Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Green Day/Kaiser Chiefs: Could Be a Hot One!

via my new toy, Google Reader, I see that this band with whom I have a full-tilt obsession these days is opening for the always surprising Green Day.

I was a moderate fan of Green Day's bubble-gum punk back in the early 90's: tell me "Longview" isn't the anthem of a generation (not mine, thank christ). "When masturbation's lost its fun, you're fucking breaking." Poetry. So sue me: I've always been a sucker for the percussion and percussive guitars that drive the verses here (See: "I Don't Miss You"). But they were kind of goofy and silly, and they tried to buy weed from a friend of mine once, so I'm afraid I didn't take them too seriously.

Then they had that shocking, enlightening flash of relevance about five years ago: American Idiot was a scream into the dark of those days, articulating for all of us who'd been told to STFU about the war and Gitmo and the sociopaths running the nation that it was not just us. It was rock and roll as genuine outsider protest, the way it was meant to be, and it was Good. (Plus, they gave the cute Evan Rachel Wood a gig before that fascinatingly weird Across the Universe.)

They've got a new record coming out, 21st Century Breakdown, next week, and they're touring this summer.

And the Kaiser Chiefs are opening for some dates. I love these guys: though as a pedagogue I can't support the essential message of "Never Miss a Beat," but I note here that, like "Longview," the verses are essentially driven by percussion. And who knows whether the Kaiser Chiefs may not create the essential and necessary records of resistance in 2020?

Weirder things have happened.

12 comments:

The Phantom Creep said...

I love Green Day too, but I'm a little nervous about the fact that "American Idiot" is being turned into a Broadway musical.

NYMary said...

Phantom Creep,
Shut the fuck up! Huh.

Is nothing sacred?

Gummo said...

When we saw Green Day on the Idiot tour, Mrs. Gummo & I were probably the only over-40s there NOT chaperoning their 12 years olds.

It was an amazing show. They took a big ugly forbidding stadium and somehow turned it into an theater. So much fun.

If the pre-release hype for the new album is even half right, it's going to be another Green Day summer.

Noam Sane said...

I liked much of American Idiot myself (fortunate since Mrs. Sane and Young Sane both had it on ultra-repeat-play for a long time)...but I couldn't help but notice a certain Iggy-Poppiness to it. In fact, I'm surprised he didn't sue for credit on at least one tune.

Dave said...

Another Green Day (especially "American Idiot") fan, looking forward to the new album. I wasnt' familiar with the Kaiser Chiefs, and went to the site and listened a bit. "Everyday I Love You Less and Less" is one great title.

davepitt said...

Wow I usually love the music talked about on this site, but Green Day is absolutely horrible, and to try and to find some real political statement or articulate espousal in that middle school level album seems to me to be a case of letting your own political biases get in the way of actual music criticism.

They are derivative, boring, repetitive and sophomoric (in a non-interesting way... I mean I like juvenile humor as much as anyone, but it actually has to be, you know, funny).

Also, the use of the word "sociopaths" in the article is hyperbolic and evidence of BDS.

But hey, that's just my opinion.

NYMary said...

Your concern has been noted! Thanks!

Kid Charlemagne said...

I think we have a Right Brothers fan on our hands! When is their second record comin' out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-z2D9lo9-8

Now THAT'S political commentary!!

davepitt said...

False dichotomy. One can believe that Green Day is a poor excuse for a 3rd rate 4th generation punk band AND believe that what you just posted was junk too.

But thanks for the ad hominem attack. I guess I'll know next time that dissent and opinions aren't welcome here. Ironic.

Kid Charlemagne said...

I got it...

The Right Brothers follow up should be called "The Surge is the Word..."

Done to the tune of Surfin' Bird.

Whatya think Pittsey?

Kid Charlemagne said...

BTW... Dubya is a war criminal who ok'd torture and is personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians. How's that for BDS?

davepitt said...

What do I think? I think that you are probably a better person than you are currently displaying. But once again, I could be wrong.

BTW Larry Carlton's guitar solo (the 2nd one) in the song that inspired your name has to be in the top 10 of all time great solos.

Which for no good reason just reminded me of one of my other favorite guitar solos, which perhaps Steve can use in a future Friday List:

All time great guitar solos in otherwise bad songs. My nomination:

"Feels So Good" Chuck Mangione- guitar solo by Grant Greisman