I've long believed that Cigarettes and Valentines wasn't really stolen, they'd just (mostly) finished it and weren't happy with the end result, which is why they didn't try to re-create what they had with the backup tapes and why we've never heard the whole thing or even seen a track list. If it truly did go missing, it was probably one of the band members walking out with the tapes (I mean, they just randomly found the master tapes again, right?) and they came up with the story to mislead their label so they wouldn't get in trouble for abandoning a nearly complete album. I've always felt the fact that The Network was active around this time and the fact that American Idiot was a step in a different direction strengthen my "Cigarettes and Valentines was an inside job" hypothesis because it's obvious the members of Green Day wanted something new; why would they release a more generic throwback to their older material if they so clearly wanted to do something different? Based on who they've always presented themselves to be, I don't think Green Day would ever release something they didn't want to, especially if they thought they had something better up their sleeves.
Joshua Hagelstein that totally makes sense since any other band that "finds" a completed album lying around would make the cash grab and release it which they haven't done...not even a leak.
Actually I had read somewhere that the mastertapes never have been stolen and that it was indeed a way to get more time. Don't know where by now though.
The diva section was too long but this was well worth the wait. We don't want to see too much of her. Use her wisely or we will be annoyed. Either than that, your thoughts on American Idiot was so great! It's my second favorite record and you did it justice! 😉
Also this is my interpretation of American idiots story. Not taking notes from the broadway show. Jesus of Suburbia is upset with the modern world and the politics of it. He's just a kid who smokes weed at his folks home and he decides to leave into the real world to find people to join to fight the system. He further explains his political views in holiday, and when he gets to the real world, he realizes it's not what it seems to be. No one is standing up to the injustices of the world. That's until he meets St Jimmy, the supposed leader of the revolution he was looking for, but he turns out to be a normal shady drug dealer. Jesus gets addicted to his drugs and then he meets whatsername, the real leader of the revolution and he falls in love. They date for a while and whatsername is wondering if Jesus actually loves her or is in love with St Jimmy's drugs. She then dumps him, and Jesus is at his lowest low. His fight or a cause, futile and he's now a lonely drug addict. He realizes that the world is so messed up that he can't fix it. He then decides to go home after finding out St Jimmy killed himself. Then it's years later. Jesus is an adult, probably with a family. He is reminded about the times he had with whatsername, and how they were great, but he drops is punk ideologies and becomes a normal member of society.
I think Jesus is St. Jimmy. Jesus if Suburbia: “I’m the son of rage and love” Letterbomb: “St. Jimmy is a figment of your father’s rage and your mother’s love”
+NickTheCritic1 Actually I WANTED to mention it, but I've attempted to use footage from that film in the past and Fox claims it EVERY TIME! Believe me, I wanted to, but those Copyright bots are brutal.
As a big fan of both albums, I think you're viewing 21st Century Breakdown through the wrong lens. It's a softer album about love with political tones, rather than American Idiot which was supposed to be agressive and politically charged. I would say the album would be way weaker if it tried to imitate the previous albums.
I'm one of the people who actually SAW the "American Idiot" broadway show, and I can tell you, the criticism about it being vague... it works for the album, but it clearly caused problems for the broadway show. Because they actually DID have to answer the "is St. Jimmy imaginary or not," and detail what happened to Whatzername and Jesus of Suburbia (and his friends), and... not all the pieces fit together, they also didn't have enough material, dramaturgically speaking, for a full-length show... So, the directors went to Billy for help, and he gave them some demos from "21st Century Breakdown," which the band was working on at the time, as well as some B-sides, and at least one serious rarity: the acoustic song Jesus sings to Watzername as she sleeps is one Billy wrote for his future wife Adrianne when he was sixteen....and it sounds like it was written by a 16-year-old, but I remember thinking, "wow, he trusted them with something that personal, he REALLY wanted this show to work." ... But I think that's kind of what makes Green Day so special. There was a heart of solid gold under all of that adolescent punk rock rage. I think that's why their softer, more confessional tracks became such hits.
Steal This Album was based off a book, and the album title was a huge "fuck you" to music pirating which was a massive issue for any band at the time of its release. It had nothing to do with an album actually being stolen and never released.
21 Guns isn't anywhere near my favorite Green day song but I will definitely say that the version off of the American Idiot musical cast album where the whole cast sings is really good
but peacemaker bro hell you can't even argue that they'd done that before. even if you tried to argue with misery (which is the closest) peacemaker is much faster and has way more punch. a top 10 green day song tbh
Man this did not disappoint! Although I wish you didn't skip over Homecoming, and I'm surprised you didn't mention songs like Peacemaker or Little Girl as stylistic deviations that worked, or at least had a little more vivacity and energy to their execution, hell even American Eulogy and Before The Lobotomy has it's merits. But yeah 21 Guns is the most overrated song they've ever done, hell even the American Idiot cast version of it is more dynamic, sweeping, and uplifiting... Oh well we got some pretty excellent covers from 21CBD at least...
I also enjoy Restless Heart Syndrome and the Static Age, and kinda dig the Springsteen vibe of Last of the American Girls also. Really the only songs that don't work for me are Know Your Enemy, 21 Guns, Horseshoes and Handgrenades and Christian's Inferno. So yeah I like more of this album than I dislike, but yeah it's no American Idiot...
This made me realize there isn't a formal Weezer b side compilation, like holy shit their b sides are the best of the best. Suzanne, longtime sunshine, king, and like a stupid amount more. Damn now I know I need this.
Most the albums have deluxe editions with all the b-sides, longtime sunshine, sussane, waiting on you, king, miss sweeney, all in deluxe versions of red, blue, pinkerton
I've been so hyped for this video for so long, but I'm almost scared to watch it, because I know Crash gonna roast the life out of 21st Century Breakdown.
If they were to release a big ballad, they should’ve released fucking RESTLESS HEART SYNDROME! It may be mid tempo sure, but if you look at the lyrics, that’s kind of what they were going for and the last part is fucking AWESOME! I wished you would have talked about it
I absolutely like Green Day, but American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, I know they are rock operas, but if you can add Revolution Radio to it, even though it isn't a rock opera, I could have American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown as part one and part two, with Revolution Radio being American Idiot part 3.
I literally just saw Green Day in Kansas City last night. It was the best rock show I've ever been to. So waking up to Part 2 of Rock Critics Green Day reviews was timed perfectly 👌
The D.Va intro ends at 5:20. If it grates on you THAT FUCKING MUCH, then there's how to skip it. Got an opinion on it? Do me a favor and keep it to yourself. I've sifted through enough shit about it and I promise you, you don't have anything to say that hasn't been said by someone else already. D.Va still has to serve a MINOR role in the upcoming videos, but future vids won't feature her nearly as heavily. I heard the feedback. I'm taking it all into account.
+Veggegg Eh, it's my own fault. I went for a big risk and it didn't pay off. Ya learn from it and move on. D.Va still has to feature a bit, but I'll be cutting her parts way down for the next few episodes. It takes SOOOOO much work to get her on the screen anyway, so it's time to reevaluate the situation.
St. Jimmy is the alter ego of Jesus of Suburbia. He's named after Jimmy from Quadrophenia, whom has four separate alter egos. Great video; I was super excited to watch it!
A couple things about Wake Me Up When September Ends. 1. It does fit into the story. After Letterbomb, Jesus of Suburbia wants to escape Whatsername, and sleep it away. 2. This song is played in my hometown a fair amount.
the biggest problem I had with 21CB is that Billie's vocals became really processed, listening to 21 guns live makes a lot more emotional than the studio release
Nice video Crash! Not to sound sappy or anything, but if it wasn't for you (& several other music critics like Rocked & ARTV) I don't think I would've ever got into music in this way. Analyzing a bands discography & the history of how it came to be, hearing about some stuff I've just been in the dark about for a while &... For helping me appreciate Green Day more than ever. ...yeah if I'm being honest, while I did enjoy Green Day back in the day I was only aware of American Idiot at the time. But now I'm really interested in their history & back catalog, & I've been watching The Early Years non-stop. People keep calling them one of the most important bands in music history & I finally see why (hey, better late than never!) Cheers!🍻
I never leave the 2nd fret......FUCK!!!! Gets me still even after you posted that on Facebook. So, are you sure you're going to finish this by the end of the year?
I guess I'm in the minority when it comes to the intro, because I thought it was hilarious. Was it a bit too long? Maybe, but seeing someone parody Filthy Frank, who's existence is a parody itself, is absolutely hilarious.
Holy cow you weren't kidding about this being 90+ minutes. Can't wait to binge the entire series supercut (watch, that'll be 4-6 hours, easy :P) Great work Crash, keep it up bud!
The beautiful thing about the "story" of American Idiot is that it means something different for every single person that listens to it. This album took a really long time to grow on me, I didn't grow up on Greenday and I didn't really sit down to listen to anything beyond the title track until the great quarantine of 2020, but once I cracked open a lyric sheet and gave the music my full attention, it felt like every song just leapt out of the CD player and into my psyche. I drew lines from the characters and events in American Idiot to figures and happenings in my own life and by the closing track it all culminated in this grandiose feeling of emotional catharsis that few others pieces of art have ever managed to accomplish. Truly a masterpiece of an album if there ever was one.
Your explanation of how American Idiot being a concept record explains why I think the Broadway version needed fleshing out. The songs alone don't develop what the story as well as the show needed. It needed sequences the extra songs didn't provide.
21st Century is the band’s best album. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s great and, while actually very successful and mostly liked, still underrated.
If anybody ALMOST likes 21st CB or only likes it a little, you can check out my pitch shift of it on my channel, I tried to make it sound more like low-budget mid-90s music.
William Pope I think St Anger was really their only proper bad album (forget Lulu) but Death Magnetic really brought them back from those dark times and now they're stable.
I'm actually quite a fan of I'm With You and The Getaway but I know Crash isn't and I would be interested in seeing his opinions, especially on the whole discography since I know they're one of his favorite bands
21CB is my favourite album. And that's coming from someone who was introduced to GD through AI and absolutely loves AI too. I was actually surprised that you said it was a 6 or 7 out of 10 considering the amount of crap you were giving it And I'm fine with you having that opinion, I just don't really understand all the hate it gets. Restless Heart Syndrome and 21CB are imo the best GD songs ever and all 18 tracks of the album are great to me
I love RHS, it's criminally underrated, and being someone who has depression and anxiety I can relate to it so much, also I'm a sucker for chromatically descending chord progressions, what can I say? I actually think that when 21CB works it's songwriting is actually better, tighter, and more focused than AI, and AI is what got me into the band...
Honestly, I love 21st Century Breakdown. It changed with the times. Instead of a rebellion among millennials, now we feel resigned to our fate, resigned to student debt that will stay with us well into our 50's. It's a soul-crushing album, it attempts rip apart the veil of "everything will be better when you're an adult" and how that isn't true. It talks to the generation who makes memes, making depression and suicide a laughing matter. Gender identity becoming a thing, "cultural appropriation" springing up for the first time. Working full-time or part-time jobs and going to school and paying for college that might not even outweigh the cost of attending. The album discusses the fallout from the war in Iraq. It sheds a light on uneasy tensions among the world powers. This album is simply fantastic. Not as good as American Idiot for sure, but still a memorable album in my mind.
A personal message from the Generation After You.... Thanks for Screwing the World Over with your messages.... you really “helped” us feel looked after.... hope the door hits you on the way out 😊
@@jackthorton10 Completely agree, that's what this album feels like for sure, the overwhelming frustration of how no one seems to care what a cesspool our government and society is becoming, dope comment my guy 👍
@@BoinkadelicJones I was saying this as a sarcastic insult... but yeah, in a similar vain, yes, this is what I am saying... but to make clear, I ain’t given up hope for a better year ahead, this is a new decade after all, times be a changin’
@@jackthorton10 Oh, guess I misread you there. If you don't mind my asking when we're you born? I was born in '97 and my dad raised me on Green Day, I've always loved the band and their message, I was just getting my thoughts out on what I think the album stood for. I'd really love to know, what does the album mean to you, no sarcasm just pure sincerity 🙂
@@BoinkadelicJones 2000, Gen Z, In relatively the same vein as you I believe. Although not much a pop-punk fan, more of respect to the classics of rock music, 80s pop, Disco, Outlaw Country, Swing, and above all, the subgenre of Vaporwave... Future Funk...., I am just a mix of a flavorful ice cream if you will, but not to the fruit chocolate of Pop Punk, ... Bit Hey, Different Strokes, Different Folks.. ;)
I can't wait for more in this series! So much heart and thought and effort is put into all your videos. I always find something new to listen to afterwards.
I love Jesus of Suburbia because it came at I time in my life were I was changing as a person ( I found the song that is, not when it first came out). People made fun of me because I was different and I did love punk music. They just saw me as weird and wrote me off. There is still a kid who just keeps harassing me with these insults. When I feel that way, I just turn on this song with two middle fingers the air and scream the lyrics as loud as I can.
Wake Me Up When September Ends reminds me of my dad. My dad was 8 when my grandpa decided to take his own life and he actually also died in September. This song just makes me think about how my dad must have felt growing up without a father.
Ugh... the 21 Guns piece made me die inside for awhile, because it's one of my faves. Haha, I actually think it's one of Green Day's best songs, and I like the anti-war message that it presents, making it poignant as much as Boulevard and September, honestly. *:P* Musically, it's one of those "swing-your-lighters-in-the-air" tunes, which is a type of tune I have a soft spot for and the choruses are fun to sing along too. All in all, the song is good and is loved by many because it accomplishes what it sets out to do. Other than that, good retrospective Crash, although the D'va stuff isn't doing it for me. Honestly, it's just not very entertaining nor interesting. The FilthyFrank parody bit made me cringe somewhat. It's not for everyone, so it's my loss, I guess. OH WELL!
Whatsername is the best song on American Idiot and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. In John world, in my ideal universe where singles aren't based on catchiness alone, that would've been the lead single from that album. My top three are Whatsername, Jesus of Suburbia, and Holiday. Fuck they got Holiday right for sure. I know who I am, I'm secure in my personality and if I ever get the opportunity to be part of an American Idiot or maybe even Green Day tribute album I'd fight tooth and nail to cover Whatsername. At the end of the day I'm just a big ball of feelings. I think it says as much about me that Whatsername is my favorite on American Idiot and for the same reason that 26 is my favorite on the latest Paramore record. Whatsername. *drops mic* Gahhhhhh! ^_^
The band have given away their involvement in The Network a few times over the years. I actually bought the vinyl copy of the album via an Adeline Records "Side Projects" pack along with The Frustrators. Tre also wore the same mask in a photo not too long ago.
American Idiot was what got me into the band. 21CBD grew on me over the years and has a ton of awesome material. Also, I REALLY want to hear Cigarettes and Valentines.
Damn I was hoping I would hear your thoughts on homecoming(one of the weakest songs on the album to me but it is also the only other 9 minute song on the album) and whatsername(one of my ALL TIME favorite songs from green day). Also about 21st century I really wanted to hear about restless heart syndrome, horseshoes and handgrendes(imo one of the most punk rock songs in the album next to East Jesus nowhere) and American euology( I think one of my favorite if not THE favorite song on the album) but you did really well explaining the songs you did cover and I would say this was worth the wait
21 Guns works for me mainly because melancholy songs really work for me. I go to sad moody songs when I'm feeling sad and moody. I don't even necessarily disagree with the points you're making on it, just that the things you view as why you dislike 21 Guns are kind of the same reasons I like it.
Know Your Enemy would work better if it was a faster tempo, I’m pretty sure even Green Day thinks this. Almost every live performance of the song seems to be at least somewhat faster than the original recording
Definitely worth the wait. Really wanted to hear your thoughts on "Homecoming" and "Whatsername" off of American Idiot, but nevertheless, I enjoyed the video. Excited for part 3!
Once again, incredibly interesting and informative video (that assonance tho), but the whole d.va bit just has to go fuck off. Seriously, Crash, it's just NOT funny or particularly necessary - the video is long enough without it (and perfectly entertaining too) And yeah, while American Idiot is definitely better overall than 21CB, I still prefer 21 Guns over Boulevard OR September. 😛
FUN FACT: Jim DeRogatis, a well known music critic, worked at Rolling Stone in 1995-1996 (read his book Milk It for more details), and on the wall of the office was a sign that read, and I quote: THREE STARS MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY. That ought to give you an inkling as to how that place works.
Gun to my head I don’t think they lost that cigarette album I think it was just kinda bad and they just had to double back on it. You’ll remember the good songs you wrote, hell it may never have existed in the first place
The chorus in 21 guns is actually the same as route 209 from the Pokemon DPP soundtrack. Ppl say route 209 ripped it from green day but they forget that diamond and pearl dropped in 2007, 2 years before 21CBD.
The reasoning for Rob Cavallo not doing 21cb I believe was that he was producing Paramore's brand new eyes around the same time. Don't take my word I'm only assuming.
speaking of DVD-greatest hits compilations, the absolute best one - one that still influences my aesthetic to this very day - is the DVD that came with Primus' Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People. Had all of their music videos, a lot of archive material (some of which you can find in much better quality on RUclips, like the 1989 radio show - in my opinion, one of the best live performances/radio sessions ever done in the US - or the Woodstock '94 set list), behind-the-scenes and commentaries on those vids - I enjoyed hearing Mark Kohr and Les Claypool and Ler and Herb and Brain talk about how downright insane those shoots got and how they felt underappreciated by MTV - and TV performances and their '90s VHS releases. I want a Blu-Ray edition of that now. do it les claypool, play the sick bass and do a Blu-Ray of the Animals DVD
Question about that B-sides bit from when you talked about Shennanigans, What do you think about Deftones' B sides and rarities comp? Or the covers album which is just all the covers from B sides and rarities plus a few new ones?
Chris Lord-Alge is actually one of the reasons, for me at least, that American Idiot sounded so explosive and heavy - he got the drums perfectly. One of the few times whacking up the compression was a great move.
Once Green Day teamed up with U2 they pretty much followed the exact same career trajectory. It's damn near impossible to tell a guy wearing leather pants "oh, I don't know about this one, mate".
in the 5th grade I made my final art project a collage of the town I saw American Idiot taking place in. Like I showed Jimmy shooting himself in the lake and JOS walking away from whatshername. I even made very broken down streets and roses on top of Billie Joe Armstrongs fathers grave. It was super dark and unlike me but my art teacher knew the material and fully respected my avant garde representation of it.
Bummed that you didn't go into Homecoming and Whatsername but appreciate this video very much. American Idiot is my favorite album of all time and the most important record that has been put out in the past (almost) 15 years. 21CBD has some standouts like Peacemaker, the best song off of that record. Your reviews are seriously the greatest and I cannot wait to see you try to contain your sanity as your review the trilogy (though it should be easier than Raditude). Also, you forgot about their inclusion into The Simpsons Movie and their cover of the theme song.
Great video dude and that's coming from a die hard Green Day fan! Just wondering if after covering what people call the modern day Clash, could there be a The Clash Retrospective? They're one of my favourite bands but boy did they go down hill in a major way with Cut The Crap. Obviously not a huge discography to cover but as you brought up Green Day's influences like The Who and Husker Du would be nice to see possibly their main influence be covered. Keep up the great work and keep on rocking!
Let me say this, but when I listened to American Idiot for the first time a month ago, I finally listened to 'Wake Me Up When September Ends' in its entirety for the first time as well ever since I was six. It holds a strong meaning to me because, in September 2005, my aunt passed away because of breast cancer. Let's just say it hits too close to home, and I always cried and changed the channel when it came on, even though I knew it was a great song. I cried once again when I listened to it.
I really love this guys videos. I first started out with the weezer series and he introduced me to a new side of the band I'd never seen before. See, before me watching those videos I had only listened to blue and a few tracks on pinkerton. He showed me how great green, maladroit, and ewbaite was. I can tell he puts a great amount of effort into his videos, and I believe he's going to keep putting out great videos.
I've long believed that Cigarettes and Valentines wasn't really stolen, they'd just (mostly) finished it and weren't happy with the end result, which is why they didn't try to re-create what they had with the backup tapes and why we've never heard the whole thing or even seen a track list. If it truly did go missing, it was probably one of the band members walking out with the tapes (I mean, they just randomly found the master tapes again, right?) and they came up with the story to mislead their label so they wouldn't get in trouble for abandoning a nearly complete album. I've always felt the fact that The Network was active around this time and the fact that American Idiot was a step in a different direction strengthen my "Cigarettes and Valentines was an inside job" hypothesis because it's obvious the members of Green Day wanted something new; why would they release a more generic throwback to their older material if they so clearly wanted to do something different? Based on who they've always presented themselves to be, I don't think Green Day would ever release something they didn't want to, especially if they thought they had something better up their sleeves.
Interesting hypothesis!!!
Joshua Hagelstein that totally makes sense since any other band that "finds" a completed album lying around would make the cash grab and release it which they haven't done...not even a leak.
Actually I had read somewhere that the mastertapes never have been stolen and that it was indeed a way to get more time. Don't know where by now though.
C'mon, we're talking about the same band that released "Uno... Dos... Tré!"...
...AND Demolicious.
@@filipedias7284 demolicious is just demos but ok buddy
The diva section was too long but this was well worth the wait. We don't want to see too much of her. Use her wisely or we will be annoyed. Either than that, your thoughts on American Idiot was so great! It's my second favorite record and you did it justice! 😉
Also this is my interpretation of American idiots story. Not taking notes from the broadway show. Jesus of Suburbia is upset with the modern world and the politics of it. He's just a kid who smokes weed at his folks home and he decides to leave into the real world to find people to join to fight the system. He further explains his political views in holiday, and when he gets to the real world, he realizes it's not what it seems to be. No one is standing up to the injustices of the world. That's until he meets St Jimmy, the supposed leader of the revolution he was looking for, but he turns out to be a normal shady drug dealer. Jesus gets addicted to his drugs and then he meets whatsername, the real leader of the revolution and he falls in love. They date for a while and whatsername is wondering if Jesus actually loves her or is in love with St Jimmy's drugs. She then dumps him, and Jesus is at his lowest low. His fight or a cause, futile and he's now a lonely drug addict. He realizes that the world is so messed up that he can't fix it. He then decides to go home after finding out St Jimmy killed himself. Then it's years later. Jesus is an adult, probably with a family. He is reminded about the times he had with whatsername, and how they were great, but he drops is punk ideologies and becomes a normal member of society.
Paradox That's what happened in the musical, so I assume that's what the band intended.
I really hate the voice...
I pretty much fast forwarded it every time it came up on screen the voice is worse than nails on a chalkboard and more incoherent
I think Jesus is St. Jimmy.
Jesus if Suburbia: “I’m the son of rage and love”
Letterbomb: “St. Jimmy is a figment of your father’s rage and your mother’s love”
Another point in favor of American Idiot: "Whatsername" is probably one of my favorite closing tracks ever and easily the best Green Day closer.
i agree but id say macys day parade comes a little close
@@vwz8625 I think macys day parade is the best closer of any green day album
BY MYSELF
@@akwilson1676 all by myself is a hidden track not a closer.
I like ordinary world
You forgot their cover of The Simpsons theme for The Simpsons Movie. Also known as the best part of that movie!
+NickTheCritic1 Actually I WANTED to mention it, but I've attempted to use footage from that film in the past and Fox claims it EVERY TIME! Believe me, I wanted to, but those Copyright bots are brutal.
@@CrashThompson
I got a video taken down because it was a Rickroll, now to be fair, it’s not exactly “fair use” but yeah, it sucks
As a big fan of both albums, I think you're viewing 21st Century Breakdown through the wrong lens. It's a softer album about love with political tones, rather than American Idiot which was supposed to be agressive and politically charged. I would say the album would be way weaker if it tried to imitate the previous albums.
I'm one of the people who actually SAW the "American Idiot" broadway show, and I can tell you, the criticism about it being vague... it works for the album, but it clearly caused problems for the broadway show. Because they actually DID have to answer the "is St. Jimmy imaginary or not," and detail what happened to Whatzername and Jesus of Suburbia (and his friends), and... not all the pieces fit together, they also didn't have enough material, dramaturgically speaking, for a full-length show...
So, the directors went to Billy for help, and he gave them some demos from "21st Century Breakdown," which the band was working on at the time, as well as some B-sides, and at least one serious rarity: the acoustic song Jesus sings to Watzername as she sleeps is one Billy wrote for his future wife Adrianne when he was sixteen....and it sounds like it was written by a 16-year-old, but I remember thinking, "wow, he trusted them with something that personal, he REALLY wanted this show to work."
... But I think that's kind of what makes Green Day so special. There was a heart of solid gold under all of that adolescent punk rock rage. I think that's why their softer, more confessional tracks became such hits.
What happened to "Cigarettes and Valentines" reminds me of how System of a Down came up for the name of "Steal This Album!" Album
Steal This Album was based off a book, and the album title was a huge "fuck you" to music pirating which was a massive issue for any band at the time of its release. It had nothing to do with an album actually being stolen and never released.
I guess people really were stealing the album because it's their worst selling one I think.
@@dandiam5298 they ripped off Suicide Machines - Steal this Record
7:45 Speaking of "The Masterplan" you should consider doing The rise and fall of Oasis.
Please do it rock critic
Seems like them and Green Day are... connected somehow...
FeelingShred They fell and hit the ground six feet underground.
21 Guns isn't anywhere near my favorite Green day song but I will definitely say that the version off of the American Idiot musical cast album where the whole cast sings is really good
but peacemaker bro
hell you can't even argue that they'd done that before. even if you tried to argue with misery (which is the closest) peacemaker is much faster and has way more punch. a top 10 green day song tbh
Illusive Tomas
Peacemaker is in me and my friend's combined Green Day top ten.
What a jam.
I would agree it's sooooooooooooo good.
Alexander Chilton the two best agreed. along with restless heart syndrome which is a crazy underrated tune
Paul Mercury he doesn't, unfortunately
peacemaker is basically just faster paced misery. i still like it though
Man this did not disappoint! Although I wish you didn't skip over Homecoming, and I'm surprised you didn't mention songs like Peacemaker or Little Girl as stylistic deviations that worked, or at least had a little more vivacity and energy to their execution, hell even American Eulogy and Before The Lobotomy has it's merits. But yeah 21 Guns is the most overrated song they've ever done, hell even the American Idiot cast version of it is more dynamic, sweeping, and uplifiting... Oh well we got some pretty excellent covers from 21CBD at least...
I also enjoy Restless Heart Syndrome and the Static Age, and kinda dig the Springsteen vibe of Last of the American Girls also. Really the only songs that don't work for me are Know Your Enemy, 21 Guns, Horseshoes and Handgrenades and Christian's Inferno. So yeah I like more of this album than I dislike, but yeah it's no American Idiot...
Come to think of it this album has a huge Springsteen vibe in places, namely Static Age, LOTAG, and Viva La Gloria...
This made me realize there isn't a formal Weezer b side compilation, like holy shit their b sides are the best of the best. Suzanne, longtime sunshine, king, and like a stupid amount more. Damn now I know I need this.
Kritzberg Death To False Metal?
Most the albums have deluxe editions with all the b-sides, longtime sunshine, sussane, waiting on you, king, miss sweeney, all in deluxe versions of red, blue, pinkerton
Also, weezer's cover of Brain Stew is fucking A-mazing
Kritzberg paperface is so weezer it would fit well in blue
greenadrenaline6405 no. I,lobe weezer. I love brain stew. But just. No.
I've been so hyped for this video for so long, but I'm almost scared to watch it, because I know Crash gonna roast the life out of 21st Century Breakdown.
He actually went kinda *mehhh* on the album so yeah, tragedy avoided
If they were to release a big ballad, they should’ve released fucking RESTLESS HEART SYNDROME! It may be mid tempo sure, but if you look at the lyrics, that’s kind of what they were going for and the last part is fucking AWESOME! I wished you would have talked about it
It’s the best song on the album, and possibly my favorite Green Day song. It’s criminally underrated, and a shame they don’t ever play it live.
I absolutely like Green Day, but American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, I know they are rock operas, but if you can add Revolution Radio to it, even though it isn't a rock opera, I could have American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown as part one and part two, with Revolution Radio being American Idiot part 3.
I literally just saw Green Day in Kansas City last night. It was the best rock show I've ever been to. So waking up to Part 2 of Rock Critics Green Day reviews was timed perfectly 👌
The D.Va intro ends at 5:20. If it grates on you THAT FUCKING MUCH, then there's how to skip it.
Got an opinion on it? Do me a favor and keep it to yourself. I've sifted through enough shit about it and I promise you, you don't have anything to say that hasn't been said by someone else already.
D.Va still has to serve a MINOR role in the upcoming videos, but future vids won't feature her nearly as heavily. I heard the feedback. I'm taking it all into account.
+Veggegg Eh, it's my own fault. I went for a big risk and it didn't pay off. Ya learn from it and move on.
D.Va still has to feature a bit, but I'll be cutting her parts way down for the next few episodes. It takes SOOOOO much work to get her on the screen anyway, so it's time to reevaluate the situation.
I was 3 when American Idiot came and grew up listening to it, and I watched green day on the tour of 21cb
St. Jimmy is the alter ego of Jesus of Suburbia. He's named after Jimmy from Quadrophenia, whom has four separate alter egos.
Great video; I was super excited to watch it!
Brendan Toungate I was reading the story of the album explained and yeah st jimmy is an alter ego/scapegoat for the JoS
Hence "St Jimmy is a figment of your father's rage and your mother's love."
"I NEVER LEAVE THE SECOND FRET!!!"
I NEVER LEAVE THE SECEND FFFFRET
1:07:05 "Yes I know my enemy, they're the teachers that fought me!!" One of my favorite RATM songs
an offspring retrospective would be pretty cool to see
A couple things about Wake Me Up When September Ends.
1. It does fit into the story. After Letterbomb, Jesus of Suburbia wants to escape Whatsername, and sleep it away.
2. This song is played in my hometown a fair amount.
I like 21 Guns even if it may be a nostalgia thing really and yeah it does suck compared to everything else from Green Day
the biggest problem I had with 21CB is that Billie's vocals became really processed, listening to 21 guns live makes a lot more emotional than the studio release
Imagine a version of Know Your Enemy where the entirety of the lyrics are replaced with "I never leave the second fret!"
And yes Jesus of Surburbia and St. jimmy are the same. When Jesus got to the city, he decided he wanted a completely new idea and created St Jimmy.
Nice video Crash! Not to sound sappy or anything, but if it wasn't for you (& several other music critics like Rocked & ARTV) I don't think I would've ever got into music in this way. Analyzing a bands discography & the history of how it came to be, hearing about some stuff I've just been in the dark about for a while &... For helping me appreciate Green Day more than ever.
...yeah if I'm being honest, while I did enjoy Green Day back in the day I was only aware of American Idiot at the time. But now I'm really interested in their history & back catalog, & I've been watching The Early Years non-stop. People keep calling them one of the most important bands in music history & I finally see why (hey, better late than never!)
Cheers!🍻
I never leave the 2nd fret......FUCK!!!! Gets me still even after you posted that on Facebook. So, are you sure you're going to finish this by the end of the year?
Revisiting this series whilst rehearsing for a production of the ‘American Idiot’ musical. Favourite band, favourite album, favourite show
Dawww. Thank ye kindly. Good luck with the show!
Rob Cavallo was the one who "stole" the tapes because he knew that the album was gonna flop
Cayonicle evidence?
Source?
I guess I'm in the minority when it comes to the intro, because I thought it was hilarious. Was it a bit too long? Maybe, but seeing someone parody Filthy Frank, who's existence is a parody itself, is absolutely hilarious.
Man this was before father of all. How sad would that part be.
Holy cow you weren't kidding about this being 90+ minutes.
Can't wait to binge the entire series supercut (watch, that'll be 4-6 hours, easy :P)
Great work Crash, keep it up bud!
I'd go bug him on Twitter lol
The beautiful thing about the "story" of American Idiot is that it means something different for every single person that listens to it. This album took a really long time to grow on me, I didn't grow up on Greenday and I didn't really sit down to listen to anything beyond the title track until the great quarantine of 2020, but once I cracked open a lyric sheet and gave the music my full attention, it felt like every song just leapt out of the CD player and into my psyche. I drew lines from the characters and events in American Idiot to figures and happenings in my own life and by the closing track it all culminated in this grandiose feeling of emotional catharsis that few others pieces of art have ever managed to accomplish. Truly a masterpiece of an album if there ever was one.
Your explanation of how American Idiot being a concept record explains why I think the Broadway version needed fleshing out. The songs alone don't develop what the story as well as the show needed. It needed sequences the extra songs didn't provide.
Can you do a Blink 182 retrospective would love to watch
YES!
21st Century is the band’s best album. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s great and, while actually very successful and mostly liked, still underrated.
worst take i ever seen bro
Take a drink every time he talks about stuff that shouldn't work but it does.
If anybody ALMOST likes 21st CB or only likes it a little, you can check out my pitch shift of it on my channel, I tried to make it sound more like low-budget mid-90s music.
Cant wait for the next episode, I wanna see him rip the trilogy to shreds
You weren't disappointed were you?
Since you already did One Hot Minute would you consider doing a "Rise And Fall of RHCP" series where you cover the rest of their discography
Uzbach I feel as if Metallica is more deserving of that place. Metallica was such an important band and when they fell, they fell very badly.
RHCP never really fell and even if they did the getaway is an awesome album so they picked it back up.
William Pope I think St Anger was really their only proper bad album (forget Lulu) but Death Magnetic really brought them back from those dark times and now they're stable.
I'm actually quite a fan of I'm With You and The Getaway but I know Crash isn't and I would be interested in seeing his opinions, especially on the whole discography since I know they're one of his favorite bands
Maybe in 40 years you can do the rise and fall of Tool?
21CB is my favourite album. And that's coming from someone who was introduced to GD through AI and absolutely loves AI too. I was actually surprised that you said it was a 6 or 7 out of 10 considering the amount of crap you were giving it
And I'm fine with you having that opinion, I just don't really understand all the hate it gets. Restless Heart Syndrome and 21CB are imo the best GD songs ever and all 18 tracks of the album are great to me
MysticManiac100 AI is better but thank you so much for giving restless heart syndrome a shout out. So freaking underrated
I love RHS, it's criminally underrated, and being someone who has depression and anxiety I can relate to it so much, also I'm a sucker for chromatically descending chord progressions, what can I say? I actually think that when 21CB works it's songwriting is actually better, tighter, and more focused than AI, and AI is what got me into the band...
Casey Connor I wouldn't say the Best But definitely in the top five
I don't really consider it a guitar solo, more a repetition of a melodic motif, a lot of GD songs do that, but it's effective...
It's a hard pick for the best solo since there's so many them
Honestly, I love 21st Century Breakdown. It changed with the times. Instead of a rebellion among millennials, now we feel resigned to our fate, resigned to student debt that will stay with us well into our 50's. It's a soul-crushing album, it attempts rip apart the veil of "everything will be better when you're an adult" and how that isn't true.
It talks to the generation who makes memes, making depression and suicide a laughing matter. Gender identity becoming a thing, "cultural appropriation" springing up for the first time. Working full-time or part-time jobs and going to school and paying for college that might not even outweigh the cost of attending.
The album discusses the fallout from the war in Iraq. It sheds a light on uneasy tensions among the world powers.
This album is simply fantastic. Not as good as American Idiot for sure, but still a memorable album in my mind.
A personal message from the Generation After You.... Thanks for Screwing the World Over with your messages.... you really “helped” us feel looked after.... hope the door hits you on the way out 😊
@@jackthorton10 Completely agree, that's what this album feels like for sure, the overwhelming frustration of how no one seems to care what a cesspool our government and society is becoming, dope comment my guy 👍
@@BoinkadelicJones I was saying this as a sarcastic insult... but yeah, in a similar vain, yes, this is what I am saying... but to make clear, I ain’t given up hope for a better year ahead, this is a new decade after all, times be a changin’
@@jackthorton10 Oh, guess I misread you there. If you don't mind my asking when we're you born? I was born in '97 and my dad raised me on Green Day, I've always loved the band and their message, I was just getting my thoughts out on what I think the album stood for.
I'd really love to know, what does the album mean to you, no sarcasm just pure sincerity 🙂
@@BoinkadelicJones 2000, Gen Z, In relatively the same vein as you I believe. Although not much a pop-punk fan, more of respect to the classics of rock music, 80s pop, Disco, Outlaw Country, Swing, and above all, the subgenre of Vaporwave... Future Funk...., I am just a mix of a flavorful ice cream if you will, but not to the fruit chocolate of Pop Punk, ... Bit Hey, Different Strokes, Different Folks.. ;)
Police & Thieves by The Clash is a great long Punk song
I can't wait for more in this series! So much heart and thought and effort is put into all your videos. I always find something new to listen to afterwards.
Am I the only one that really likes 21st century breakdown?
Mike White there are a lot of people who love this album. I enjoy it a lot because it's more bombastic than anything they've done.
Mike White I liked it buuuuuuuuuuut it's way too long.
AtrocityEquine 5 minutes is too long? The album is a rock opera so it's going to be long but the title track itself isn't that long
Not Mitch Lucker love the profile pic
AtrocityEquine I meant the album
I love Jesus of Suburbia because it came at I time in my life were I was changing as a person ( I found the song that is, not when it first came out). People made fun of me because I was different and I did love punk music. They just saw me as weird and wrote me off. There is still a kid who just keeps harassing me with these insults. When I feel that way, I just turn on this song with two middle fingers the air and scream the lyrics as loud as I can.
Wake Me Up When September Ends reminds me of my dad. My dad was 8 when my grandpa decided to take his own life and he actually also died in September. This song just makes me think about how my dad must have felt growing up without a father.
Ugh... the 21 Guns piece made me die inside for awhile, because it's one of my faves. Haha, I actually think it's one of Green Day's best songs, and I like the anti-war message that it presents, making it poignant as much as Boulevard and September, honestly. *:P* Musically, it's one of those "swing-your-lighters-in-the-air" tunes, which is a type of tune I have a soft spot for and the choruses are fun to sing along too. All in all, the song is good and is loved by many because it accomplishes what it sets out to do.
Other than that, good retrospective Crash, although the D'va stuff isn't doing it for me. Honestly, it's just not very entertaining nor interesting. The FilthyFrank parody bit made me cringe somewhat. It's not for everyone, so it's my loss, I guess. OH WELL!
WaitWhat image what Green Day will sound like if they partnered with crass
21st century breakdown is my favorite green day album.
Yeah...
I like the song but if I was to make a top 10 green day songs, it would only be an honourable mention, not part of the main list
totally worth the wait!! i cant believe how much i'm loving this series
+beth Thank ye kindly.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IVE EVER HEARD SOMEONE ELSE SAY THE SOLO IN 21 GUNS SOUNDS LIKE FULL HOUSE I THOUGT I WAS THE ONLY ONE
21 guns is also just telephone wire by elo. Green Days entire song catalogue is full of a lot of um... similarities to other songs...
Whatsername is the best song on American Idiot and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. In John world, in my ideal universe where singles aren't based on catchiness alone, that would've been the lead single from that album. My top three are Whatsername, Jesus of Suburbia, and Holiday. Fuck they got Holiday right for sure. I know who I am, I'm secure in my personality and if I ever get the opportunity to be part of an American Idiot or maybe even Green Day tribute album I'd fight tooth and nail to cover Whatsername. At the end of the day I'm just a big ball of feelings. I think it says as much about me that Whatsername is my favorite on American Idiot and for the same reason that 26 is my favorite on the latest Paramore record. Whatsername. *drops mic* Gahhhhhh! ^_^
John Koch hell yeah I think whatsername is my favorite green day song of all time 2nd is JOS
American eulogy, last of the American girls, 21st CB, viva la gloria, peacemaker, great songs
Honestly green day's best album
Mr. Meat in my opinion I don't like peacemaker but I agree with the rest of the songs you just said are good
Why do I feel like the episode was actually finished like two months ago, and all the time since then was spent on the Diva section?
Capitals26 Because you'd probably be right
The band have given away their involvement in The Network a few times over the years. I actually bought the vinyl copy of the album via an Adeline Records "Side Projects" pack along with The Frustrators. Tre also wore the same mask in a photo not too long ago.
American Idiot was what got me into the band. 21CBD grew on me over the years and has a ton of awesome material. Also, I REALLY want to hear Cigarettes and Valentines.
I first got into them a couple months before AI came out.
Damn I was hoping I would hear your thoughts on homecoming(one of the weakest songs on the album to me but it is also the only other 9 minute song on the album) and whatsername(one of my ALL TIME favorite songs from green day). Also about 21st century I really wanted to hear about restless heart syndrome, horseshoes and handgrendes(imo one of the most punk rock songs in the album next to East Jesus nowhere) and American euology( I think one of my favorite if not THE favorite song on the album) but you did really well explaining the songs you did cover and I would say this was worth the wait
You got me with that "did you catch it?" shit. I was so fucking surprised and confused that all I could do was drop my jaw.
21 Guns works for me mainly because melancholy songs really work for me. I go to sad moody songs when I'm feeling sad and moody. I don't even necessarily disagree with the points you're making on it, just that the things you view as why you dislike 21 Guns are kind of the same reasons I like it.
Know Your Enemy would work better if it was a faster tempo, I’m pretty sure even Green Day thinks this. Almost every live performance of the song seems to be at least somewhat faster than the original recording
Definitely worth the wait. Really wanted to hear your thoughts on "Homecoming" and "Whatsername" off of American Idiot, but nevertheless, I enjoyed the video. Excited for part 3!
Finally it's here! Thank you so much for all of the hard work you put into this content, Crash, I always enjoy these retrospectives you do.
Now I wanna hear 21 Guns playing over the Full House intro.
Well there's this: ruclips.net/video/8zR1vVjoGYI/видео.html
21st century breakdown is my all time favourite album
Once again, incredibly interesting and informative video (that assonance tho), but the whole d.va bit just has to go fuck off. Seriously, Crash, it's just NOT funny or particularly necessary - the video is long enough without it (and perfectly entertaining too)
And yeah, while American Idiot is definitely better overall than 21CB, I still prefer 21 Guns over Boulevard OR September. 😛
I was going to hit you if you didn't mention The Masterplan
FUN FACT:
Jim DeRogatis, a well known music critic, worked at Rolling Stone in 1995-1996 (read his book Milk It for more details), and on the wall of the office was a sign that read, and I quote:
THREE STARS MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY.
That ought to give you an inkling as to how that place works.
Not to mention 21 Guns is just "Telephone Line's" chorus by E.L.O.
Gun to my head I don’t think they lost that cigarette album I think it was just kinda bad and they just had to double back on it. You’ll remember the good songs you wrote, hell it may never have existed in the first place
Though I never liked the studio version of Know Your Enemy, it was a fucking blast of an opening song at their concert!
The chorus in 21 guns is actually the same as route 209 from the Pokemon DPP soundtrack. Ppl say route 209 ripped it from green day but they forget that diamond and pearl dropped in 2007, 2 years before 21CBD.
The reasoning for Rob Cavallo not doing 21cb I believe was that he was producing Paramore's brand new eyes around the same time. Don't take my word I'm only assuming.
I freaking love the pink guy reference with diva that was awesome
speaking of DVD-greatest hits compilations, the absolute best one - one that still influences my aesthetic to this very day - is the DVD that came with Primus' Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People. Had all of their music videos, a lot of archive material (some of which you can find in much better quality on RUclips, like the 1989 radio show - in my opinion, one of the best live performances/radio sessions ever done in the US - or the Woodstock '94 set list), behind-the-scenes and commentaries on those vids - I enjoyed hearing Mark Kohr and Les Claypool and Ler and Herb and Brain talk about how downright insane those shoots got and how they felt underappreciated by MTV - and TV performances and their '90s VHS releases. I want a Blu-Ray edition of that now.
do it les claypool, play the sick bass and do a Blu-Ray of the Animals DVD
Question about that B-sides bit from when you talked about Shennanigans,
What do you think about Deftones' B sides and rarities comp? Or the covers album which is just all the covers from B sides and rarities plus a few new ones?
A Pearl Jam retrospective would be cool, but rise and fall isn’t a worthy name of that cause Pearl Jam never got bad
He did an “HTGI Pearl Jam” video a couple years ago.
I’d kill for a series like this about Nirvana
I am surprised that you never mentioned that 21 guns sounds like telephone line by elo.
That intro made no sense whatsoever to me. Is it a reference that I just don't get?
Depends on how familiar you are with Filthy Frank.
Pushon Bhattacharya have you been living under a rock?
Michael Vessel *filthy frank
I don't get it either
DvA
26:56 Don't Forget Overture/Sinister Rouge
Cayonicle SINISTER ROUGE!!!! COMING BACK FOR MORE!!!!
I guess this is kind of a good place to ask, any thoughts on Pinhead Gunpowder?
The Miths are my favourite band.
+Not True Scotsman I like mursseys soli stuff myself. 🙃
The Rock Critic johny mer is great guitar player.
1+ hour video talking about Green Day... still gets a Weezer mention.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
Chris Lord-Alge is actually one of the reasons, for me at least, that American Idiot sounded so explosive and heavy - he got the drums perfectly. One of the few times whacking up the compression was a great move.
Ooph, now that you mention what Wake Me Up When September Ends' lyrics it just...hits me home hard. Great video.
Once Green Day teamed up with U2 they pretty much followed the exact same career trajectory. It's damn near impossible to tell a guy wearing leather pants "oh, I don't know about this one, mate".
i don't love 21 guns heresay but i have an amazing personal memory with that song so it has a special place in my heart
in the 5th grade I made my final art project a collage of the town I saw American Idiot taking place in. Like I showed Jimmy shooting himself in the lake and JOS walking away from whatshername. I even made very broken down streets and roses on top of Billie Joe Armstrongs fathers grave. It was super dark and unlike me but my art teacher knew the material and fully respected my avant garde representation of it.
The thing I love about your show is that whenever I disagree with your opinion I can just listen to the music in the background and leave happy. 😂❤
I was 2 years old when American Idiot came out and even I remember at least 5 songs out on the radio
it has been 3 years since this video came out but when will we get a I HATE THIS SONG = FLIPPER video ever because im looking forward to that
"Christ, It looks like someone metamorphised a mogwai into someones waifu" Greatest. Line. Ever.
Bummed that you didn't go into Homecoming and Whatsername but appreciate this video very much. American Idiot is my favorite album of all time and the most important record that has been put out in the past (almost) 15 years. 21CBD has some standouts like Peacemaker, the best song off of that record. Your reviews are seriously the greatest and I cannot wait to see you try to contain your sanity as your review the trilogy (though it should be easier than Raditude). Also, you forgot about their inclusion into The Simpsons Movie and their cover of the theme song.
Great video dude and that's coming from a die hard Green Day fan! Just wondering if after covering what people call the modern day Clash, could there be a The Clash Retrospective? They're one of my favourite bands but boy did they go down hill in a major way with Cut The Crap. Obviously not a huge discography to cover but as you brought up Green Day's influences like The Who and Husker Du would be nice to see possibly their main influence be covered. Keep up the great work and keep on rocking!
Let me say this, but when I listened to American Idiot for the first time a month ago, I finally listened to 'Wake Me Up When September Ends' in its entirety for the first time as well ever since I was six. It holds a strong meaning to me because, in September 2005, my aunt passed away because of breast cancer. Let's just say it hits too close to home, and I always cried and changed the channel when it came on, even though I knew it was a great song.
I cried once again when I listened to it.
I really love this guys videos. I first started out with the weezer series and he introduced me to a new side of the band I'd never seen before. See, before me watching those videos I had only listened to blue and a few tracks on pinkerton. He showed me how great green, maladroit, and ewbaite was. I can tell he puts a great amount of effort into his videos, and I believe he's going to keep putting out great videos.
Concerning 21 Guns' plagiarism...
Listen to the beginning of "Route 209" from pokemon
Didn’t 21cb start with song of the century? Not 21st century breakdown?
Yeah