Green Day - Dookie

[Reprise: 1994]
Go ahead and judge me.
Dookie was one of the defining albums of my early teenage years and served as the introduction to a genre of music I didn’t know existed. Before they went all political and ‘rock opera’, Green Day were a punk rock band whose lyrical M.O. was observations of a deadshit stoner living in the Nineties. Although hardcore punkers and fans of their previous two records renounced Dookie (the band’s debut release for a major label) as the ultimate anti-punk ‘sell out’, the infectious and accessible punk-pop melodies found a massive audience. It filled the gap for the kids who loved the philosophy behind the grunge movement but liked their guitar music loaded with catchy hooks and chords that were easy to replicate on a shitty, second-hand Brown.
Billie Joe Armstrong’s lyrics that told the plights of a pot smoking loser, captured an audience of wannabe disaffected youths. “Longview”, which kicked off with the much-imitated signature bass line of Mike Dirnt discusses boredom, isolation and masturbating. “Welcome To Paradise” details the band’s time living – and finding ‘paradise’ - in an LA squat amongst gang activity and junkies. In “Basket Case” Billie Joe describes his struggle with panic disorder to a frenzy of pop-punk riffs and blistering drumming.
Sure, I might be taking a major credibility dive by posting a positive Green Day review, but what the hell. The other day “When I Come Around” ticked over on the radio and I found myself playing air bass and singing along to every word like I was a 15 year old, Vans-wearing skater again. For me, that instantly familiar nostalgia was well worth reliving - and I think that deserves a mention.




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