Green DayDookie (1994)Green Day Reviewer Rating: User Rating:
Published on June 12th 2001
And I continue with my review of classic punk albums of the 90s. Suprisingly no one has reviewed the biggest punk album in history, Dookie. Well, there's not much reason too, other than nostalgia. So lets pull out the tissue's and reminisce. When you review Dookie, you have to review that time, and what a time it was. It's 1994. Alternative and indy rule the world. The Gods of that era, Nirvana, have just broken up. Kurt Cobain is dead, why I don't really know. Who will carry on the torch of rock and roll for the rest of the 90s? Well, not Pearl Jam or any other "grunge" band. While the bands that broke rock back into the mainstream were busy retreating to the undergound, the mainsteam was vicously destorying what was left of the alternative scene. Big budget companies were making Cheesy movies starring slacker type characters, the extras and background people of every lame sitcome and teen drama was filled with flannel and torn jeans. College radio was hailed the next big thing as so called alternative-indy bands that had just hopped on the scene to make a few bucks were hailed as the new big trend to get big soon. One-hit wonders ruled the airwaves, radio friendly songs played over and over again were the talk of the town. Again the media had ruined something great. What would save us now? Would rock be lost forever? Would the mainstream finally destroy rock after years of trying so hard? Not a chance. Out of nowhere punk struck back hard, real hard. A fresh sound amid a field of sourness. Dookie was the album that led this attack. Green Day's major label debut. The first single "Longview" with it's catchy hooks, buzzing riffs, and praise for slacker life was the bullet that ended an era and rekindled an old one to start anew. Though I myself don't view Dookie as that that great of a masterpiece, it's the signifigance of that album was that mattered. Soon the Offspring, Nofx, and Bad Relgion, and Rancid were on the scene further proving punk was back. And if it wasn't for Dookie that may not have been possible and a hell of a lot of people would have never even began listening to punk whether for the first time or for millionth time revisting past memories. When Dookie hit It was the right time for something fresh. And the world ate it up. Green Day were the new Nirvana. All of a sudden, millions of copies of the album were being sold, singles like "Welcome to Paradise" "When I come Around" and "Basket case" were punk anthems, takign in part from legends like the Ramones and Buzzcocks, but adding a new edge to the sound. Songs like "Burnout" and "FOD" showed off the wise-ass yet melodic and appealing sound that Green Day would boast. Tales of boredom, love, love lost, desperation, anger, angst-riddled hooks, and chainsaw guitars that Dookie was full of proved a model for many late 90's bands to replicate, it was Green Day that used all those to a maximum and did it best. Though the album was never too serious, it had it's moments of angst, anger, and deepness to it, Green Day wasn't created by a major label, they paid their dues for years before hitting it big and were mainstays at Gilman street for years. Maybe thats why this wave of punk had a bit more creditbility than, the current wave we hear now, but Dookie and that mid 90's era remain a landmark year just like 1977, it made people remember, and get a small taste of punks glory days. Of course sooner or later the shouts of "sell-out" billowed in, whether out of spite, or just to look cool, there was always some one to utters those words. And after 1994 Green Day never acheived full respect or creditbility from their peers like they had before in the days of Gillman street. The fact remains that if it wasn't for "Dookie" more than half of you wouldn't even be on this board much less even call yourselves a "Punk" or know what it is and was. People who liked this also liked:           Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
"best punk album in history" boy, what are you smoking? Best record of the 90's, period. So Green Day did once play music... Green Day's best album. So long ago it was when I could listen to this and say "Man, Green Day really is awesome" as opposed to "Man, Green Day really was awesome" One of THE defining albums of my childhood. I still find myself listening to it. I totally agree with the guy below me, this band is a bunch of fucking posers. If you wanna get punx you need to goto the underground and pick up so Against Me!. Well maybe not their older stuff but New Wave is definatly the punkest motherfucking thing in the world. Especially their live DVDs, they're really punk. who wold name thei album after SHIT Fucking Great CD, I remember I use to listen to this cd every day when I was younger. When Green Day actually meant something. Best green day alblum some bitch in middle school stole my copy of Dookie haha this album is indeed one of the best punk albums of the late 20th century although Green Day seems to have lost that when i heard Amercan Idiot i was shocked. As a big green Day fan i was expecting crud homour in there lyrics instead i have to listen to sappy love songs that no one in the punk scene care about if you want that kinda stuff go be Emo somewere else...... this album is definately their best. i hear greenday now and i dont hear the band i heard before. it makes me sick how horrible and mainstream they have become. The best album they've ever done. There is not a bad song on the entire CD. This is a decent album and nothing more. It's one of Green Day's best, but that doesn't say much. I'm not someone who hates Green Day because they "sold out" (although it does make me a bit angry), but I will say that something really changed after they made a move to a major label. They lost that real punk essence they used to have about them. This is the last album that even sort of captures their old sound. For a good Green Day album, pick up 1,039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours or Kerplunk!. Green Day's first 3 albums were by far their best, and were the only Green Day albums to ever capture the punk spirit. It's such a shame that they don't have that spirit any more...they were a very promising band. Green Day is just the best artist ever so thats the end of it. Quote: really over rated and not very good green day's best, and one of the best ever if it wasnt for my brother bring this cd home when it first came out i would probably be another teeny bopper! Best green day cd!! classic old school green day Fuck yeah. This album is essential. yet another of my top ten best albums of all time. its been almost 10 years and i still listen to this cd. check it out, you can't go wrong. Great album, especially on the nostalgia scale. They still make good music, not really punk rock music but still better to listen to than any nu metal 7 strings guitar bullshit asshole bands. my frist cd ever and my parents hated it :) This is an amazing punk album and I don't care what anyone says. The songs crank out an amazing amount of pure punk power. This is not a sell out album because before Green Day made this they were not famous. It is not possible for it to be sell out. They are playing the same music as before except it had evolved into this great sound of simple punk which makes one reminisce of the Sex Pistols and the Clash. If you don't own this album, get it. good review green day needs to be given more respect. i loved this cd when it first came out but they werent the band that got me into punk, social distortion was. but any who, green day is a hell of a band and you may not want to admit it but they made alot of you "im hardcore and too cool for any band that makes it big" lil punks. i don't understand everyone's affection for this CD. sure, there's the nostalgia, but i don't get it. i was born in the 80's and i don't even own this cd (yet i've probably heard every track on it a million times through the years). pennywise is what got me into punk. i've got mixed feelings for green day. on one hand i respect them for at least being a decent representation of real punk for the mainstream, on the other hand i hate how fucking commercial they are. it leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. This was my first punk cd and i bought it in '98. I feel like it's the soundtrack to my life and if I'm moody or something, I'll cry listening to it. Anyone who says they don't like Green Day is a crock of shit. Green Day was 40% of punks 1st punk cd. If you were born in the 80's, you own it. Matter of fact. They're still one of my favorite bands if for nothing but the memories. Even car rides have a story if it's Green Day in your ears. i think i'm speaking for a lot of people when i say without this fucking album, i would not be into punk today. because of green day, i got into rancid, nofx, pennywise, anti flag, distillers, lagwagon, h2o, sick of it all, agnostic front(now moving into hardcore), then old shit like minor threat, bad brains. dookie- a turning point in punk for me. excellent review. this record is one of the best things to happen to punk rock and rock in general. I'd forgotten about this album! I have recently un-earthed it and man, does it rock! I hadn't listened to it in probably five years. Reminded me of when I was back in junior high. Awesome album. Actually, I've thrown out all my Sum 41 CD's. I'm sorry I was being such a dick before, I don't like radio-friendy crap anymore. Fathead, thanks for helping me see the light of true punk music. yer cool man, reall, really cool. sum 41 rocks! go sum41. yay sum41.how much crack do you smoke in a night? i'm just wonderin'- fathead I don't love those bands. I like the way they sound. I like how almost all music with the exception of a few bands and all of pop and rap. I at least post comments on reviews of CDs I've LISTENED to, so I'm not as much of a poser as you. if you really want to know, i said that before i even heard the album, tring to save some respect that green day lost from their fans. I have since heard warning, and it's boring and repetive. senor poperi, you're suck a fucking douche. you love blink and sum41, then you call me a poser. god, abortion was invented for people like you.- fathead Oh, fathead. You said on the review for Warning that Green Day couldn't make a bad album, and now you hate Warning. I think you're just a poser who'll say anything that other people say just so you won't have to argue with them 'cause you know you'll get the piss beat out of you. All of Green Day's albums are great, even Warning. And all the songs don't sound the same! What the fuck are you talking about? If not for greenday. Yes. That is completely true. Dookie was the first album I ever bought and will always hold a special place in my heart. *sniff* To be 13 again. Warning, Dookie and Nimrod are the only 3 I like. I like one song off of 39/smooth, and a couple off of Kerplunk. I dont mind insomniac I guess. 1039: Great Great freaking album, kind of got me into the poppy punk when i was a wee lad. Billy Joe died after Insomniac, he sings about stupid shit now. Whoops, I think I meant to give the album a perfect score in my review, but I guess I fucked up. Oh Well. This was an amazing album. It was one of those that changed my life. When I first got it way back in sixth grade i remeber being completly blown away by it and then running out and buying offspring and rancid. This was the album that introduced me to punk and made me want to become one. Great reveiw and great album. By the way Warning was a great album, it showed alot of thier growth both as musicans and people. Insomniac is their best album, easy. I liked their first two on lookout alot, and dookie was pretty damn good too, but Insomniac was their best song writing. nimrod, with the exception of 3 or 4 songs, was pretty bad, and warning pissed me off. I was a green day freak even before dookie came out, and i never used the words green day and sell out in the same sentence, until I saw them live last year on warped. they played all their hits almost in chronological order. I hated warning, not cause their attempt at acoustic rock, but because most of the songs sound the completely the same and they're just bad songs. i still listen to the lookout tapes and insomniac on a regular basis.great band with a not so great new cd. dookie gets a 10 from me, for the cover art alone.- fathead Warning did not suck. "Oh, they're sellouts, oh, they're sellouts," you all chanted. "Okay, then, we'll do something different for you mother fuckers," they decide. Now everyone says, "Oh, this is crap." There's no way to please anyone. Just 'cause Green Day is popular you call them sellout pop punk. Now that they do something completely different, you complain that they should stick to their original stuff. What the fuck are they supposed to do? Really cool album, but I prefer Nimrod and Insomniac....Oh, and Warning sucks ! I too don't really even think this was Green Day's best album, it is great and so was that era, but I prefer Insomniac or 1039 smooth as their best. Really, The only thing that first hooked me as a fan was their live show. Lollapalooza 94, they tore it up like it was still '77. Good review, I think Dookie also has some of the best cover art I've ever seen as well, no lame-ass picture of themselves trying to look cool on it, just a bunch of crazy things happening which all seem to revolve around shit. | Features
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