A Green Day Fan Site

Green Day videos- It should be another art form, right?
I for one, love music videos, ever since I was really little; back when “Pop Up Video” was on all the time. I’d get up in the mornings and watch it with my Dad, who would explain to me about the bands and tell me a little story of when he watched the same videos. It’s little moments like these that make music so awesome; how deeply it has been influencing my life. So when I first laid eyes on a Green Day music video, it was a welcome experience. I can understand how some may view music videos as really corny companions to good songs or just a lame oppertunity for the band to make some money. I believe, on the other hand, It should be an oppertunity to make an artistic statement.
The first glimpse of Green Day I saw was “American Idiot.” It was the first time I saw them, all angry and righteous and covered in green slime. I mean it when I say I’d never seen anything like it; my brain soaked up everything it could in those rip-roaring three minutes. Suddenly I had faces to go with the names I’d been hearing. And I just had to know what it was they were trying to tell me. I thought it was the coolest thing- all that green slime and how the band was jumping around like a trio of Ritalin kids. I always remember Tre running around his drum kit in slow motion, sticks flailing madly, or Billie Joe throwing his guitar to the floor and all the green slime came flying up.
I was very happy when I learned more videos were soon to follow. In all honesty, I’ve seen the ones for “Holiday” and “Boulevard” like, a million times. I was really taken in by the artistic side of it all, mainly because I’m an artist myself and I’m perceptive to that kind of thing. I loved how they managed to capture the style of the album so well.
The sad thing about all this is that VH1 played more videos in 2005 than it does now…how awful. Anyway, I used to wake up in the mornings and it would just be me and the television for awhile, and that is what I would watch. For some reason, it’s such a fond memory: wake ing up at eight in the morning to catch “Holiday” on VH1 while eating a bowl of watermelon for breakfast. After awhile, it came routine: get up, eat watermelon, watch Green Day.
I quickly learned to hate some of the other videos I had to sit through before the guys would come on: Coldplay’s ‘Speed of Sound,’ Lifehouse’s, ‘You and Me,’ and the Foo Fighters’ ‘Best of You.’ (I actually really like that band now, but has anyone seen that video? Jeez.) And Mariah Carey! Argh…I wanted Billie to invade her video and clobber her over the head with his guitar…but I digress. I would get mad when one of those videos took Green Day’s place in the Top Twenty Countdown, too. ;)
I watched “Holiday” too much- maybe.
I knew all the drumming, and the guitar cues. It took me the longest time to figure out Mike was Sid Vicious in the bar scene, Billie got in a fight with himself and that Tre was the woman in drag (Seriously!) She did seem familar… Clearly this was my favorite video, too; it gave me the first impression of the band. I think that is what videos are for, actually: a way to connect with the fans. They tell stories using the band as characters, they carry messages, and of course, they attempt at being perfect companions to their songs. I love the new videos of “Know Your Enemy” and “21 Guns,” the latter being my fave of the two. I think it’s great the guys are still making videos and giving a round of new fans the chance to see them, and maybe give them a message or two.
Their videos are rooted in personal things for me; I fondly remember one morning after spending the night at my sister’s house, when my two little nieces woke up with me and we cuddled together on the couch as “Holiday” came on. They loved it, giggling at the crazy antics and singing the chorous with me, inspite of the fact they made up most of the words. They wanted to see it again every time they saw me after that. They’re much older now, about six and seven, and recently I asked them if they remembered, ‘the Guys in the Car.’ They smiled at me and told me they did. So, for old time’s sake, I played it for them on the computer, with one kid in my lap and the other pulling up a chair beside me.
That’s pretty cool for just one measly music video. ‘It’s just music’ my butt.