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Green Day
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Out of all the post-Nirvana American alternative bands to break into the pop mainstream, Green Day were second only to Pearl Jam in terms of influence. At their core, Green Day were simply punk revivalists, recharging the energy of speedy, catchy three-chord punk-pop songs. Though their music wasn't particularly innovative, they brought the sound of late-'70s punk to a new, younger generation with Dookie, their 1994 major-label debut. Green Day weren't able to sustain their success -- Dookie sold over eight million, while its follow-up, Insomniac, only sold a quarter of its predecessor -- yet their influence was far-reaching because they opened the doors for a flood of American neo-punk, punk metal, and third wave ska revivalists.
Green Day were part of the northern California underground punk scene. Childhood friends Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Mike Dirnt (bass; born Mike Pritchard) formed their first band, Sweet Children, in Rodeo, CA, when they were 14 years old. By 1989, the group had added drummer Al Sobrante and changed its name to Green Day. That year, the band independently released its first EP, 1,000 Hours, which was well-received in the California hardcore punk scene. Soon, the group had signed a contract with the local independent label, Lookout. Green Day's first album, 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour, was released later that year. Shortly after its release, the band replaced Sobrante with Tre Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright, III); Cool became the band's permanent drummer.
Throughout the early '90s, Green Day continued to cultivate a cult following, which only gained strength with the release of their second album, 1992's Kerplunk. The underground success of Kerplunk led to a wave of interest from major record labels; the band eventually decided to sign with Reprise. Dookie, Green Day's major-label debut, was released in the spring of 1994. Thanks to MTV support for the initial single, "Longview," Dookie became a major hit. The album continued to gain momentum throughout the summer, with the second single, "Basket Case," spending five weeks on the top of the American modern rock charts. At the end of the summer, the band stole the show at Woodstock '94, which helped the sales of Dookie increase. By the time the fourth single, "When I Come Around," began its seven-week stay at number one on the modern rock charts in early 1995, Dookie had sold over five million copies in the U.S. alone; it would eventually top eight million in America, selling over ten million copies internationally. Dookie also won the 1994 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.
Green Day quickly followed Dookie with Insomniac in the fall of 1995; during the summer, they hit number one again on the modern rock charts with "J.A.R.," their contribution to the Angus soundtrack. Insomniac performed well initially, entering the U.S. charts at number two, and selling over two million copies by the spring of 1996, yet none of its singles -- including the radio favorite "Brain Stew/Jaded" -- were as popular as those from Dookie. In the spring of 1996, Green Day abruptly canceled a European tour, claiming exhaustion. Following the cancellation, the band spent the rest of the year resting and writing new material, issuing Nimrod in late 1997. Their long-awaited follow-up, Warning, was released three years later. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Written by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
2004 - 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour (Enhanced)
2004 - 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour (Enhanced, Limited Edition)
1991 - 1039 / Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
2004 - 1039 / Smoothed Out Slappy Hours (Enhanced, Original recording remastered)
2000 - Absolute Green Day
2001 - Absolute Interview CD (Import)
2004 - American Idiot (CD-single, Import)
2004 - American Idiot (Enhanced, Explicit Lyrics)
2004 - American Idiot (Enhanced, Explicit Lyrics, Limited Edition, Special Edition)
2004 - American Idiot [Japan Bonus Tracks]
2004 - American Idiot [US CD] (CD-single, Explicit Lyrics)
2004 - American Idiot, Pt. 1 (CD-single, Import)
???? - Basket Case Pt. 1
2004 - Boulevard of Broken Dreams [CD #1] (CD-single, Import)
2004 - Boulevard of Broken Dreams [CD #2] (CD-single, Import)
1996 - Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking (EP, Import, Live)
???? - Brain Stew/Jaded
1994 - Dookie
1998 - Foot in Mouth (EP, Import, Live)
1999 - Foot in Mouth/ Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking (Import, Live)
???? - Geek Stink Breath
1995 - Geek Stink Breath (CD-single)
1995 - Geek Stink Breath (CD-single)
???? - Hitchin' A Ride
1998 - Hitchin' a Ride (CD-single, Import)
2005 - Holiday [UK CD #1] (CD-single, Import)
2005 - Holiday [UK CD #2] (CD-single, Import)
1995 - Insomniac
1996 - Insomniac Tour Pack (Plus Live Ep) (Import, Extra tracks)
2004 - International Super Hits
2001 - International Superhit
2001 - International Superhits!
???? - Interview Disc & Book
1992 - Kerplunk
1992 - Kerplunk!
1995 - Longview [3 Tracks] (CD-single)
2004 - Maximum Green Day
2004 - Maximum Green Day
2004 - Maximum Green Day (Import)
2000 - Minority (CD-single, Import)
1999 - Nice Guys Finish Last (CD-single)
2000 - Nice Guys Finish Last (CD-single, Import)
1999 - Nice Guys Finish Last / Good Riddance (+ 2 More) (Au) (CD-single, Import)
1997 - Nimrod
1997 - Nimrod (Import)
1999 - Nimrod
1999 - Nimrod [Australia Bonus Tracks] (Import)
2002 - Poprocks & Coke (CD-single, Import)
1998 - Redundant (CD-single)
???? - Redundant Pt. 2
1998 - Redundant Pt.1 (CD-single)
1998 - Redundant Pt.2 (CD-single)
???? - Shenanigans (Import)
2002 - Shenanigans
2002 - Shenanigans
2002 - Shenanigans
1996 - Stuck With Me Pt.1 (CD-single)
1996 - Stuck with Me, Pt. 2 (CD-single, Import)
2000 - Take 2 (Import)
2001 - Take 2 (Import)
???? - Time of Your Life
1997 - Time of Your Life (Good Riddance) (CD-single)
1998 - Time Of Your Life [2 Disc] (CD-single)
1998 - Time of Your Life [US] (CD-single)
1999 - Time of Your Life, Pt. 1 [UK] (CD-single, Import)
2001 - Tune in Tokyo (EP, Import, Live)
2001 - Waiting (CD-single)
2002 - Waiting (CD-single, Import)
2001 - Waiting / Macy's Day / Basket Case (Import, CD-single)
2000 - Warning (Import)
2000 - Warning (CD-single)
2000 - Warning
2004 - Warning
2000 - Warning (Limited Edition) (Enhanced, Limited Edition)
2001 - Warning [Australia] (CD-single, Import)
2000 - Warning [Import Bonus Tracks] (Explicit Lyrics, Import)
2001 - Warning [Japan Bonus CD] (Box set, Enhanced, Import, Limited Edition)
2000 - Warning Pt. 1 (CD-single)
2000 - Warning Pt. 2 (CD-single)
