Photos courtesy of Green Day


Green Day’s Dirnt frustrated by politics, President Bush

By NICK POWILLS

With millions of albums sold, Green Day (lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool) have established themselves as one of the top neo-punk bands in the world. And with that establishment, the band has earned the right to speak on whatever issues they damn well please.

Currently, especially with the new album "American Idiot", the band has had politics on their minds – just like the rest of America. And like other musical acts before them, Green Day has taken advantage of the ability to use their music to drive their own personal politics.

"Politically speaking, I don’t think this album has an agenda like a lot of political albums," Dirnt says. "It’s about personal politics. I feel music is your way of getting anything inside of you out.

"Personally, I am strong on one side. I am strong on the liberal side of things. But just because I’m liberal doesn’t mean that I don’t have values. I know a lot of liberal people who go to church and believe in family, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have values."

Like the majority of musicians, Green Day clearly registers more with the Dems than the Republicans. With that in mind, Dirnt’s vote was very clear on Nov. 2.

"Kerry is the better choice," he said before the election, while filming Green Day’s next video for the new album. "If Nader was more popular would he be my choice? Probably. If Clinton was popular right now and running, would he be my choice? Definitely. It’s weird though, ‘cause they all have to play this political game. I don’t think you will ever meet someone who won’t play it."

On Nov. 2, Dirnt’s vote did not help elect Kerry into office (even if it did help him win California, Green Day’s home state). But just because Kerry was not elected, it doesn’t mean Dirnt’s, and the rest of Green Day’s, political voices will be silenced.

THE ISSUES – SUPPORTING THE TROOPS, NOT THE WAR

With George W. Bush elected President for another four years, Dirnt has even more fear for the soldiers fighting in Iraq.

"I want those kids overseas home," he says. "If someone can tell me why they are there, in actual terms, rather than in bullshit riddles, then I will support it. But they can’t. And no one can tell you why they are there. You show me a concrete reason why the kids are over there risking their lives, and I will support it. But that will never fucking happen.

"Our government has this sense of fear right now, and they are using our patriotism as a sense of making us feel antipatriotic for not supporting a war. But that’s total bullshit. This isn’t Vietnam. When these kids come home they will come home to open arms and thank yous."

Green Day has met many soldiers throughout the last year, and each time, the band has shown solid support for them.
"When we meet them, we tell them exactly how we feel," he says. "I appreciate you. I appreciate you and just fucking hang in there and we are doing everything we can over here. And I appreciate them on a deeper level. They are risking their lives for me and my kid and my significant others."

Even though the support is there for the troops, Dirnt says he does not support the reasons for them being over there – a major criticism he has for the way Bush has run his administration.

"I support our troops and I support the kid’s beliefs for why they are over there," Dirnt says. "These kids sign up and are told that only in the worst fucking conditions are you going to be put in harms way, and asked to serve your country and risk your life for. But that’s not the case. I believe they have been lied to."

TIME FOR DUMBED-DOWN POLITICAL MUMBO JUMBO

America voted. America voted for the guy who was more like them – a man who was slightly dumbed down, striking an appeal among 59 million and change.

"People like George Bush ‘cause he can talk to regular people. He can dumb it down. But he’s playing the game. I just think he’s dishonest," Dirnt says.

"Right now my personal take is the left is too far right, and the right is way too far right, and liberal is a four letter word. I’m not going to vote with what I think would be a better change; I need to vote with what is going to be a better change. I think that there have been way too many lies and way too much bullshit to stand by someone’s side," he said before the election.

Although Dirnt isn’t pleased with the Presidential choice, he knows Bush at least has the ego to do the job.

"I think a good President should be able to be himself for everyone. I don’t know, I would never want to be President. I don’t have that big of an ego," Dirnt says.