Reekie
06-25-2009, 05:42 PM
So now 21st Century Breakdown has had time to sink in, what do we think of it?
This interview with the dudes makes it sound deep, but I'm less in inclined to go back and listen to this over and over again. Maybe it feels like a step too far?
xxxooo666
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown : track by track
By Blue Demon
In the following interview, Green Day stars Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar/vocals), Mike Dirnt (bass/vocals) and Tre Cool (drums) take us BLUNT through the highs and lows of their stunning new album, 21st Century Breakdown…
1. “Song Of The Century”
Billie Joe: Trying to figure out a way to start the record, [we thought of] doing something a-cappella. We were running a pirate radio station down in Southern California last summer. I sang the song and we literally just took it up to the radio station and I played the song and it kind of gave it this real nice scratchy sound. And there's something about like old 78s [vinyl. I think there's like a sense of like yearning about them or something, you know, just kind of like a pure honest way of recording back however long ago that was. “Song Of The Century” sort of introduces the record.
2. “21st Century Breakdown”
Billie Joe: “21st Century Breakdown” was written at two different times, in two different parts. Like there was that sort of ‘Irish drinking’ part of the song – that was written before, but it was just a riff that we were throwing around. Then we did a demo on 4-track for “21st Century Breakdown” and I thought it had a kind of British Invasion influence to it. I didn't know if it was gonna make it or not – it was just kind of one of those songs you hold on to. And then going through like anything from “Peacemaker” to “21 Guns” I was thinking about the song “21st Century Breakdown” and I thought, well, it would be cool to be able to connect it to that sort of Irish drinking part. And then that could kind of introduce the whole record and how like the whole record is sort of about like a “21st Century Breakdown”. It kind of sums up the last 10 years, or something like that.
City Escape
3. “Know Your Enemy”
Billie Joe: I don't even think we gave much thought to what was going to be a single or anything like that. “Know Your Enemy” just seems to be one of the songs that's a broad, bold stroke – sort of [an] anthem, you know. When it was all said and done it seemed like the obvious choice for the first single because it was you know, a call-to-arms in a lot of ways.
Tre: Like a rock ‘n’ roll battle cry.
4. “ˇViva La Gloria!”
Billie Joe: “ˇViva La Gloria!” was written in different stages. The original name I was using for a while was “Amélie”. But the name Gloria, to me it just sounded maybe like the name version of Glory. And it's the first time I'd ever sort of written from like from a woman's point of view. You know, it's a song kind of about me, but at the same time, if you add the name, like if you have the name and you create a character, I think it kind of gives some flesh and blood to the record. So Gloria is just sort of this person that's kind of the torch bearer, or someone that's trying to hold on to their beliefs, or punk rock, or whatever you want to call it. That's what I think the song is trying to convey and it kinda adds that first character. I think Gloria is sort of the main character of the album. When we're writing songs we do write from a standpoint of like playing live and playing in front of people and being onstage, and something that's more like the theatrics of rock and the energy of it. So I think it's got that intro which is like a really soft kind of ballad guitar part, but then kind of morphs into this other rock part and then comes back into the intro again with like a full sort of gushing feel.
5. “Before The Lobotomy”
Billie Joe: “Before The Lobotomy” is when the character Christian comes in for the first time. I think it's just really trying to push the boundaries of how you arrange pop music or rock music or punk rock music and just really kind of going for it with no rules. And, you know, going until like, you know, like train, I mean the time signature on that, it's like...
Tre: I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I think (laugh) it's not in 4/4. Also, the subject matter of “Before The Lobotomy” kind of dives into self-destruction and, you know, drug and alcohol abuse. It's that self-destructive nature of Christian, which we see throughout the record.
6. “Christian's Inferno”
Billie Joe: “Christian's Inferno” is when you really get an idea of like who Christian is and what he represents and the demons that plague him. You know, it's kind of the most diabolical song I ever written but there is something really kinda uplifting about it. The chorus is sort of an anthem. And interestingly, it's like, yeah, we're all like in hell.
7. “Last Night On Earth”
Billie Joe: It goes from “Christian's Inferno” into “Last Night On Earth”. It goes from this one diabolical song to probably the most tender sort of love ballad I've ever written or that the Green Day has ever done. So you go from like a subway train into hell and then it explodes and you're in the middle of like, outer space or something.
Mike: I concur. I think “Christian's Inferno” definitely has a schizophrenic side to it. On one hand it's about as dark a place as you can go to. And then the other side of it is this major chorus. It's really uplifting and there's a sense of unity in there too.
8. “East Jesus Nowhere”
Billie Joe: This song is just kind of a, a call-out against the hypocrisy of religion. I don't think it's necessarily a particular religion but just in general, there's just a lot of hypocrisy that goes along with it. Whether you're using it as a vendetta or you're using it for monetary gain or whatever – people tend to abuse their faith in order to fulfill their God complex.
Tre: It also rocks balls. (laughs) “East Jesus Nowhere” is probably one of my favorite songs right now just 'cos it's just so hammering. It hits on a lot of levels for me...
Billie Joe: The song is about revenge, sort of having this vendetta. Part two is sort of about gun control. But it's like really kind of sexually driven. It's the first time we're really bringing in musically like a Middle Eastern influence. I feel like music is so, so tied together, like old Irish folk hymns and Mexican folk songs and like Middle Eastern songs or whatever. [It has] some kind of gypsy flavour to it – it could it be played by a mariachi band or like an Italian funeral band or something like that.
9. “Peacemaker”
Tre: I think calling a gun, a Peacemaker is, is pretty incredible because it really, it's more like a death maker! But I guess you're resting in peace if you get shot by one.
10. “Last Of The American Girls”
Billie Joe: There's a lot of lyrics in “Last Of The American Girls”. That song started out as being about my wife and then I kind of started getting into more of my own beliefs – anything from a little book of conspiracies to like playing vinyl records or something. It's sort of like about an empowering, sort of subterranean kind of lifestyle, but at the same time there's a new era coming in with the way we all need to live – like living in a disposable society or something like that but actually living off garbage and finding beauty in it in some way.
11. “Murder City”
Billie Joe: This was the last song written for the record. Me and Mike and Tre were in downtown Oakland and we went out to have drinks. It was right after these demonstrations happened. This kid was shot by a cop.
Mike: While handcuffed.
Billie Joe: While handcuffed. We were walking in, I'm wide awake after the riot. We weren't there for the riot, but it was right after. So it was kind of like picturesque and you see these sort of blowing newspapers around and I remember it being particularly windy that night. And you kinda felt like there was a, I don't know, like a ghost or something like that. But we were out, we were out just getting fucked up, we were getting hammered, so it was this kind of strange contradiction going on, you know. That song gets stuck in my head more than the other songs do.
etc...
This interview with the dudes makes it sound deep, but I'm less in inclined to go back and listen to this over and over again. Maybe it feels like a step too far?
xxxooo666
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown : track by track
By Blue Demon
In the following interview, Green Day stars Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar/vocals), Mike Dirnt (bass/vocals) and Tre Cool (drums) take us BLUNT through the highs and lows of their stunning new album, 21st Century Breakdown…
1. “Song Of The Century”
Billie Joe: Trying to figure out a way to start the record, [we thought of] doing something a-cappella. We were running a pirate radio station down in Southern California last summer. I sang the song and we literally just took it up to the radio station and I played the song and it kind of gave it this real nice scratchy sound. And there's something about like old 78s [vinyl. I think there's like a sense of like yearning about them or something, you know, just kind of like a pure honest way of recording back however long ago that was. “Song Of The Century” sort of introduces the record.
2. “21st Century Breakdown”
Billie Joe: “21st Century Breakdown” was written at two different times, in two different parts. Like there was that sort of ‘Irish drinking’ part of the song – that was written before, but it was just a riff that we were throwing around. Then we did a demo on 4-track for “21st Century Breakdown” and I thought it had a kind of British Invasion influence to it. I didn't know if it was gonna make it or not – it was just kind of one of those songs you hold on to. And then going through like anything from “Peacemaker” to “21 Guns” I was thinking about the song “21st Century Breakdown” and I thought, well, it would be cool to be able to connect it to that sort of Irish drinking part. And then that could kind of introduce the whole record and how like the whole record is sort of about like a “21st Century Breakdown”. It kind of sums up the last 10 years, or something like that.
City Escape
3. “Know Your Enemy”
Billie Joe: I don't even think we gave much thought to what was going to be a single or anything like that. “Know Your Enemy” just seems to be one of the songs that's a broad, bold stroke – sort of [an] anthem, you know. When it was all said and done it seemed like the obvious choice for the first single because it was you know, a call-to-arms in a lot of ways.
Tre: Like a rock ‘n’ roll battle cry.
4. “ˇViva La Gloria!”
Billie Joe: “ˇViva La Gloria!” was written in different stages. The original name I was using for a while was “Amélie”. But the name Gloria, to me it just sounded maybe like the name version of Glory. And it's the first time I'd ever sort of written from like from a woman's point of view. You know, it's a song kind of about me, but at the same time, if you add the name, like if you have the name and you create a character, I think it kind of gives some flesh and blood to the record. So Gloria is just sort of this person that's kind of the torch bearer, or someone that's trying to hold on to their beliefs, or punk rock, or whatever you want to call it. That's what I think the song is trying to convey and it kinda adds that first character. I think Gloria is sort of the main character of the album. When we're writing songs we do write from a standpoint of like playing live and playing in front of people and being onstage, and something that's more like the theatrics of rock and the energy of it. So I think it's got that intro which is like a really soft kind of ballad guitar part, but then kind of morphs into this other rock part and then comes back into the intro again with like a full sort of gushing feel.
5. “Before The Lobotomy”
Billie Joe: “Before The Lobotomy” is when the character Christian comes in for the first time. I think it's just really trying to push the boundaries of how you arrange pop music or rock music or punk rock music and just really kind of going for it with no rules. And, you know, going until like, you know, like train, I mean the time signature on that, it's like...
Tre: I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I think (laugh) it's not in 4/4. Also, the subject matter of “Before The Lobotomy” kind of dives into self-destruction and, you know, drug and alcohol abuse. It's that self-destructive nature of Christian, which we see throughout the record.
6. “Christian's Inferno”
Billie Joe: “Christian's Inferno” is when you really get an idea of like who Christian is and what he represents and the demons that plague him. You know, it's kind of the most diabolical song I ever written but there is something really kinda uplifting about it. The chorus is sort of an anthem. And interestingly, it's like, yeah, we're all like in hell.
7. “Last Night On Earth”
Billie Joe: It goes from “Christian's Inferno” into “Last Night On Earth”. It goes from this one diabolical song to probably the most tender sort of love ballad I've ever written or that the Green Day has ever done. So you go from like a subway train into hell and then it explodes and you're in the middle of like, outer space or something.
Mike: I concur. I think “Christian's Inferno” definitely has a schizophrenic side to it. On one hand it's about as dark a place as you can go to. And then the other side of it is this major chorus. It's really uplifting and there's a sense of unity in there too.
8. “East Jesus Nowhere”
Billie Joe: This song is just kind of a, a call-out against the hypocrisy of religion. I don't think it's necessarily a particular religion but just in general, there's just a lot of hypocrisy that goes along with it. Whether you're using it as a vendetta or you're using it for monetary gain or whatever – people tend to abuse their faith in order to fulfill their God complex.
Tre: It also rocks balls. (laughs) “East Jesus Nowhere” is probably one of my favorite songs right now just 'cos it's just so hammering. It hits on a lot of levels for me...
Billie Joe: The song is about revenge, sort of having this vendetta. Part two is sort of about gun control. But it's like really kind of sexually driven. It's the first time we're really bringing in musically like a Middle Eastern influence. I feel like music is so, so tied together, like old Irish folk hymns and Mexican folk songs and like Middle Eastern songs or whatever. [It has] some kind of gypsy flavour to it – it could it be played by a mariachi band or like an Italian funeral band or something like that.
9. “Peacemaker”
Tre: I think calling a gun, a Peacemaker is, is pretty incredible because it really, it's more like a death maker! But I guess you're resting in peace if you get shot by one.
10. “Last Of The American Girls”
Billie Joe: There's a lot of lyrics in “Last Of The American Girls”. That song started out as being about my wife and then I kind of started getting into more of my own beliefs – anything from a little book of conspiracies to like playing vinyl records or something. It's sort of like about an empowering, sort of subterranean kind of lifestyle, but at the same time there's a new era coming in with the way we all need to live – like living in a disposable society or something like that but actually living off garbage and finding beauty in it in some way.
11. “Murder City”
Billie Joe: This was the last song written for the record. Me and Mike and Tre were in downtown Oakland and we went out to have drinks. It was right after these demonstrations happened. This kid was shot by a cop.
Mike: While handcuffed.
Billie Joe: While handcuffed. We were walking in, I'm wide awake after the riot. We weren't there for the riot, but it was right after. So it was kind of like picturesque and you see these sort of blowing newspapers around and I remember it being particularly windy that night. And you kinda felt like there was a, I don't know, like a ghost or something like that. But we were out, we were out just getting fucked up, we were getting hammered, so it was this kind of strange contradiction going on, you know. That song gets stuck in my head more than the other songs do.
etc...