by Robert Wilkinson
Today we send out a major Happy Solar Return and Birthday to an amazing musical force majure, Aquarian Billie Joe Armstrong, frontman for Green Day. A band that can rally millions, his is the voice that's challenged authoritarian and brain-dead thinking for years. Today we have videos.
In case you've been on a trip to Sirius or Alpha Centauri, some backstory. Green Day blasted their way to national influence in the so-called "grunge" alternative rock movement of the mid-1980s. The band originated in Berserkeley and soon blazed to global popularity through its uncompromising brand of neo-punk rock that forced everyone to take note of what was happening. A major musical force and social conscience in our world, for your listening pleasure here are Billie Joe Armstrong, Taurus Mike Dirnt, and Sagittarian Tre Cool (with a shout-out to Scorpio Jason White)!
Today features early, middle, and recent performances, so enjoy the many faces of Oaksterdam native Billie Joe Armstrong! We begin today's party with a bowl full of their classic tunes, all great videos of Green Day live. Unfortunately some require a bit of buffering time before hitting play, but hang in there. It's worth the wait!
Let's begin with a video for a cause that really matters. Here's a great performance for "Instant Karma: the Campaign to Save Darfur," Amnesty International's effort to bust genocidal war criminals. A powerful video of Green Day doing the John Lennon classic Working Class Hero offering a chilling indictment of genocide!
From MTV, a video of their newest hit, Know Your Enemy.
At this point I should say that due to a WMG dispute, there are a LOT of Green Day videos that have only been available sporadically, but should be more accessible in the future. We can only hope....
Let's move into some videos of early classics. Here's Green Day performing "Basket Case" with another version from Chicago in 1994 of "Basket Case."
From Barcelona, a version of "When I Come Around."
From a 1997 "Live in the Alley" performance, "Nice Guys Finish Last" with another version from the Chelmsford Festival V98 of Nice Guys Finish Last and Hitchin' A Ride done as a medley.
Here's one of their best! From 1995 in France, "Good Riddance (the Time of your Life)."
Recent material features some magnificent live performances. We now groove into my favorite Green Day song, "Holiday." Written as an in-your-face challenge to the Bush War Criminal administration, Billie Joe makes it clear that "This song is not anti-American. It's anti-WAR!"
This version is magnificent. From the Billboard Awards ceremony, "Holiday."
From the album of the same name, here's American Idiot.
Also from "American Idiot," here is "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," along with great performances of "Wake Me Up When September Ends" and Give Me Novacaine.
I found performances of some covers. Here's Green Day doing the Sonny Curtis classic, "I Fought The Law", and here's the Chuck Berry classic "Johnny B Goode."
An interesting Live Audio 1990 performance that features fragments of several early songs set to still photos.
And if you still want more, here's the official Green Day You Tube channel where I'm sure you can get dialed in to what's up with this amazing group.
Happy 38, Billie Joe. Having released "21st Century Breakdown" while Jupiter was on your Sun, you began your next 12 year cycle in an inspired way. This year Jupiter visits your Moon and Venus, so enjoy the beauty and care you get, since it'll expand your emotional horizons beyond anything you've known up to now!
© Copyright 2010 Robert Wilkinson
Great !!!!
Best Wishes !!!!!!!!
Posted by: Jorge Torres | February 17, 2010 at 04:32 PM
I LOVE Green Day. Happy birthday, Billie Joe!
Thank you, Robert! What a heart-warmer.
Posted by: WarriorLady | February 17, 2010 at 07:45 PM