Green Day's new album, 21st Century Breakdown, was released on Friday, and as usual, OPC is a bit late with its commentary, but what the heck. What do you guys think of Green Day as the modern equivalent of CCR?
Both bands are from the Bay Area, but from the working-class parts, so they come by their populism and their liberal political outrage honestly. Each has a singer-songwriter-guitarist backed by a rubber-band-tight rhythm section, most of whom had been playing together since high school. They're both really good.
The biggest difference is that Creedence worked hard and died young, while Green Day - the punk band - has now stretched its career over more than two decades. Despite this, 21st Century Breakdown is the album that finally makes the Green Day discography heftier than CCR's; it's their eighth studio album, and Creedence managed to put out seven from 1968 to 1972.
I suppose I'd have to grant that Creedence Clearwater Revival was the better band, on both peak and career value. "Fortunate Son" is nigh-impossible to surpass. On the other hand, no one in CCR ever had a name as great as "Tre Cool."
3 comments:
I hate Green Day and revere CCR, so this comparison makes me choke a little bit ... but I'm willing to admit you're on to something.
I think Stu Cook is a cooler name than Tre Cool. How many Stus have ever cracked the rock-n-roll big time?
Does Ian Stewart count?
Ian Stewart absolutely counts.
I'd say the biggest difference is that the rest of Green Day doesn't hate Billie Joe Armstrong.
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