Let me explain. They were playing the iHeartRadio festival in Vegas last night. Unfortunately, because Jason Aldean and Usher took too long, Green Day's set was cut for time. So Billie Joe, already bitter (and drunk) about the situation already, lost his composure during "Basket Case".
Personally, I think they had every right to be angry. How would you like it if you loved performing so much (mind you, they had performed an over 35-song set in New York last Saturday) but your playing time was taken away by people who had been in the industry less time than you have. I'd be angry too.
Whether or not their claims are true, and even though it was inappropriate and unprofessional..I'm somehow really glad he did this...someone had to say something. The whole mainstream taking over all the classic acts is becoming too much.
I know it has always been like this, but the mainstream is too cheap now. In early nineties U2 and Queen were the classic ones and bands like Green Day were mainstream. Now we have Bieber, One Direction and...
Ali, I mused on something similar recently. One thing we are guilty of as a musical culture is continually crucifying our heroes just because we can. Sure, they'll have their greatest records, but apparently if you're not dead by 27, your work becomes irrelevant to the masses. It makes me wonder what the Jazz greats thought when they were being overtaken by Rock 'n' Roll. It's sad, really.
Also, they had a good reason to perform at the festival. Radio has always been good to them over their career and they're coming from a very prolific place with three albums that they want to promote. Unfortunately, there's only so many constraints one can tolerate before it becomes unbearable.
