Billie Joe Compares his Song Writing Process to Writing a Novel

Billie Joe Armstrong

Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt

Wearing Leather Jackets

(And Pensive Expressions)

Studio Shot

I just found a great article I'd never seen before, where Billie Joe Armstrong (or at least his interviewer with the Associated Press) acknowledges that the song writing he's accomplished with the past two Green Day concept albums, American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, is akin to writing a novel.

Here's the link to the article, widely published, with the interesting title: Green Day is creating a 'soundtrack to life'

Billie Joe Armstrong and bass player, Mike Dirnt, do the bulk of the talking. The "soundtrack to life" quote is courtesy of Green Day's drummer, Tre Cool (Frank Edwin Wright III).

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I appreciate and admire Billie Joe Armstrong, as a person, a creator, and a catalyst, but in case I've never said it clearly before, I'll say it now: Billie Joe Armstrong may be the lead guitarist, lead singer, the lyricist, and the melody writer, but the three men together, make Green Day. Any other combination, Green Day would not exist. I am not a musician, but I can hear the difference. Mike Dirnt is an acknowledged genius with the bass, and Tre Cool plays the drums with the expression of any other instrument; he doesn't just keep a background rhythm, his contribution is integral to the dream. Together, they evoke emotion, and instigate catharsis. As a group, they've had their rough spots, but if you look for it, when they glance in each other's direction, you can see the brotherly love shining in their eyes; their long time history and friendship has to make a difference in their success. (Though I do have to wonder how the other two men are feeling with the latest album release, where Billie Joe makes the front cover of every music magazine, and they are usually relegated to the inside pages.)

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Click on the labels below this post for more of my articles about Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day, the song writing process, 21st Century Breakdown, and my Gwinnett Arena Green Day concert experience.