Behind the Music

Episode Synopsis

Green Day built their own buzz with a do-it-yourself punk rock attitude in the early 90's. Centered in Berkeley, CA, they became a part of a counter-culture community as regulars at 924 Gilman Street, an old warehouse that was converted into a club for abrasive music. Even though they had no managers or agents, they managed to organize their own tour and within a couple of years Green Day sold over 70,000 copies of their independent record. Soon, the major labels came knocking and Green Day found themselves at a crossroads. Although they were eager to have their music heard by larger numbers, they were not prepared to be rejected by their anti-establishment community as sell-outs. As Green Day became more successful, the backlash grew stronger. The band reacted with a harsh album, "Insomniac", which referenced the treatment they were getting from all directions. Eventually they chose to follow their own musical instincts with their next album "Nimrod" which features one of their biggest hits, "Good Riddance" (Time Of Your Life). Through it all, the members of Green Day became fathers and husbands. However, they have managed to balance family life with time in the studio as demonstrated by the completion of their latest album "Warning."