News: Green Day "¡Uno!" Album Review — 5 out of 5 stars

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:48:39

So, leave it to Green Day to top even Dookie with their ninth studio album, ¡Uno!.

Now, American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown were classics in their own right, but Dookie changed the game for a whole generation and beyond. If you can't hum "When I Come Around" by heart, there's something wrong with you. Who could forget the video for "Basket Case" or the band's mud-covered Woodstock '94 deification? However, the first entry of their ¡Dos!, ¡Tré! trilogy ups the ante and reeks of revolution. It's the biggest, most bombastic, and brilliant Green Day album yet. Like your favorite records from AC/DC and The Beatles were simplicity is the key to genius, ¡Uno! remains timeless.

From the power chord unrequited lover's plea "Stay the Night" to the smoking stomp of opener "Nuclear Family", the band has perfected pop rock into a punk-y science. "I just want some action, so give me my turn," declares singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong at the start of the former. That action comes on the tasty bass bounce from Mike Dirnt, while Tre Cool's towering beats can fill any stadium worldwide. Let's not forget the surf-style lead—pure California bliss.

"Carpe Diem" is a groove-driven anthem of seizing the moment—might be their "Motto" a la Drake and Weezy—and "Let Yourself Go" speeds up the punk well past 65 mph. The trio manages to experiment on the funky soul strut of "Kill the DJ". No man behind a computer or turntables will survive their swagger…

"Fall For You" fells sensitively slick in a '50s vibe, while the closer, and first single, "Oh Love" is as massive as anything U2 or Coldplay have turned out, but there's still the right amount of gutter grit.

Whether you dig pop, punk, rock, or whatever-catchy-sonic-poison-exists, ¡Uno! is for you. It's proof that rock is alive and well. Leave it to the punks, and there are two more of these on the horizon!

—Rick Florino
09.20.12

What's your favorite Green Day song?

Get the album on Tuesday September 25!

Tags: Green Day, AC/DC, The Beatles, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool, Drake, U2, Coldplay

News: Green Day Announce Upcoming Tour

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 14:03:48

Green Day announced their massive late winter/early fall tour, with the tickets going on on sale Friday (September 14) and Saturday (September 15).

Tour Dates:

NOVEMBER
26th Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre (9/14 @ 12 pm)
27th Kennewick, WA Toyota Center (9/14 @ 10 am)
29th Salem, OR Salem Armory Auditorium (9/14 @ 12 pm)

DECEMBER
1st Sacramento, CA Memorial Auditorium (9/14 @ 10 am)
2nd Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort - Grand Theatre (9/14 @ 10 am)
4th Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium (9/14 @ 10 am)
10th Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre (9/14 @ 10 am)

JANUARY
7th Green Bay, WI Resch Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
8th Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
10th Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
11th State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center - Penn State Univ. (9/14 @ 10 am)
13th Rochester, NY Blue Cross Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
14th Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center (9/15 @ 10 am)
16th Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center (9/14 @ 12 pm)
18th Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless Arena (9/15 at 12 pm)
19th Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena (9/14 @ 10 am)
21st Fairfax, VA Patriot Center (9/15 @ 10 am)
22nd Philadelphia, PA Liacourias Center - Temple University (9/15 @ 10 am)
24th Providence, RI Dunkin Donuts Center (9/15 @ 12 pm)
25th Portland, ME Cumberland Civic Center (9/15 @ 12 pm)
27th Quebec City, QC Colisee Pepsi Arena (9/22 @ 10 am)
29th Toronto, ONT Air Canada Centre (9/15 @ 11 am)
30th Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center - Cleveland State Univ. (9/14 @ 10 am)

FEBRUARY
1st Moline, IL I Wireless Center (9/14 @ 10 am)
2nd Madison, WI Alliant Energy Center Memorial Col (9/14 @ 11 am)
4th Omaha, NE CenturyLink Arena (9/15 @ 12 pm)
6th Broomfield, CO 1STBANK Center (9/14 @ 10 am)
8th Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena (9/14 @ 10 am)

Are you going to see Green Day?

—Isabel Post
09.11.12

Tags: Green Day

News: Green Day Says Bon Jovi Are the Worst...

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:40:56

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has no love for Bon Jovi.

He told Kerrang! that while "the best [band we've shared a stage with] is probably The Hives, they're a great live band," the absolutely worst honor goes to the Garden State legends. He finished, " [As for the worst] Oh boy, I have to go with Bon Jovi."

No love for Jovi! WTF, BJA? Jovi are rock icons. We love JBJ over here at ARTISTdirect.com.

Thems fightin' words!

What do you think of Billie Joe Armstrong's inflammatory comments about Bon Jovi? Have you ever seen Bon Jovi live? And? What did you think?

—Maggie Pannacione
09.19.12

Tags: Green Day, Bon Jovi, Billie Joe Armstrong, The Hives

News: Green Day Announce Upcoming Tour

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 14:03:48

Green Day announced their massive late winter/early fall tour, with the tickets going on on sale Friday (September 14) and Saturday (September 15).

Tour Dates:

NOVEMBER
26th Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre (9/14 @ 12 pm)
27th Kennewick, WA Toyota Center (9/14 @ 10 am)
29th Salem, OR Salem Armory Auditorium (9/14 @ 12 pm)

DECEMBER
1st Sacramento, CA Memorial Auditorium (9/14 @ 10 am)
2nd Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort - Grand Theatre (9/14 @ 10 am)
4th Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium (9/14 @ 10 am)
10th Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre (9/14 @ 10 am)

JANUARY
7th Green Bay, WI Resch Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
8th Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
10th Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
11th State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center - Penn State Univ. (9/14 @ 10 am)
13th Rochester, NY Blue Cross Arena (9/15 @ 10 am)
14th Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center (9/15 @ 10 am)
16th Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center (9/14 @ 12 pm)
18th Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless Arena (9/15 at 12 pm)
19th Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena (9/14 @ 10 am)
21st Fairfax, VA Patriot Center (9/15 @ 10 am)
22nd Philadelphia, PA Liacourias Center - Temple University (9/15 @ 10 am)
24th Providence, RI Dunkin Donuts Center (9/15 @ 12 pm)
25th Portland, ME Cumberland Civic Center (9/15 @ 12 pm)
27th Quebec City, QC Colisee Pepsi Arena (9/22 @ 10 am)
29th Toronto, ONT Air Canada Centre (9/15 @ 11 am)
30th Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center - Cleveland State Univ. (9/14 @ 10 am)

FEBRUARY
1st Moline, IL I Wireless Center (9/14 @ 10 am)
2nd Madison, WI Alliant Energy Center Memorial Col (9/14 @ 11 am)
4th Omaha, NE CenturyLink Arena (9/15 @ 12 pm)
6th Broomfield, CO 1STBANK Center (9/14 @ 10 am)
8th Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena (9/14 @ 10 am)

Are you going to see Green Day?

—Isabel Post
09.11.12

Tags: Green Day

News: Green Day Cancel Italian Concert Due to Billie Joe Armstrong's Hospitalization

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:00:06

Power trio Green Day canceled their September 2 gig in Bologna, Italy after frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was hospitalized. Details about BJA's illness were not shared with the media at press time, but his bandmates, drummer Tre Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt, did deliver a message to their fans about their singer's condition.

The twosome said that the doctors did not believe it was a good idea for BJA to play the show, so he didn't. It's a bum out, but it was also necessary. The boys did say they want to return to Italy as soon as they can and perform!

Green Day are slated to play the iHeartRadio Festival on September 21 in Las Vegas. We hope that BJA recovers soon and is able to make that gig. We're pulling for him.

What is your favorite Green Day song?

—Maggie Pannacione
09.04.12

Tags: Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool, Mike Dirnt

News: Green Day Joins Forces With Nokia + AT&T To Launch Nokia Music

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:26:08

Punk rockers Green Day announced they have joined forces with Nokia and AT&T to launch Nokia Music, a new music streaming service offering consumers free and unlimited access to playlists and songs from a global catalogue boasting 17 million tracks. To celebrate the launch of Nokia Music, the multi-platinum selling band has created a series of exclusive playlists and will soon announce a very special kick-off concert.

For details on the launch event, fans can visit the Nokia Music/AT&T tab on the band's Facebook page.

Nokia Music is a mobile experience exclusive to Nokia Lumia handsets currently available at all AT&T stores. AT&T is the nation's largest 4G network. Consumers can stream unlimited music from a suite of over 150 exclusive playlists that are curated and kept up to date by an expert team of U.S based musicologists. The playlists span a wide spectrum of musical genres from underground Detroit house tracks to New York Philharmonic favorites.

Nokia Music also offers playlists created by global artists such as Green Day, who are an active part of the service curating their namesake playlists. Moreover, music fans can create their own personal soundtrack by selecting the Nokia Music "CREATE" function that generates a playlist based on, and inspired by, the artists they love.

Fans will also be able to access three special playlists, curated by Green Day exclusively for Nokia Music and AT&T. "We are excited to team up with Nokia Music and AT&T and for our fans to hear ¡Uno! for the first time on our Facebook page," said the members of Green Day.

In other Green Day news, singer Billie Joe Armstrong has been discharged from an Italian hospital. He was admitted over the weekend, forcing a cancelation of a show.

Are you going to check out this streaming service?

—Maggie Pannacione
09.05.12

Tags: Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong

News: Tino Coury Talks "This One’s For", "Drink My Love Away", and More

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 09:29:41

Tino Coury spruces up pop music with classical charm, impressive vocals, and R&B swagger.

It's been a while since pop had a leading man, and Coury is well-suited for the job. His forthcoming album, This One's For, illuminates the numerous facets of this dynamic, diverse, and debonaire performer. It's instantly clear after just one listen to the single "Drink My Love Away". He's so good it's intoxicating…

In this exclusive interview with ARTISTdirect.com editor in chief Rick Florino, Tino Coury tells us all about This One's For, "Drink My Love Away", and so much more.

What's the story behind "Drink My Love Away"?

My best songs come from my own experiences. I'd gone through this situation before. "Drink My Love Away" [iTunes link]has an emotional lyric, but it's also a feel-good party record. If your relationship isn't going right, it's rough, and things aren't clicking, the best way I know how to deal with that is to go out with my friends, have a great time, and clear my head. That's the real message of the song and what I love so much about it.

How did the track come together?

I was in the studio with the producers Kadis & Sean. They were playing me a bunch of tracks, and I already had the concept in my head for "Drink My Love Away". When I heard this particular track, I thought it was perfect to marry to the concept. I didn't want it to be a sad song or a slow record. I wanted it to be a party record, but I also wanted an emotional lyric. I thought the track was perfect with the guitar loop, the tempo, the drums, and all of the little hooks. We started jotting down the words and piecing it all together quickly. There are a lot of little secret hooks from the chants to the percussion. There's so much for people to remember.

What's your take on This One's For as a whole?

I started out the album making a lot of R&B and urban records. Then, I got into more pop stuff like "Diary" and "Drink My Love Away". There's a good mix of soul and pop.

Is it important for you to tell stories lyrically?

That's my main thing. Every song has a story that people can connect or relate to. They're things I've gone through. I don't have any dance records that are just about going out and dancing. I stay away from that as a songwriter. I keep everything lyrical and relatable and try to tell a story with every record.

What influences that storytelling?

It's everything. It's life experience. It's seeing my friends go through something or watching a movie. Anything can spark a concept. I think about things to write about all day whether I'm in the shower or driving. It can be anything that inspires me.

What artists shaped you?

When I first got into music, I got my first guitar in seventh grade. My favorite bands were blink-182, Green Day, and New Found Glory. I'd also listen to U2. I'm a huge Coldplay fan. I listen to a lot of today's music like Usher, Chris Brown, and Justin Timberlake. I watch those DVDs and study their performances and how they entertain in the arenas. It's a mix of many different genres. I'll listen to Robin Thicke and study his vocal performance and dynamic. I'll bring that to my material. My iPod is filled with a lot of different things.

What's your approach to doing covers?

I'll change up the track or perform it acoustically. I leave my own touch, but I still preserve what people love about the original record. I definitely mix it up. It's cool for my fans to see a different side of me.

What ties the album together for you?

The cool thing about this album is it's about pushing no matter how long it takes or how hard it is. You've got to keep going and never give up. This One's For is for all of those people who didn't believe in me or said "No" to me. There are a lot of cool records like "Take Another Shot". They're inspiring. It's about the grind I'm going through as an artist trying to get out there and pushing myself. That's theme of this record.

—Rick Florino
09.05.12

Have you heard Tino Coury yet?

Tags: Tino Coury, blink-182, Green Day, Coldplay, New Found Glory, Robin Thicke, Usher, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake