Green Day‘s music has always been rooted in politics. Take any of their singles as an example of this, especially when it comes to the likes of “Holiday” and “21 Guns,” which tackle the overall themes of war and American imperialism. In a recent Guardian interview, Green Day had the chance to expand upon the current political issues that are at the forefront of their minds and their music.
With the release of their single “The American Dream Is Killing Me,” Billie Joe Armstrong sings, “The American Dream is killing me/When it’s all double-talk of conspiracy.” Conspiracy theories are actually a major source of inspiration for the band’s forthcoming record Saviors, which arrives January 19.
The Guardian’s Emma Garland asked the band what makes up a good political song to which Armstrong replied, “I think a lot of my lyrics come from feeling lost. It could be feeling lost like you literally don’t know where you are – the GPS is wrong in your car or something like that – or [being into] conspiracy theories and feeling like you’re trying to find the truth in something but it’s missing.”
He continues, “It’s about trying to find the truth, but it has to come from the heart in the same way that a love song does.”
Mike Dirnt also explained why he believes that conspiracy theories are so ingrained in American life. “I think people also want to find something to believe in. There’s so much information out there nowadays. It’s chaos,” he says to The Guardian. “You can find something to back up anything, you know? You have to stop and think things through a little bit.”
Read more: Dark Divine Shares Their Favorite Albums Released In 2023
Tré Cool expanded on the idea of social media allowing conspiracy theories to spread including the widely spread false belief that the Earth is flat. “But you’ve got to realize that some people are gonna believe this shit, and they’re gonna look on the internet and find something to back it up,” he tells The Guardian. “And if they find something that proves that they’re wrong, they’re gonna yell conspiracy.”
As we eagerly await to hear more politically charged tracks on the band’s upcoming record, we can also look forward to 2024 tour dates.
Green Day‘s monumental global tour will kick off overseas on May 30, featuring support from Nothing But Thieves, The Hives, Donots, The Interrupters, and Maid Of Ace. The iconic rockers’ return to North America will be supported by The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and The Linda Lindas. Check out Green Day’s Saviors Tour schedule below, and be sure to grab your tickets here.
Tour Dates:
- May 30—Monte do Gozo, Spain @ O Son do Camino*
- June 1—Madrid, Spain @ Road to Rio Babel*
- June 5—Lyon, Decines @ LDLC Arena#
- June 7—Nurnberg, Germany @ Rock im Park*
- June 8—Nurburgring, Germany @ Rock am Ring*
- June 10—Berlin, Germany @ Waldbühne – with Donots
- June 11—Hamburg, Germany @ Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld$
- June 15—Interlaken, Switzerland @ Greenfield Festival*
- June 16—Milan, Italy @ I Days – Hippodrome La Maura*
- June 18—Pari, France @Accor Arena#
- June 19—Arnhem, Netherlands @ GelreDome%
- June 21—Manchester, UK @ Emirates Old Trafford^
- June 23—Isle of Wight, UK @ Isle of Wight Festival*
- June 25—Glasgow, UK @ Bellahouston Park^
- June 27—Dublin, Ireland @ Marlay Park^
- June 29—London, UK @ Wembley Stadium^
- July 29—Washington, DC @ Nationals Park
- Aug. 1—Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
- Aug. 3—Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Music and Arts Festival*
- Aug. 5—New York, NY @ Citi Field
- Aug. 7—Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
- Aug. 9—Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park
- Aug. 10—Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
- Aug. 13—Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
Read more: Top 50 Songs In Rotation On idobi Radio In 2023
- Aug. 15—St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre !
- Aug. 17—Minneapolis, MN @ Target Field
- Aug. 20—Kansas City, KS @ Azura Amphitheatre !
- Aug. 22—Cincinnati, OH @ Great American Ballpark
- Aug. 24—Milwaukee, WI @– American Family Field
- Aug. 26—Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion !
- Aug. 28—Atlanta, GA @ Truist Park
- Aug. 30—Nashville, TN @ Geodis Park
- Sept. 1—Pittsburgh, PA @ PNC Park
- Sept. 4—Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park
- Sept. 7—Denver, CO @ Coors Field
- Sept. 10—Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater !
- Sept. 11—Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field
- Sept. 14—Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
- Sept. 18—Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field
- Sept. 20—San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park
- Sept. 23—Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park
- Sept. 25—Portland, OR @ Providence Park
- Sept. 28—San Diego, CA @ Petco Park
* Festival Date
# With support from The Interrupters
$ With support from Donots
% With support from The Hives and The Interrupters
^ With support from Nothing But Thieves and Maid of Ace
! With support from Rancid and The Linda Lindas only
Head over to The Guardian to read the full interview.
