Green Day -- a music video retrospective (Pt. 1)

Young persons may not remember the Green Day days before American Idiot. 1994's Dookie was an absolute pop-punk masterpiece (the word "punk" is used in a liberal sense here). It sold over 15 million, and spawned some pretty rad trends. The followup album (Insomniac) was just as good. And so was the next (Nimrod). This year's 21st Century Breakdown is poised to be another notch in the band's belt (they've kept the goth/emo/whatever-this-decade-calls-it look). Sometimes a history lesson can show you just how good a band was, is, and will be--and here we go.

1994
"Basket Case"
Dir: Mark Kohr

This is the song and the video that launched the San Fran trio into the rock heavens. Anyone else remember when MTV used to countdown the 100 best videos of the year on New Year's Eve? I doubt they still do it anymore (or they only play clips or something lame), but this was the video of the year in '94. I almost lost my mind when I first saw Tre Cool on those duct taped drums just killing it. Mark Kohr kinda became the de facto GD director after this, probably from this one's massive success.

1996
"Walking Contradiction"
Dir: Roman Coppola

Oh, these lovable scamps. Walking around like the Mr. Magoo with no cares in the universe. Maybe the best part (apart from the cop car flying through the air and hitting a traffic light) is Tre Cool's smirk when he finds some money right under the precariously lifting piano. A nice little two minute anthem from Insomniac.

1999
"Nice Guys Finish Last"
Dir: Evan Bernard

Straight out of an NFL Films daydream! The basic plot is the band wants to perform a concert, much like executing a drive to the end zone. Two great moments are when Tre Cool mouths "Hi, Mom!" into the camera like a primetime rookie, and when Billie Joe checks his setlist like he's a QB. Just brilliant ideas here.

Links:
* http://www.mvdbase.com/artist.php?last=Green%20Day

[TO BE CONTINUED...]

Random observations (May)

• I just finished reading The Stand (Uncut). Pretty ironic that the swine flu is going around just when I decide to read it. Last Stephen King book I'll ever spend weeks on.
  
• RIP GeoCities. That's where I got my start, you know. /SunsetStrip/Palms/. I won't bore you with the rest.
  
• I'm just starting to use Fraps and take video shots of my games. It's much easier than I thought. So is Windows Movie Maker (which Windows 7 doesn't have at all). Expect some YouTube action soon!
• Sonic Youth's new album is good. Not super good.
• I'm pissed off I found out about Firefox's dirty little secret (GoogleUpdate.exe). I can't get rid of it. And, PS: Mozilla, fix your memory leaks faster!
  
• I'm addicted to Legends of Zork. I guess it's because my EQEmu/Project EQ account won't login with my bandwidth.
• Trent Reznor is engaged to be wed. This blows my mind, like Bob Dylan having a dozen kids. I thought these guys were troubled artists...
• The Simpsons is 20 years old!
• Next music video retrospective is on Green Day. Dig it (soon).