The Green Day Authority Largest Green Day fansite on the net https://www.greendayauthority.com en-us <![CDATA[Tré Cool to join The Chin Chins on stage at BottleRock Napa]]> Andres
Surprise! Guess who's playing drums with @thechinchinsband Friday at @bottlerocknapa! Set is at 2:30, don't miss it!! 🤘


Tre joined The Chin Chins earlier this month at a show in Long Beach, CA.

The festival is taking place May 22-24 at the Napa Valley Expo in Napa, California. BottleRock is basically a giant music, food, wine festival with this year's lineup including Foo Fighters, Lorde, Backstreet Boys, Lil Wayne, Chaka Khan, Joan Jett and a bunch more.

The Chin Chins are part of Friday's lineup, playing the NorthBay Health Stage at 2:30pm local. Tré is also already part of the festival this year as one of the hosts of the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage on Saturday.

From MusicJunkiePress.com:
The Culinary Stage hosts include drummer Tré Cool of Green Day, SF Giants Broadcaster and former pitcher George Kontos, and KCBS "Foodie Chap" Liam Mayclem, with beats provided by the Bay Area's own DJ Umami.

If you're at the event, be sure to check out The Chin Chins at 2:30 and stop by the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage tomorrow.

]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6311/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6311/ Fri, 22 May 2026 11:30:19 -0400 <![CDATA[Pinhead Gunpowder Announce 2026 North American Tour]]> kaylubd Unt. Better late than never!

The trek kicks off on October 7th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It will make stops in Chicago, New York, Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles before wrapping up in Garden Grove, California, on November 11th. Night Shop will support the East Coast and Midwest dates, while Constant Insult will cover the West Coast stops. Pre-sales for select shows start tomorrow at 10 AM. General sale starts Friday, May 22nd at 10 AM local time. See all the dates on the GDA Tour Section.

Are you planning to see Pinhead Gunpowder? Will this be your first time seeing them? Let us know on the Green Day Community forum.








]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6310/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6310/ Wed, 20 May 2026 17:34:03 -0400 <![CDATA[25 Green Day Facts You ACTUALLY Didn't Know]]> Maria
Now, I'm not going to claim that every single fact on this list will be new to all of you, because the long-time fans have probably heard it all... but I hope at least one of them will surprise you. If you're new to Green Day, welcome, and you're in the right place to learn more here on GDA!


1. There was an Insomniac condom




It was a prize from KROQ. It expired in November 1998.


2. Billie Joe's parents met at a concert


Billie Joe's dad was a jazz drummer. He met his wife, Ollie, at one of his concerts - just like Billie Joe met his wife at a Green Day show.


3. The Foxboro Hot Tubs was born thanks to a drum kit




When Tré Cool bought a 1960s Rogers kit, he was inspired by its history and started playing old songs. Jason White joined him with an old Gretsch guitar. The rest of the band followed. Tré later told Zane Lowe, 'That one just dropped out of our bums,' and yeah, it kind of did.


4. Mike checked in to a hotel under the alias 'Seymour Butts'


Members of the band (unspecified) have also checked in to hotels as Rumpel Stiltskin and Joe Lies.


5. Tré took conga lessons with José Eladio in Cuba after the American Idiot Tour


'You mix the conga and cymbal parts together,' he told laut.de in 2009. 'It was fucking hard! Just another weapon in the arsenal in case I ever need to pick up women who are impressed by it.'


6. Billie Joe played metal before Green Day


We all know Billie was a sweet kid singing to people in hospitals while he was learning to sing at Fiat Music, but did you know he was also in a few metal bands? One of them was called Blood Rage.


7. Billie Joe bruised his ribs while recording the 'Holiday' music video




When you see him pounding his chest with the microphone in the bridge, he was actually hitting himself so hard that he bruised his ribs.


8. Mike shat on Juliette Binoche's balcony


It was Oscar's night in 1997. Mike did a poo over the edge of his hotel balcony. It landed on the one below. When Juliette Binoche found it, she unsuccessfully tried to get the band thrown out of the hotel.


9. Tré bought a diner for his dad




After Green Day hit it big, Tré bought a diner in Willits, CA, for his dad. It was called the California Diner. The walls were covered in Green Day posters and their songs were always playing. It's now under new management with a different name.


10. Billie Joe writes on acoustic


'I have a Silverine Harmony. But it sounds good. I just have it around the house, so I've written most of the songs on it.' -- Billie Joe in American Songwriter, 2000


11. The rarest Green Day item isn't 'Look For Love'




It's actually the white Slappy vinyl. There's only one copy in white. Larry Livermore sold it to a French collector on eBay in 2006.


12. Green Day's name came from Sesame Street


You've probably heard that Green Day is named after weed, but did you know the phrase originally came from Sesame Street? When Ernie said 'green day,' Billie Joe, Mike and John Kiffmeyer found it funny because of all the weed they smoked. So it became an inside joke that a 'green day' was a day wasted, smoking weed. After they recorded the song 'Green Day,' John wrote the phrase on the back of his jacket. That was when they decided to change their name from Sweet Children. Billie Joe has since said he hates the name.


13. Tré set his hair on fire in high school




'I was blowing gas out of my mouth like I was a torch or something. My hair was burned off, my eyelashes were burned... I looked like a monster.' -- Tré Cool in Crossbeat, May 1998


14. The name International Superhits You're Not Worthy of Owning was considered


Green Day wanted the most arrogant title imaginable for their first greatest hits record. They also considered Immaculate Collection.


15. Tré played jazz before Green Day


'It was hard because I played jazz for a while before joining Green Day. In the jazz band, I was constantly told to "play quieter," but then I was being told to "play harder and six times louder!" Also, in jazz, you're told to "play more," but in rock, you're told to "play one beat at a time," which is the complete opposite of how I play, so it took me a while to get used to it. But I kept playing and became a real musician.' -- Tré Cool in Crossbeat, May 1998


16. Billie Joe's favourite British food is fish and chips




Especially when it's covered in all the salt, vinegar and sauces they've got.

His favourite food of all time is pizza, though.


17. Tré was homeless, but wouldn't sell his drums




'Even when I was homeless and starving, I didn't sell my drums. I had no home, but I had my drums. Those drums kept me going.' -- Tré Cool in Crossbeat, May 1998


18. The name 'Warning' has a pretty deep meaning


'It's like a "warning" sign or label, or people saying "you can't do this." America is always talking about freedom, but even though it's saying that, subconsciously it's saying, "No, you're not free. Don't cross this line. Don't step on my territory." To me, rules are there to be rebelled against, at least on a healthy level. Rules are there to be broken. That's what "Warning" is about. I'm not telling people WHAT to think - I'm telling them TO think.' -- Billie Joe Armstrong in Crossbeat, August 2000


19. Tré was on crutches while recording 21st Century Breakdown


He busted his knee while moshing at a Fratellis concert and only had it sorted once the last track of 21st Century Breakdown was burned to a hard drive.


20. 'Before the Lobotomy' came from a San Francisco Chronicle article




'I got it from a headline in the San Francisco Chronicle. The article was about a guy who'd written a book about how he'd gotten a lobotomy because his dad thought he was too hyperactive. He was a problem child, so his father made him get a lobotomy. So the title of the article was "Before the Lobotomy." Or maybe that was the title of the book. I don't remember now. And the song could be about the dumbing down of society, but it all comes from personal experience, you know! Dumbing yourself with drugs and alcohol. Overdoing it.' -- Billie Joe Armstrong in Guitar World, 2009


21. At least one fan has seen Green Day over 200 times


Quite a few fans have been to 100 shows, but 200?! A crew member told me about this person in 2017, so it's probably even more now. I've no idea who they are. They must be doing it very quietly. There are probably even more of them we don't know about.


22. Billie Joe attended a GDA/GDC party while American Idiot was on Broadway


Seriously. It was February 2011. GDA arranged a party for fans at a bar in NYC and Billie actually showed up. He said he wanted to be 'closer to the fans.'


23. Green Day wore Christian Dior suits designed by Hedi Slimane in the American Idiot era


In case you don't know (I didn't), Hedi Slimane is a French photographer and couturier who was the creative director for Dior Homme at the time.


24. The first (and only) Dead Mermaids EP came with a fishing net




There's a song called 'My Fish' that is, indeed, about fish. We really didn't appreciate them enough.


25. The first time Green Day played in Bangkok, the floor nearly gave way




Some fans said it was the best show they'd ever seen. Some said it was the worst. However, almost everyone in MBK Hall that day will agree that they wondered if they were going to die that night.


How many of these did you know?


So what's the verdict? Were some of these facts new to you? Can you think of any that others might not have heard? Discuss it on the Green Day Community forum. And if you'd like to read even more random Green Day facts, we have a whole page for them.]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6306/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6306/ Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:02 -0400 <![CDATA[Song Tournament: Foxboro Hot Tubs vs. The Network]]> Andres
Over the last 6 weeks, Green Day fans have been rating songs across head-to-head album battles, with the top songs from each moving on to the championship round. This week decides which side project tracks stay alive.

Go here to vote Foxboro Hot Tubs vs The Network

You can also browse all previous matchups, see which songs made the cut, and check whether your favorites from the first 6 weeks are still alive. Next week will be our final album match-up, then the finals to crown the fan favorite of 2026.]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6307/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6307/ Sun, 17 May 2026 12:15:47 -0400 <![CDATA[Green Day talk about the success of Dookie]]> Andres



Transcript:

Tre: Before we made Dookie, it was a proven fact that punk rock does not sell. Fuck facts!
Billie Joe: I think Dookie being Double Diamond is sort of a testament to what we wanted to start with. We wanted to make a record that we can play these songs for the rest of our lives. When I hear a song like Can't Explain or My Generation by The Who, I think those songs sound like they were written yesterday.
Mike: I expected it. I'm expecting a lot more, actually. I have high expectations.
Billie Joe: With a name like Dookie, I don't know if you have any expectations at all.
Mike: Yeah, we expected to polish that turd.
Billie Joe: Great music is not measured by popularity or numbers, but I do think that we're incredibly fortunate that this record has been able to last through multiple generations.]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6308/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6308/ Sat, 16 May 2026 14:02:13 -0400 <![CDATA[First look at Nimrods movie stills and poster]]> Andres


You can read more about the upcoming film here. And here are all our stories related to it. ]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6309/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6309/ Wed, 13 May 2026 08:36:13 -0400 <![CDATA[Green Day's 20 most played songs on the Saviors Tour]]> Maria

The 20 most played songs...




20. Fuck Off


Unbelievably (or at least it is to me), a Saviors b-side has made it into the top 20! Fuck Off was played 7 times.








19. Revolution Radio



This one surprised me, too! Revolution Radio was actually played 17 times.





'Revolution Radio is a big sing-along for all the weirdos to keep being weirdos together.' -- Billie Joe Armstrong (The Zane Lowe Show, 2016)





18. Hitchin' a Ride


It's no surprise that Hitchin' a Ride made it onto the list with 36 plays.








17. All by Myself and...


Five Dookie tracks hold the 17th spot with 40 plays. They are:

  • All by Myself

  • Emenius Sleepus

  • Having a Blast

  • Pulling Teeth

  • Sassafras Roots





16. Chump


Chump got 41 plays.








15. Coming Clean


Coming Clean made 42 appearances on the Saviors Tour.








14. Extraordinary Girl and She's a Rebel


Billie Joe finally sang 'from Chicago to Toronto' in Chicago and Toronto. She's a Rebel and Extraordinary Girl were both played 43 times on the Saviors Tour.








13. 21 Guns, Burnout and F.O.D.


These three classics were all played 45 times.





'21 Guns wasn't written for one person. It's written for about 20,000.' -- Billie Joe Armstrong



12. Homecoming, In the End and Whatsername


Well, I think we can safely say that most of us never expected to hear Homecoming or Whatsername live, and a lot of people probably thought they'd never hear In the End either... but they were all played 46 times on the Saviors Tour.








11. Look Ma, No Brains!


With 48 plays, this song was quite far off the top 10... which is a shame, because Tré's drumming in this song is especially incredible.








10. Give Me Novacaine


A lot of fans dreamed of hearing this live and got lucky on the Saviors Tour. It was played 57 times.








9. Are We the Waiting


When I compiled the list of Green Day's most played songs of all time, I was surprised that Are We the Waiting came in 19th with 414 plays (more than Know Your Enemy). With 60 plays, it was also the 9th most played song on the Saviors Tour. The overall 414 figure was from a few years ago and it has now been played 477 times.





'You know how sometimes you feel like you're stuck in a waiting room, waiting for something to happen, just sort of being uncomfortable in your own silence. That's sort of the moment where you can make a choice of following down a path of complete rage or you can try to find something positive. Or both.' -- Billie Joe Armstrong (GREEN DAY - Anatomy Of A Punk Opera)



8. The American Dream Is Killing Me


The American Dream Is Killing Me didn't get as many plays at the summer shows in 2025, but it still made the 8th spot with 61 plays. Best opener since 21st Century Breakdown.





'[The American Dream Is Killing Me] is more about being a stressed-out American. Our politics are so divided and polarized right now. We had an insurrection. We have homeless people in the street. We have so many issues, and they come onto your algorithm feed at such a pace. It just stresses you out, the anxiety of being an American and how it becomes so overwhelming. I think it was easier to satirize George Bush because we didn't have social media. It was before all the tech bros came in. Now you have these billionaires who would rather shoot a rocket into space than deal with the infrastructure we have here. That's one of the reasons we left to go record somewhere else. America is such a monkey on your back.' -- Billie Joe Armstrong





7. Letterbomb


Letterbomb made a comeback on this tour and it was played 65 times. This isn't a party! It's a celebratiooooooooon!





I know a lot of fans don't like Billie Joe's Letterbomb speeches, but imagine thunder rumbling and rain absolutely pouring while that powerful voice fills the arena and you can FEEL the unity he's going on about. That's what was happening in the above video from Kuala Lumpur.





6. One Eyed Bastard and She


These two were both played 70 times.





'Lyrically, I was just reflecting on bad times in life. That's the thing about nostalgia, sometimes you think, "That was an awful time." Everybody's got that ugly place in their life where they have to deal with ugly thoughts - it could be like revenge or whatever. Thankfully, I have an outlet in songwriting.' - Billie Joe Armstrong on One Eyed Bastard (NME, January 2024)





5. Bobby Sox


Bobby Sox was played 83 times. It was so much fun! I hope it stays on the setlist.





That performance of Bobby Sox in Lyon was one of my favourite Green Day performances ever. I still listen to it all the time.





4. Dilemma


GDC's favourite Saviors song* was also the most played Saviors song on the tour. It was played 84 times.





*It might be the everyone else's favourite, but I say... JUSTICE FOR SUZIE CHAPSTICK! The fan playing Dilemma in Glasgow was iconic though.





3. Minority


The iconic Warning track nabbed the third spot with 88 plays.








2. Welcome to Paradise


With 89 plays, Welcome to Paradise beat Minority by just one. I would've expected Minority to have been played a few more times.








1. American Idiot and...


11 other songs actually share the big title with American Idiot! They are:

  • Basket Case

  • Boulevard of Broken Dreams

  • Brain Stew

  • Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

  • Holiday

  • Jesus of Suburbia

  • Know Your Enemy

  • Longview

  • St. Jimmy

  • Wake Me Up When September Ends

  • When I Come Around


They were all played 90 times.








A few of the rarest songs...


Quite a lot of songs were only played once, so I won't list all of them, but I wanted to include a few that I thought were really special.



Suzie Chapstick


OK, OK, this wasn't even that 'rare' considering that five plays is only two less than Fuck Off... but Suzie Chapstick was MADE to echo hauntingly around a stadium.








Missing You


The Longshot played Missing You a couple of times, but Green Day hadn't played it since 2013 when it was played in Ottawa and Bogota.








Stuart and the Ave.


This is one of Green Day's rarest songs with only 14 plays, ever. It was played once on the Saviors Tour in Vienna.






Did any of these surprise you? Should I have included another less-played song? Discuss it with other fans on the Green Day Community forum.]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6305/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6305/ Mon, 11 May 2026 08:00:02 -0400 <![CDATA[Much Music has shared a throwback Green Day interview from the International Superhits era]]> Maria International Superhits yet. It's also the source of Tré Cool's iconic 'never jack off a cactus' quote.




Some other fun quotes from the interview:

'Now that we're off camera, do you want to talk about dick, too?' -- Tré Cool

'I tried my hand at two Sonic Youth records. I had one given to me and I bought two and... I'd be damed if they made more than one spin.' -- Mike Dirnt

'Oakland is like the Detroit of San Francisco.' -- Billie Joe

'There should be a law against lip syncing. Anybody who can't play live should be either strung up or have their musical talent revoked.' -- Mike Dirnt

'Have you ever ate a clump of a woman's period before?' -- Billie Joe

'You know what the best thing about San Francisco is? You can see Oakland from it.' -- Mike Dirnt

Billie Joe also talked about naming International Superhits, saying: 'We thought of like, The Wonder Years. The Immaculate Collection. Lenny. So we were trying to think like, "Let's think of the most arrogant title we could possibly think of." At one point, it was "International Superhits You're Not Worthy of Owning." Big Hits, Quick Cash...'

And in case you didn't know, Mike added, 'Or whatever else you were trying to please' when Tré said, 'Never jack off a cactus. You'll just hurt your hand and the cactus' feelings.'

This was the discussion about the 'Brain Stew' head:

Billie Joe: 'We were staying in Copenhagen and this guy comes up to us after the show and he's like, "Come over to my house and you can meet my roommate, Sleepy. So we were like, "OK, we'll go meet Sleepy." So we go over to his house and get in our sleeping bags and get ready to crash out. And then all of a sudden, he rolls in this formaldehyde tank with a human head inside of it. And he's like, 'This is my friend, Sleepy."'
Mike: 'We slept right next to him. It was from a medical school and he had all the pens in his head.'
Billie Joe: 'He's bald and he had the pins in it. I slept in the hall.'
Mike: 'I slept right next to it. I woke up and I was like, "Good morning, sunshine. You're looking wonderful today. Must be that formaldehyde."'

Thanks to Jean on GDC for sharing this.]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6304/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6304/ Thu, 07 May 2026 10:00:02 -0400 <![CDATA[Tré Cool played with his wife's new band, The Chin Chins, last night]]> Maria
Check out the setlist in the tour section.

Fun fact: Alex's Bar is where the 'Dilemma' video was filmed! The Foxboro Hot Tubs also played there in 2008.

Some photos and videos from fans who were there:




You can also check out a couple links on Instagram here and here

Post from the venue:




We don't know yet if Tré will be a member of the band going forward, but we're excited to see!]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6303/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6303/ Sat, 02 May 2026 10:00:02 -0400 <![CDATA['Nimrods' movie will be released August 14th in theaters]]> Andres
August 14, 2026

Three buddies drive cross-country in a van, causing mayhem and mischief while racing to LA for their big break: opening for Green Day on New Year's Eve.

Variety reports that the film was picked up by Palisades Park for international sales and sending it to the Cannes Market. They also confirmed the flim "has a global theatrical rollout set for August."

We will keep an eye out for any official announcement from the studio, but this is a good sign. If you missed our last update on the film, (it got renamed from 'New Years Rev' to 'Nimrods') check it out here.

Thanks to arcadiagay for sharing this on Green Day Community.


[Update 1:00pm EST: Added the link to Variety, which confirmed the August release date. Title adjusted with this confirmation.]

Update: 5/13/26 - New movie poster was released yesterday. Check it out below

]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6302/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6302/ Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:45:27 -0400 <![CDATA[20 Books About Green Day]]> Maria

Nobody Likes You: Inside the Turbulent Life, Times, and Music of Green Day by Marc Spitz




This is "the" classic Green Day book. If you know a long-time fan who's only read one of them, it will be this one. It starts at the beginning and covers Green Day's career and lives up to the American Idiot era. Marc Spitz interviewed many of the most influential people around Green Day, including family members. There are many interesting (and crazy) facts in the book that are no longer common knowledge, as well as several pages of black and white photos in the centre.



It does have some factual errors, but not as many as some of the others on this list. Some fans have complained that the writer made misogynistic remarks about female fans. I don't remember that, but it's been a while.

Best for: Fans who are invested in the band themselves as well as their music.
Buy 'Nobody Likes You' on Amazon

Green Day: Rebels With a Cause by Gillian G. Garr




Like Nobody Likes You, this unofficial biography follows the band from the beginning up until the American Idiot era. It has a few more factual errors, but different interviews with other musicians and fans. There are some black and white photos in this book too.



This has a higher rating on Goodreads, for what that's worth.

Best for: Fans who want to read about Green Day's career.
Buy 'Rebels With a Cause' on Amazon

Cometbus #54: In China With Green Day by Aaron Cometbus




This zine was written by Aaron Cometbus, a former roadie and the drummer in one of Billie Joe's side projects, Pinhead Gunpowder. It's his personal recap of the time he spent in Asia with Green Day on the 21st Century Breakdown Tour. There's a lot of talk about their past (especially with Billie Joe) and some candid recollections of events and conversations on the tour, including Scrabble games and a moment when Tré almost choked on a live octopus. As it reaches its conclusion, there's a poetic scene in which Billie Joe pulls Aaron in for a kiss that, if I remember, is likened to a plane taking off (don't quote me on that). Pretty wild ride.

It has also been a while since I read this, but I do remember thinking Mr. Cometbus was a misogynistic arse. Don't let that put you off though. It's very highly rated by fans and it's unique because it was written by someone who actually knew the band and was on tour with them.

I remember buying this from GDA back when it came out! You can still get a paper copy and e-book.

Best for: Fans who want to read a more intimate, personal account from someone close to the band.
Buy 'Cometbus #54' on Amazon

Green Day: American Idiots & the New Punk Explosion by Benjamin Myers




Another unofficial biography, written by a British author who's also a fan of the band. It was published in 2005, so it covers the time period from the beginning to the American Idiot era. It also has some photos and quotes. It does mention other bands, but Green Day are the focus.

Again, this one has quite a few errors, including the occasional "Billy."

Best for: Fans who want an alternative to Nobody Likes You and/or want to read a bit about other bands.
Buy 'American Idiots & the New Punk Explosion' on Amazon

Green Day Rising: Before the Dookie Flew by Michael Sharon and Tim Kenneally




This book includes an interview and 50 "never before seen" photos from the show at Slim's in San Francisco in February 1994. A few of them had been seen, but most hadn't, because they were taken for a magazine feature and never used... until this book was published in 2017. It's now out of print.

Best for: Fans who enjoy looking at old photos and reading interviews.
Buy 'Green Day Rising' on Amazon

Treasures of Green Day by Gillian G. Gaar




Another book by the author of Rebels With a Cause from the Treasures series. It's a full colour book that includes replicas of flyers, ticket stubs, setlists and more.

Best for: Fans who like colour books and old memorabilia.
Buy 'Treasures of Green Day' on Amazon

The Story of Green Day by Doug Small




I guess it figures that I could say "yet another unofficial biography from 2005" so many times. So there you go: it's another unofficial biography from 2005. It has some full colour photos.

Best for: Fans who want to read every Green Day book, or those who want an alternative to Nobody Likes You.
Buy 'The Story of Green Day' on Amazon

Green Day: The Ultimate Unauthorized History by Alan di Perna




A large book that goes a bit further than the American Idiot era. It was published in 2012 and includes the Broadway musical. As well as text, it has full colour photos, flyers, vinyl covers and more.

Best for: Fans who like full colour books and those who want to read slightly further (but don't mind that it's not that much further) than the American Idiot era.
Buy 'The Ultimate Unauthorized History' on Amazon

Green Day On Track: Every Album, Every Song by William E. Spevack




This is a more recent one, published in 2023. It dives deep into every song and album with some quotes and other information.

Best for: Fans who enjoy analysing songs.
Buy 'Green Day On Track' on Amazon

How To Ru(i)n A Record Label: The Story of Lookout Records (Punx) by Larry Livermore




Larry Livermore is the founder of Lookout Records, Green Day's first record label. He also played in Tré's first band, The Lookouts. This is his own book about the history of the label which, of course, includes Green Day and the scene they came from.

Best for: Fans who are interested in the history of Lookout Records and East Bay punk.
Buy 'How To Ru(i)n A Record Label' on Amazon

Punk USA: The Roots of Green Day & the Rise & Fall of Lookout Records by Kevin Prested




Another book about the history of Lookout Records and, by extension, Green Day. It tells the story through hundreds of interviews and has been called "parallel" to Larry Livermore's book.

Best for: Fans who are interested in interviews from various people who were around in the times of Lookout Records. If you enjoyed Larry's book, you'll enjoy this one.
Buy on Amazon

Green Day: A Musical Biography (The Story of the Band) by Kjersti Egerdahl




Yet another unofficial biography that was published in 2009. It includes a discography, a list of awards won, and some photos. There are interviews but they weren't done by the author.

Best for: People who haven't read any of the other biographies, or those who want one that includes the release of 21st Century Breakdown.
Buy ' A Musical Biography' on Amazon

Green Day: Photographs by Bob Gruen




A big, hardcover photobook by the renowned rock photographer Bob Gruen. There's nothing much to read, but it's great to flick through if you like looking at photos of the band or appreciate photography in general.

Best for: Fans who only want to see photos.
Buy 'Photographs by Bob Gruen' on Amazon

Green Day: The Secret History by Alan Cross


Yet another unofficial biography that goes from the beginning to the American Idiot era (with some factual errors). This is a more obscure book. Two of the three reviewers on Goodreads didn't seem that impressed.

Best for: People who've already read the other unofficial biographies and really want to read another one.



Gimme Something Better: The Profound, Progressive, and Occasionally Pointless History of Bay Area Punk from Dead Kennedys to Green Day




The title says it all. It's an oral history of the Bay Area punk scenes, told by the people who were there. There's quite a bit about Maximumrocknroll and a chapter on selling out. It has some of the best reviews of all the books on this list.

Best for: Fans who want to read about the scene Green Day came from.
Buy 'Gimme Something Better' on Amazon

We Are Revolution Radio: A Collection of Green Day Fan Stories and Art




OK, I'm biased because I made this book. It was part of a documentary I did about Green Day fans from 2017-2018. So many amazing people contributed from England, Portugal, Greece, the USA, Venezuela, China, Australia, the list goes on... there are stories that will make you laugh, art that will make you say "wow," and then there are some stories that will make you cry.

It isn't currently available to buy because printing is expensive, but I'll make it available as an e-book at some point.

Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994-2007) by Dan Ozzi



A book about alternative bands who signed to major labels. It has a chapter on Green Day. Other bands include My Chemical Romance and Blink-182.

Best for: People who are interested in punk ethos and the morals of signing to major labels.
Buy 'Sellout' on Amazon

924 Gilman: The Story So Far... by Brian Edge




Green Day are only briefly mentioned in this Maximumrocknroll book about the first 18 years of 924 Gilman Street. It focuses on the culture and running of the club.

Expect to pay a lot if you want to get hold of this one... especially a copy that's not falling apart.

Best for: Only for people who REALLY want to do a deep dive into the history of 924 Gilman Street and how it was run.
Buy '924 Gilman: The Story So Far...' on Amazon

Green Day: Une conscience américaine by Laurent Ducastel




An unofficial biography written in French. Like the English ones, it only goes from the beginning to the American Idiot era.

Best for: Fans who want to read a biography in French.
Buy 'Une conscience américaine' on Amazon

Green Day: Tutti i testi con traduzione a fronte




A book of Italian translations of Green Day songs from the beginning to International Superhits. It has a short intro about the history of the band.

Best for: Fans who want Italian translations of Green Day songs.
Buy on Amazon

Have you read any of these books? Planning to pick any of them up? Discuss it with other fans on the Green Day Community forum.]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6299/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6299/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:00:02 -0400 <![CDATA[Top 5 Green Day Live Performances]]> Andres

#5 - Green Day on Letterman - "Basket Case" (1994)


In June 1994, only a couple months after the release of Dookie, Billie Joe walks up to the mic, says "Hi... this song's for 80" like they're playing somebody's basement, and then they tear through "Basket Case" on national television. It wasn't even a single yet - that wouldn't happen until August. I remember sitting outside of my high school in 2003 trying to steal wifi so I could torrent this video like a little obsessed delinquent.



That first performance would set the tone for what would become icon performances on Letterman, mostly because of the Tré's antics at the end of each set. Tré would usually ditch his drum kit and lunge at Dave's desk, which eventually led Letterman to joke that there was something wrong with their drummer.

Here's a bonus clip of Letterman talking about them years later on Colbert's "Late Show", with a compilation of the antics.


and to go full circle, here's Green Day talking about it



#4 - Isle of Wight Festival (June 2024)


This one is part of the Saviors Tour, which had them celebrating the 30th anniversary of Dookie and the 20th of American Idiot by playing both albums front to back every night. I wanted to include a performance from that tour because of how giant it was. The Isle of Wight set was a condensed festival version of that, but it still covered an insane amount of ground, and with a full production: flame throwers, a giant inflatable grenade, the works. 30+ years in and they're still the best live band doing it.


#3 - "Basket Case" - Live at Reading (2004)


This is the one you go back to when you want to understand what the American Idiot era was really about before it became a phenomenon. The Reading 2004 set was filmed in late August, just a few weeks before the album officially dropped, and you can feel it. The crowd is massive, the band is locked in, and there's this electricity in the whole thing. It was a hard launch for one of the biggest eras in Green Day's career.


Honorable mention from this same show, "We Are The Champions"


#2 - Milton Keynes (2005) - Bullet in a Bible


There's really no debate here. If someone asks you "what is a Green Day show like?", you send them this. Filmed over two nights at Milton Keynes Bowl in June 2005 for their first proper live CD/DVD release, Bullet in a Bible captures the American Idiot tour right at the top of its game. The "Holiday" performance from this set is basically the gold standard - the call and response, the energy, the crowd. I've shown this to people who weren't even Green Day fans and they got it immediately. That's how good this show was.


#1 - Woodstock 94


The one that started it all. In the summer of 1994, Green Day were still the new kids - Dookie had come out in February and they were riding that building wave, then Woodstock happened. The rain turned everything into a mud pit, the crowd completely lost their minds, and somewhere in the middle of all of it a massive mud fight broke out that swept up the band and half the audience. It was pure, unhinged chaos - and it was exactly the moment that turned them from a band people were starting to hear about into one that everyone was talking about. Thirty years later, this footage still holds up.


Honorable mention because I'm the one writing this. "Brutal Love" live at Reading 2013


This is one of those videos I find myself going back to randomly, usually late at night when I should be doing something else. Brutal Love is a slow-burn, it builds quietly before it opens up into something massive, and there's something about Billie Joe's voice on this particular night that just works. It doesn't have the chaos of the Woodstock set or the spectacle of Milton Keynes, but it's the kind of performance that sticks with you and highlights Billie's vocal abilities.


Alright, thank you for coming to my TED talk. Please let us know over in the comments what you think, and share the performances that you'd rank on this list. ]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6283/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6283/ Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:17:50 -0400 <![CDATA[Green Day Fan Tattoos Updated]]> Andres finally starting to rebuild our photos section, and we're starting off with Green Day Fan Tattoos. Click below to view the gallery of Green Day inspired tattoos sent in by fans.



If you'd like yours included, email it team@greendayauthority.com, or send it to us over on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads. Let us know if you'd like us to share a link to your social media. ]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6298/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6298/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:15:50 -0400 <![CDATA[Green Day Song Tournament Week 3: 21st Century Breakdown vs. Nimrod]]> Andres 21st Century Breakdown going up against Nimrod. Voting ends on Saturday morning April 25th.

VOTE NOW: 21st Century Breakdown vs. Nimrod
We also added a way for you to capture and your vote card after you vote. Click on "Save my vote card" below the voting area and you can save an image to share on social media or the GDC topic.

The results of last week votes have been tallied where Father of All Motherfuckers went up against Insomniac.



Lowest rated songs from Father Of All...: "I Was A Teenage Teenager", "Fire, Ready, Aim", "Junkies on a High". Lowest rated from 1039/SOSH: "Rest", "I want to Be Alone", "Knowledge".

View the full results from the tournament so far. ]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6296/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6296/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:40:57 -0400 <![CDATA[Tré Cool leading Acura Grand Prix this Sunday]]> Andres
Cool joins a long list of celebrated INDYCAR Fastest Seat in Sports passengers as he leads the field to the green flag in a custom INDYCAR SERIES car with a special back passenger seat. This high-speed, high-octane, super-charged thrill ride has been taken by the likes of Tom Brady, Simu Liu, Jon Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Channing Tatum and Rudy Pankow.

Meyer Shank Racing will also feature a special livery for the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda. Felix Rosenqvist will be driving a car decked out with Green Day's Idiot Nation branding for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

This is all to help promote the launch of the new SiriusXM channel, Idiot Nation, which is officially starting up on April 20. The car features a mix of Acura and SiriusXM logos along with the Idiot Nation name across the front and side.



With Green Day featured on the No. 60 Honda, Meyer Shank Racing brings a bold, high-energy presence to the streets of Long Beach, blending the intensity of top-level motorsports with the global reach of rock music. Race day will carry that energy trackside as Tré Cool is set to attend Sunday's event as a guest of the team.

"This is a really exciting weekend for us," said Mike Shank. "It's a big moment with both IMSA and INDYCAR competing, and we're proud to represent Acura at their home race. To also have Green Day featured on the car and help promote the launch of their new SiriusXM channel makes it even more special."

The race is happening this Sunday, April 19. You can watch the broadcast on FOX starting at 5:30pm ET. Keep an eye out for the No. 60 car and Tre leading the start of the race. You can find more details about the race and the full schedule over on the IndyCar website.


UPDATE

Video of Tre Cool in the Green Day Idiot Nation car

]]> https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6297/ https://www.greendayauthority.com/news/6297/ Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:06:40 -0400