dog”

And VIA the political websites Balloon Juice and Wonkette, comes this lovely screen shot of Iggy scaring the former United States Rep. Harold Ford who is sitting in the front row of the Hall of Fame festivities, because, well, y’know, Harold’s… uh… well… uh… rock and roll.

Harold Ford and Iggy Pop, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day General

March 15, 2010

Pinhead Gunpowder (Aaron) 2/12/10

By Green Day Mind

Aaron pounding away at the drums and being fierce. Pinhead Gunpowder, 924 Gilman, 2/12/10. Photo by Ingrid Johansen from Albany, CA

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