A Green Day rant

Oh, Green Day, must you continue to churn out these goofy "political" albums? They're beginning to make people take you seriously. 

Remember when you used to be just as bad but sang about things like playing with yourself? Remember when you were famous because you threw mud at people? Those were the days.

This morning I read an article on Yahoo! Music concerning your frustration over Wal-Mart's album censorship policy. Essentially a rehashing of Wal-Mart's long-standing rule in which the box store giant refuses to shelve albums that carry a "Parental Advisory" sticker, the article made it sound like you just suddenly discovered that stores like Wal-Mart censor music. The truth is, however, that anyone with any interest in music already knows that this has been Wal-Mart's policy for years and that lots and lots of bands have refused to conform to the corporate monster's wishes, which means that their albums have not been stocked on shelves at the store. 

Now, you're right when you say that it's ridiculous that one can go into a Wal-Mart to buy a violent video game, an R rated movie, and a gun, but they can't buy an album that has a sticker saying that people swear in a song (and the whole "Parental Advisory" sticker policy is a massive joke, with record companies deciding what does and doesn't deserve a label), but, c'mon guys, you had to know about what you were getting into before you started this now-public feud. If anything, Billie Joe, you should be arguing with your record label. They're the ones who decided to slap the "PA" sticker on your CD to begin with. But maybe that would be biting the hand that feeds you a bit too much, eh? Oh, man, that would be punk rock!

But things weren't always bad between you and Wal-Mart, were they? Didn't Wal-Mart offer some sort of "exclusive" version of your International Superhits! album? Yep, here it is. It's funny how you must have been completely comfortable to get in bed with Wal-Mart just a year or so ago, isn't it, but now you're soooooo angry at them?

In the Yahoo! Music article, Mike Dirnt, you're quoted saying  "As the biggest record store in the America, they (Wal-Mart) should probably have an obligation to sell people the correct art."

I agree with you 100%. However, when you look at your track record, you guys seemed perfectly fine to offer censored versions of your music before you became a band that talks about "important" topics (though, honestly, American Idiot is a pretty flimsy political statement when you really give it a listen). I mean, your first radio hit, "Longview" was heavily censored for language in order to appear on the radio. Heck, even "American Idiot" was censored for radio play. So, if you, as a band, are okay with censoring your lyrics and "art" in order to peddle your songs over the airwaves, why are you making a big deal about this whole Wal-Mart thing?

Hmmm ... Maybe it's because you're trying to stir up more interest in showing how "political" you are now, how "angry" you are with the corporate giants, even though, and let's be honest here, you are beyond becoming a similar giant, charging about $50 for a ticket to your concerts. Maybe you should change your name to Greed Day (okay, that was a bit low).

Could this "feud" be just another facade in your evolving image? Have you been talking to Madonna?

Perhaps this whole nonsense is just another identity shift of an already over-costumed musical act. We all know how much you've changed. After all, we must remember that you are still the guys who named an album Dookie and who aped The Clash in your early years to the point of exhaustion.

Whatever the reason, Green Day, I just hope that, over time, people begin to listen to true "political" songs from our current era and realize that what you've become is nothing more than AOR dream, a simple political statement for those afraid to bother thinking beyond the obvious.

That's all. Now, go back to putting on your eyeliner and moping. Thanks for your time.

P.S. If you're looking for a concept album that actually does work when it comes to the fear of living in the scary George W. world that we all suffered through, check out The Thermals' The Body, the Blood, the Machine. Absolutely brilliant!