[avatar =”Mark” size=”50″ align=”left” /]What can we expect next from pop/punk legends Green Day? The Californian band have reportedly started to write new music and the fans are waiting in the wings to embrace it. But, will the act stick to the formula of their last three records Uno, Dos, Tre? Or will they create a sequel to the ever popular and word shattering American Idiot saga?
The band have become stalwarts in the music industry and recently were inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame. Their impact has been applauded by artists and bands alike too and they’ve also influenced many acts over the years. But have they fired everything they have at the creative wall, or have they got something new in the armoury?
Green Day obviously raised the bar with their major label release Dookie in ’94. It was a record that really steered the band into the punk realm and they pushed the boundaries with three chord wonders like Longview and Basket Case. Then Insomniac and Nimrod followed. And both those records cracked the pathway a little. They were deemed as being inferior and not as abrasive and infectious as Dookie.
American Idiot was described as a fundamental saviour. The band were cradling enough money, they were still famous and worthy, but the music wasn’t going places. But leading man and prime songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong wrote lyrics that conveyed a fable, a story of politics and alienation. He created characters, he opened up minds, he solidified himself as a spokesman for the disenfranchised generation. Songs like “Jesus Of Suburbia” and “Holiday” cemented Green Day as frontrunners once again. The album sold 10 million copies and it really hit home. It was Green Day’s finest hour.
Now we’re in 2015. Times have changed and music has become something of money making machine. The industry has ripped away its over-skin and has shown its true identity. We live in a world where creativity is a rarity, but there are bands out there that still adhere to the rituals of making good, honest music.
Green Day may be a colossal act that have sold over 85 million records. But they’re still humble enough to travel by a tour bus and cheap flights. Yes arrogance is rife in the music industry, dryness is too, but at least we have some bands that do it for the love of creativity.
American Idiot was a milestone in Green Day’s career. But can we expect another record that will hit so many emotions? We just have to wait until the next chapter is unleashed.
