Spring

Pop Disaster Tour

Dookie spawned a number of Green Day imitators such as Blink-182, who scored hit singles including ‘What’s My Age Again?’. Green Day shocked everyone by co-headlining with Blink-182 on the 42-date Pop Disaster Tour in America in April and May 2002. ‘I think we’ve had a broader experience,’ Billie Joe told Alternative Press, ‘we’ve played the biggest places in the world, and we’ve also played squats and the biggest toilets in the world. I think we kind of come from something a little more grassroots, DIY’. Green Day also got the last laugh as they blew Blink-182 off the stage every night.

Getting Away From It All

With no new Green Day album since Warning, Billie Joe felt pressure to write new material. In order to get some head space he went alone to New York, renting an East Village apartment with the plan of writing new songs. He ended up spending quality time in bars and drinking or jamming with Ryan Adams who was also rediscovering his muse. ‘I imagined that Ryan was your “perfect mess”,’ Billie Joe told Spin,‘ but he was dropping names of Green Day songs I’d not heard since I was 16. We were f***ed up the entire time.’

July

Shenanigans

Whilst International Superhits! collected Green Day’s memorable and affirmative songs, this collection of B-sides, covers, soundtrack material and sundries showcased their diversity. Whilst there were great cover versions of The Ramones’ ‘Outsider’ and ‘I Want To Be On TV’ by Fang, Green Day’s take on The Kinks’ ‘Tired Of Waiting For You’ indicated a shared melodic affinity which was affirmed on Billie Joe’s ‘Rotting’. ‘Don’t Want To Fall In Love’ sounded like The Alarm jamming with The Clash with Duane Eddy taking a solo, whilst Mike Dirnt’s ‘Ha Ha You’re Dead’ was classic Green Day. ‘On The Wagon’ was surprisingly Bolan-esqe.

September

Mike Undergoes Surgery

‘I think he’s gonna be fine. Everything was really smooth and he should be well pretty soon.’ Billie Joe stated on 17 September in a press release. Mike Dirnt had undergone specialist surgery on his left wrist for carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition is caused by the compression of a nerve in the wrist which causes pain in the forearm and thumb and fingers, and is common to industrial workers on assembly lines, factory employees or men twanging bass guitars for Green Day. Mike made a full recovery in eight weeks.

November

Cigarettes And Valentines

‘Expect straight-up rock’n’roll music.’ Billie Joe told a journalist just before Green Day submerged to record the follow-up to Warning. It was not until the 21st Century Breakdown Tour of 2009/10 that Green Day fans got to hear songs like ‘Olivia’ and the title track that were due to appear on their aborted seventh album Cigarettes And Valentines. After long and difficult recording sessions, the master tapes allegedly were stolen from the studio before they could be delivered...

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