Sonicbids Sunday: Unsigned artists profiled

The purest way to discover new artists has always been, and always will be live performance. Second to that, the Internet has provided a variety of interesting forums, from MySpace to YouTube, to individual artist sits.

One of those forums is a site called Sonicbids. At Sonicbids.com artists or bands can submit an electronic press kit, or EPK, to a variety of promoters, venues, and media outlets for consideration for anything from gigs, to publicity, to inclusion on a CD compilation, to a spot in a performance showcase. In my case, the artists are looking for press coverage.

One of the things I like most about Sonicbids is the wide variety of artists who participate. There are musicians and artists from every style and genre of music from all around the world represented. Many are quite good. So good in fact that I’m often surprised they are not already signed to a record contract. Some are what I call diamonds in the rough – artists who have talent but perhaps need seasoning or a good producer to make their music shine. Sure, a few of the artists leave you scratching your head, but those are the exception and not the rule.

Every Sunday, I’ll profile a few artists who recently found their way into my “Sonicbids Dropbox” (as it’s so cleverly called) that are definitely worth checking out.

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Andy Hawk & The Train Wreck Endings, Tin Can Town – Hawk accurately describes his sound as “mid-'60s Bob Dylan singing with the Old '97s.” Tin Can Town serves up 13 whiskey-soaked slices of folk/blues Americana that recall a night spent with friends at a favorite watering hole. Some of the tunes lend themselves to spontaneous sing-alongs, others will have your toes tapping, and some will cause both.

This is Hamilton, Virginia-based Andy Hawk’s fifth album since 2004, and his second with his band, The Train Wreck Endings. Hawk might look like the high school English teacher he is by day, but judging by the quality of his singing and songwriting, music is much more than a part-time hobby. The Train Wreck Endings - Chuck Bordelon (bass), Steve DeVries (mandolin, banjo, harmonica, backing vocals) Branden Hickman (drums) and Gary Rudinsky (lead guitar, backing vocals) provide strong support throughout.

The album kicks off with “Think Too Much,” a bright, catchy tune driven by DeVries mandolin playing. Hawk pairs introspective lyrics about a lost relationship to a bouncy melody:

“It's 3 a.m. and I can't help but wonder what went wrong/
Though I fill my glass, it looks half-empty to me/
I'm misty eyed and true and tried, alone with all I fear/
I can't go back or forward while I'm here”

The title track is one of the album’s most “Dylan-esque” tracks, with Hawk relating a tale of small town life in a rough-around-the-edges vocal.

“Maybe Someday” is a contagious piece of pop perfection, with a hint of Rubber Soul Beatles added for good measure, while the equally catchy “Real Gone Girl” amps up the country flavor. Hawk again acknowledges his Beatles/Dylan influences on mid-tempo acoustic tracks like “Music From Another Room,” “I Never Thought To Ask,” and “Ferris Wheel” – the latter featuring a tasty guitar solo from Rudinsky. The album comes full circle thematically and returns to the bar for the closing track, the lighthearted “The Last Two In The Bar.”

There a few minor missteps on Tin Can Town – weak lyrics spoil “Good Night,” and “Pitchy & Time-Erratic Blues,” and the latter tune seems out-of-place stylistically on the album. But overall, Tin Can Town is a remarkably strong independent effort the compares favorably to major label releases in the genre. You can purchase a copy, as well as Andy Hawk’s other albums through iTunes, or at CD Baby.

Hawk’s performance schedule keeps him in Virginia. If you’re down that way, here are the currently scheduled dates:

June 7, 11:00 a.m. - Celebrate Fairfax Festival - Starr Hill Stage (Fairfax, VA)
June 12, 5:00 p.m. - King's Court Tavern (Leesburg, VA)
July 11, 9:00 p.m. - King's Court Tavern (Leesburg, VA)

For complete up-to-date information, visit Hawk’s website: www.andyhawk.com

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Charles “Big Daddy” Stallings, Blues Evolution – If you didn’t know Baltimore-based Charles Stallings was a blues guy, all you’d have to do is take one look at the man. Smartly dressed, usually in black, a trademark red fedora (which, of course matches his Les Paul guitar and his point tip shoes) sits atop his large frame. Okay, he’s either a blues cat or an old-school rapper.

But Stallings is definitely a blues cat. He was born in Columbia, South Carolina and raised on a farm in Hobbsville, North Carolina, with his ten brothers and sisters. After moving to Baltimore, Stallings began performing in local R&B and Jazz bands, but always dreamed of recording with his own blues band.

Now he’s got one. He plays live with a seven-piece outfit that features core members Ronnie Jenkins (drums), Wayne Johns (guitar), Kelvin O'Neal (trumpet), and Joe "E Flat" Thomas (sax). They all appear on Blues Evolution, along with some notable guests, including keyboardist Bill Pratt, bassist Gail Parrish, and harp player Mark Wenner of the Nighthawks.

Blues Evolution plays like a live party album, opening with “Into Blues/Let’s Boogie” an extended instrumental in which the band gets to show off its considerable chops. Over the course of 15 tracks, Stallings and the band serve up just about every flavor of blues imaginable.

First up is some good ol’ dirty blues, “Going Down South,” which shows off Stallings strong vocals on a tune that may or may not be about the pleasures of travel and eating.

Wilmington gets name checked on the next track, “Blues Train Express,” which take the listener on a blues journey down the East Coast:

“Philadelphia, PA, where we’re not gonna stay/ Wilmington, Delaware – you wanna go, you gotta pay”

“Hard Times / Good Times” is a traditional slow blues, featuring Wenner wailing on the harmonica throughout.

Blues Evolution kicks into full-on party mode with the next track – “Blues Line Dance” – one of several tracks that applies the blues to some less traditional musical styles. On “Blues Line Dance,” the mash-up works well, especially when the horn section of Thomas and O’Neal drops in a little James Brown tribute. It’s not hard to imagine the song catching on and becoming another “Electric Boogie.”

“Cha Cha 3000” and “Hola Senorita” mix the blues with cha-cha and Latin styles respectively. “Hola Senorita” pushes the envelope a bit far and winds up sounding more like a parody, but the instrumental “Cha Cha 3000” brings the two divergent musical styles together surprisingly well.

Stallings seems to want Blues Evolution to be an album for blues fans and non-fans alike. For extra insurance, he throws in “Hand Dancin’” – a pretty good straight-ahead soul number. The album ends with “Thank-You Boogie,” in which Stallings calls out all the band members and guests that appear on the CD.

Blues Evolution has already received quite a bit of national attention, with reviews in Living Blues, Blues Review, and DownBeat Magazine, and has received enough airplay to reach the national blues radio charts. If Stallings and his band are as much fun live as they are on record (and I’ll bet they are), they must put on a heck of a party.

Here’s Stallings and his band performing live at the Surf Club in Bladensburg, MD on November 17, 2007:





You can purchase a copy of Blues Evolution, as well as Stallings’ first album, One Night Lover through iTunes, or at CD Baby.
Stallings performance schedule keeps him in Maryland. If you’re down that way, here are the currently scheduled dates:

May 29 - WEAA Spring Fundraiser Eubie Blake Cultural Center (Baltimore, MD)
May 31 - Chesapeake Bay Wine Fest - Terrapin Park (Stevenville, MD)
Jun 20 - City View Bar & Grill (Woodlawn, MD)
Jun 21 - Patterson Park Concert Series - 6-8 p.m. (Baltimore, MD)
Jun 27 - Bare Bones Grill & Brewery (Ellicott City, MD)
Jun 28 - Federal Hill Main Street Blues & Jazz Fest – 3 p.m. (Baltimore, MD)
Jul 4 - Blues Concert - Quiet Waters Park Concert Series – 6 p.m. (Annapolis, MD)

For complete up-to-date information, visit Stallings’ website: www.bigdaddystallings.com

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SINGER-SONGWRITER JARED COSTA PLAYS PHILADELPHIA'S TIN ANGEL THIS FRIIDAY, MAY 15

Newtown, Pa. native Jared Costa performs a 10:00 p.m. show at Philadelphia’s Tin Angel on Friday, May 15. The 27-year-old singer-songwriter recently released his debut CD, Onwards and Upwards, a collection of 12 well-written songs in the bluesy folk-rock vein.

A singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar is a tried and true pop music blueprint, but Costa distinguishes himself from the pack with memorable songs that not only sound good, but also have something to say.

On Onwards and Upwards, Costa keeps the arrangements clean and straightforward, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, harmonica, and an occasional keyboard. The style and instrumentation invite the inevitable comparisons to the work of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Atlantic City-era Bruce Springsteen.

While those might seem like lofty comparisons for a first album, Costa’s work is up to the task. Costa succeeds specifically because he doesn’t try to sound like the “second coming” of any famous predecessor, concerned more with sounding like the first coming of Jared Costa.

For example, Costa’s “Love” talks about the subject in the broader sense, as it applies to “our fellow man”:

“Well you can't look down on another man unless you intend on helping him up/And the Lord above says a window's always open whenever the door is shut/”

In a savvy move, Costa weaves a melody line from the classical piece “Canon In D” (the popular wedding ceremony choice) into the song to make his point. Costa’s music is further distinguished by his rich, soulful singing. On “Take It All” his voice glides smoothly from a deep whisper to an emotional wail; on “Love” it gets gritty and real.

Costa recently took the time to answer a few questions about his career and music.

Q: Your bio says that you played in a number of rock bands before deciding to go solo. Was that decision made primarily so that you can have more control over your music, or are there other things that appeal to you about the solo acoustic format?

A: It wasn't so much a conscious decision to go solo as it was a somewhat natural progression. I was always the primary songwriter in those bands. I would sit and write on my acoustic: putting together the melodies and arranging the music. Over time, I found I was accomplishing my vision for those songs as they were on my own - just the guitar and vocals. I do enjoy having the control and being able to really go in any direction I want to go with the music. I think the ability to really explore dynamics is what makes it so appealing. Energy and intimacy can be achieved all in a single transition.

Q: Is there anything you miss about the band format?

A: There are some aspects I miss and I may put some of my music into a band project in the future. In the meantime, I enjoy the positive aspects of a band with some of my very good friends in Crow vs. Lion, a band I play with that is fronted by longtime friend and amazing songwriter, Dan Gallagher. It gives me the opportunity to collaborate and to play several instruments: mandolin, banjo, guitar, keys, and harmonica. It's a lot of fun and gives me some ideas for my own music to be applied to a band dynamic.

Q: Your song “Love” incorporates a bit of the famous classical piece "Canon in D" by Pachelbel. Are you classically trained?

A: I am not trained in any way, actually. I taught myself how to play guitar, harmonica, and a few other instruments. Although, I do feel I am constantly taking things from those around me and I am very fortunate to have always had people around me that were willing to answer questions, give me guidance, or offer advice.

And of course, I enjoy music across the board. Classical music, in particular, has themes and melodies that really lend themselves to interpretation and imitation. "Canon in D" is certainly a favorite of mine and a great example of how I was influenced by and able to incorporate my appreciation for a classical piece into my own songwriting.

Q: What is the writing process like for you? Are you someone who has creative ideas all the time, or do you need to be in a certain mood to be able to write?

A: I try not to be too scientific about the creative process. You risk losing something if you become too rigid about something that I think has to come pretty natural. I am someone that tends to be creative throughout the day. So when I sit down to put pen to paper, I usually have a good idea about a concept or direction.

Q: Do you usually start out with lyrics or music first, or is it a mix?

A: I'd say most often I start with with music and melody based on a feeling or thought I'm having. Then, I put the lyrics to the melody. For me, it's rarely a finished product right away. A song usually needs to be explored and maybe even played live before it's completely finished. Even when a song is done, I'll play it differently on stage from time to time. In that respect, a song is always a work in progress.

Q: The music business has changed quite a bit in the years that I’ve been covering it. These days, artists can be discovered or build an audience through a variety of nontraditional methods, sites like Sonicbids and MySpace. However I still feel that the most direct, lasting, and purest method is still through live performance. Are there any performances of yours that remain particularly memorable?

A: I agree. Live performance is the most important avenue for connecting to your fans. For me, every show I do has something about it that is special to me.

One that stands out immediately is my recent CD release show at Puck in Doylestown, PA. It was just an experience I really cherished. I had some close friends and family there as well as some great folks coming to check it out. The venue really allows the artist to play to the room rather than at it.

Puck is one of the top sound stages I have ever played and the room has a great vibe. Things really clicked from the onset and I was able to hit an intensity and energy level that was exactly what every performer hopes to get out of playing a show. The audience was so responsive; I felt that I was actually just reciprocating their energy at times. And any time you get an encore call, you've done your job. It was the perfect way to celebrate the release of the album.

I could go on and on about many nights because there are so many that stand out. Honestly, every show I play has something memorable for me. I really do try to approach every show as a different entity. If you come out to see me on any given night, I am going to try to make it the best show I've ever played. It's more important that the show will be memorable for the audience and that's exactly my goal. (interview continues below video)

Here's Jarod Costa performing "No Revolution" / "All Along the Watchtower" live at Philadelphia's North Star Bar on December 2, 2008:

No Revolution/All Along the Watchtower-Live



Q: Along those lines, now that your music is available to the public, I was wondering if you’ve been surprised by how it’s been received. For example, have you ever had someone talk to you after a show about your music, or perhaps write to you and express an interpretation they had, or tell you how it affected them in a way that surprised you?

A: First of all, for me there is nothing better than someone coming up to me after a set, saying hello, telling me what they think, and just hanging out. Live performance is the apex of the creative experience. It's the fruition of the whole songwriting process. Not to say recording isn't important or fulfilling, but playing live gives you the connectivity and excitement that you can't replicate any other way. You can really emote what the song was intended for.

I have had a few interpretations and some feedback that struck a chord with me. Feedback from the record is important as well. I put a lot of time and effort into this album and not just because this is my first album, but because anything I do musically represents the best of me.

Origivation Magazine said the album was "iconic" in a recent issue. That was a huge compliment and an honor. I had someone call a song on the album inspiring and say it touched them profoundly. And I always enjoy listening to someone's interpretation of a song. I believe that interpretation is how people participate in the art of music. It's the experience coming full circle. In that way, it's as necessary as anything else in the songwriting process. It makes the artist and listener connect to create something special together.

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For more information on Jared Costa, or to purchase a copy of Onwards and Upwards visit www.jaredcosta.com. Tickets for Friday’s Tin Angel show are available by calling (215) 928-0978, or on-line through Comcast Tix.

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B-52's READY TO DROP SOME 'FUN'

Few experiences are quite as disconcerting for music fans as when they realize that the once seemingly ageless artists who created the soundtrack of their collective childhood are now deep into middle-age. When these former music icons – now bloated, balding, or gray – show up on some sad VH1 retrospective to recount tales of their heyday, it’s their fans who suddenly feel very old.

So when our long-standing musical heroes return to defy Father Time and live up to, or even surpass our expectations – recent examples being U2 or Bruce Springsteen – they are typically welcomed by fans with unbridled glee. Rock ‘n’ roll never forgets, indeed.

The latest band to successfully emerge from the time capsule (which is, ironically, the title of the group’s 1998 hits compilation) is the quirky pop-dance band the B-52’s. Touring in support of Funplex, the group’s first original album in over 16 years, the B-52’s are in the midst of a cross-country spring/summer tour.

Vocalists Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson are both Northern New Jersey natives, but the group, which also includes guitarist and composer Keith Strickland and vocalist Cindy Wilson, will always be associated with the Athens, Georgia new wave music scene they helped establish in the mid-to-late ’70s.

“We were the outsiders in Athens,” Schneider told Time Out London in 2007. “We'd go to parties and people would, like, bolt the door.”

With a sound that combined elements of punk, surf guitar, and early '60s go-go pop into a visually unique, kitschy mix, the B-52’s began winning over audiences with tracks like “Planet Claire,” “52 Girls,” and the group’s breakthrough hit, “Rock Lobster.” The interplay between the female harmonies of Pierson and Wilson (who wore large, beehive style wigs, aka B-52’s), and the half-sung, half-shouted vocal counters of Schneider became another of the group’s trademarks.

The group’s goofy/hip visual style combined with the off-the-wall nature of their song lyrics seemed to scream “FUN PARTY BAND,” but Schneider says that the group always took its work seriously.

“We're serious about what we do, even though a lot of it is humorous or whatever,” he said in an interview last year for AOL Sessions. “People say, ‘Oh you probably just throw things together.’ We don't. We spend a lot of time on songs. We've always been serious about wanting to do good songs, and if they make you laugh, great.”

Throughout the ’80s and into the ’90s, the B-52’s kept fans smiling, dancing, and partying with hits like “Private Idaho,” “Roam,” “Good Stuff,” and their biggest hit, “Love Shack.” The material on Funplex complements that repertoire perfectly. The album mostly avoids the double-edged sword of trying to sound either too retro or too trendy. A modern electronic-dance vibe filters through songs like “Pump,” “Juliet of the Spirits,” and “Love in the Year 3000,” but the band doesn’t overreach trying to update its sound to match current fashion.

“I wanted it to be more rock and more electronic – leaner, more focused and up-tempo and danceable,” Strickland said in a 2008 interview with MP3.com. “I also felt that if we are to release a new album after 16 years, then we've got to give it our all and do what we do best. I've always felt that what we do best is really high energy, up tempo, shameless dance floor party music. A lot of the dance music aesthetics have filtered into our sound, but I still feel like we still sound distinctively like the B-52’s.”

If you take the songs on Funplex at their word, the band, which now ranges in age from 51 to 61, still revels in dancing, partying, and making frequent visits to the proverbial “Love Shack.”

“Yeah,” Schneider says. “We are a bunch of oversexed middle-aged people. It’s pretty tongue-in-cheek, but I think every song except one is about sex.”

If nothing else, Funplex confirms – for both the band and its fans – that while you can’t avoid growing older, you don’t have to grow old.

“There's a maturity to [this record],” Wilson said in an interview with Atlanta Creative Loafing, “but we're not about to grow up. It’s still us, you know.”

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TOUR DATES FOR THE B-52's:
Saturday, May 09, 2009 Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues
Sunday, May 10, 2009 Morristown, NJ - Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
Wednesday May 13, 2009 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
Thursday May 14, 2009 Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
Saturday May 16, 2009 Boston, MA - House of Blues
Wednesday May 20, 2009 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
Friday May 22, 2009 Little Rock, AR - Riverfront Park
Saturday May 23, 2009 Thackerville, OK - Winstar Casino
Sunday May 24, 2009 Norman, OK - Riverwind Casino
Wednesday June 17, 2009 Seattle, WA - Woodland Park Zoo
Friday June 19, 2009 Portland, OR - Oregon Zoo
Saturday June 20, 2009 West Wendover, NV - Peppermill Casino
Sunday June 21, 2009 Aspen, CO - Belly Up
Monday June 22, 2009 Denver, CO - Denver Botanic Gardens
Wednesday June 24, 2009 Tucson, AZ - Centennial Hall
Thursday June 25, 2009 Del Mar, CA - Del Mar Fairgrounds
Friday June 26, 2009 Agoura Hills, CA - The Canyon Club
Saturday June 27, 2009 Oakville, CA - Robert Mondaydavi Winery
Tuesday June 30, 2009 Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery
Thursday July 02, 2009 Livermore, CA - Wente Vineyards
Saturday July 04, 2009 Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Casino and Resort
Sunday July 19, 2009 Costa Mesa, CA - Pacific Amphitheatre (Orange County Fair)
Saturday August 01, 2009 Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent
Sunday August 02, 2009 Cohasset, MA - South Shore Music Circus
Tuesday August 04, 2009 Altoona, PA - Railroaders Memorial Museum
Wednesday August 05, 2009 Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest
Friday August 07, 2009 Lincoln, RI - Twin River Events Center
Saturday August 08, 2009 Vienna, VA - Filene Center
Sunday August 09, 2009 Westhampton Beach, NY - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
Wednesday August 12, 2009 Glen Allen, VA - Innsbrook Pavilion
Friday August 14, 2009 Mableton, GA - Mable House Amphitheatre
Saturday August 15, 2009 Saint Petersburg, FL - Tropicana Field
Thursday August 20, 2009 Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Center
Friday August 21, 2009 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
Saturday August 22, 2009 Petoskey, MI - Odawa Casino Resort
Monday August 24, 2009 Green Bay, WI - Oneida Bingo & Casino
Sunday October 04, 2009 Austin, TX - Zilker Park

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GREEN DAY SET TO PLAY PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM FOR THE FIRST & LAST TIME

When the Bay Area-based punk-rock trio Green Day performs its first concert at Philadelphia’s Wachovia Spectrum on Tuesday, July 21, it will be the 930th different band to take the Spectrum stage in the venue’s 42-year history. It will also be the band’s final show at the Spectrum, as the building is scheduled to be razed later this year.

Green Day’s Philadelphia show will be part of a tour in support of the forthcoming album 21st Century Breakdown, which will be released worldwide by Reprise Records on Friday, May 15.

Tickets for Green Day's July 21 Philadelphia show, priced at $25 and $49.50, go on sale this Friday, May 8 at 10:00 a.m. They will be available at ComcastTIX.com, LiveNation.com, the Wachovia Complex Box Office, by phone at 800-298-4200 and at select ACME locations.

Singer-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool have been writing, arranging, and recording 21st Century Breakdown since early 2006 with producer Butch Vig, known for his work with Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and his own band, Garbage. The first single from the album, “Know Your Enemy” is currently the No. 1 track at Alternative radio.

21st Century Breakdown is Green Day’s first studio album since 2004’s two-time Grammy Award-winning American Idiot, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, spawned five hit singles, and went on to sell more than 12 million copies worldwide.

According to advance reports, 21st Century Breakdown is another full-fledged “punk-rock opera.” The musically and thematically ambitious 18-song set is divided into three acts, and tells the story of a young couple, Christian and Gloria, growing up in the early 21st century. It offers commentary on topics ranging from politics to religion, to war to love.

“The main message is trying to make sense out of desperate times and chaos,” Armstrong says in a Billboard Magazine interview.

To recreate the complex sound of 21st Century Breakdown and American Idiot in concert, the band is augmented on stage by guitarists Jason White and Jeff Matika, and keyboardist Jason Freese.

After the success of American Idiot, the notion of Green Day creating a three-part concept album doesn’t seem at all out-of-place. When I interviewed Mike Dirnt in 2003 in advance of Green Day’s first (and only) Delaware appearance, he hinted that the band’s next album (American Idiot) would be a “mini rock opera.” Given that most of the group’s material to that point consisted of three-chord punk rock anthems, I thought he was joking.

With the 1994 release of its major label debut CD, Dookie, Green Day became one of the first bands to successfully bring punk rock to the American mainstream. The songs “Longview” and “Basket Case” became MTV staples, “When I Come Around” hit the Top-40, and the album went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide.

Some punk purists cried “sellout,” apparently preferring that the band continue to release albums on an obscure independent label. But Green Day paved the way for the commercial success of similar bands like Blink 182, Good Charlotte, and the Offspring. Ironically, Green Day’s biggest hit to date, “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life),” is an acoustic ballad complete with a string arrangement.

Some fans prefer the raw, early version of the band, while others like the more commercial sound. Dirnt (his stage name is the sound a bass makes) says that with so many albums to choose from, it’s natural that some fans identify with one version of the band over another.

“Every fan is especially attached to one record more than the other ones,” he said. “Whether they got into us on our first record, or because of “Time of Your Life,” they consider that their Green Day record. We like to pull songs from the entire catalog when putting the set list together.”

Here’s Green Day performing “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” live:



Dirnt (born Mike Pritchard) and Armstrong formed their first band, Sweet Children, in Rodeo, California when they were 14 years old. By 1989, the group had added drummer Al Sobrante (born John Kiffmeyer) and changed its name to Green Day.

Later that year, they independently released their first EP, 1,000 Hours. Its success led to a contract with Lookout! Records, a local independent label. The band’s first full-length album, 39/Smooth, was released later that year. Shortly thereafter, Sobrante quit the band and was replaced with Tre Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright, III).

Throughout the early 90's, Green Day continued to cultivate a strong cult following. The underground success of their second album, 1992's Kerplunk, led to the band signing with Reprise Records.

Dirnt says that while Green Day grew out of the San Francisco Bay area punk scene, they’re don’t hesitate to explore other styles of music.

“In a lot of ways, the word 'punk' carries a stigma to it,” he says. “The music comes first, it’s not like we’re stuck in any ditches. Everybody has lots of different influences. We grew up listening to all kinds of things. I was addicted to Top-40 radio when I was a kid. When I first started getting into rock ‘n’ roll, I remember the first things I really liked were AC/DC’s Back In Black album, and Billie Joel’s ‘It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll To Me.’”

Rather than alienate punk purists, Dirnt says that Green Day’s forays into more commercial material have simply allowed them to broaden their audience.

“The range of people at our shows is really insane,” he says. “Most of our fans tend to be guys between 14 and 30, but we have kids as young as 6 up to people in their 50’s, and even older. Girls, women, punks, and college kids… the mix is just incredible.”



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