Mission ImpossibleBy Samantha Wolfe

HistoryGuitarist:Born February 17th, 1972 in Rodeo, CaliforniaBassist:Born May 4th, 1972 in Berkeley, CaliforniaDrummer:Born December 9th, 1972 in Frankfurt, Germany

As teenagers, they spent much of their time in a small punk venue called 924 Gilman which is where the bassist and guitarist met the drummer.

How did they change the world?

Nothing “changed the world” until 2004, when they came out with an album completely criticizing not only President Bush, but also American culture as a whole.

The Album Wasn’t Meant to Make Friends

The album had powerful lyrics such as “I'm not a part of a redneck agenda. Now everybody do the propaganda, and sing along to the age of paranoia.” and “where have all the riots gone as the city's motto gets pulverized? What's in love is now in debt, on your birth certificate…”

The Album Followed a StoryThe album was a concept album. It told the

story of an angst-y teenager sick of his parents and the government, so he runs away from home and realizes how little he can do for himself and how much he always relied on everyone else, which basically just makes him hate himself. This was meant to show more of the band’s liberal side, which means they believe in more government control.

This Album Was VERY Successful!

This album almost made it cool for teenagers to hate the government/Bush and started to get teenagers more involved in politics so they’d understand what was going on.

Quotes from the members at the Time

The bassist said about Bush:“He and I came from completely different

worlds– and that’s the problem. I came from a world of poverty, divorce, and drugs… something he can’t even begin to understand.”

It Wasn’t Completely a Good Thing…

This album wasn’t necessarily punk, which made a lot of their old fans abandon them and accusations of being sellouts.

Next, in 2005,This band made a concert-movie from a

concert in Wembley Stadium in England. It went behind the scenes of the first days of the tour, but also had lots of interviews with the band and you heard them speak a lot about their opinions on the Bush administration.

Some People Took it as “Anti-American”

Brandon Flowers of The Killers said about the singer, “A bunch of kids screaming the lyrics to such an American song… I saw it as a very negative thing towards Americans. It really lit a fire in me. You have the right to say what you want to say and what you want to write about, and I'm sure they meant it in the same way that Bruce Springsteen meant 'Born In The USA' and it was taken wrongly, but I was really offended when I saw them do that. I just thought it was really cheap to go to a place like England or Germany and sing that song – those kids aren’t taking it the same way that he meant it. And he knew it.”

Live, in Front of 50,000 People, as the Lead Singer was Introducing Everyone in the Band…

“…and my name is George W. Bush.” (audience boos) “But you can call me a**hole.”

After this Movie Came Out and the Tour was Over the Band Took a Long Break.

When asked questions about the new album, the band was quiet. At this point they didn’t even know whether they would make another album. This album had been so successful, they weren’t even sure if it was worth it to try and beat it.

Finally, in 2009, Another Album Came Out

It divided into three parts and had an amazing 18 tracks on it.

This album followed the story of the government failing, and two lovebirds who have all sorts of adventures. Their most popular single is regularly played on Top 40 and rock stations alike.

This Was Another Concept Album

This album was set in a “post-Bush period where everything is just going as wrong as it can get—exactly what’s happening now.”

It Also Addressed More Than Just the Bush Administration.

This album portrayed a few more of their opinions about Bush, as well as their thoughts on things such as 9/11, global warming, conspiracies, and 2012.

This, if Nothing Else, Should Give it Away…

Their album from 2004 was made into an incredible Broadway Musical. They are the only rock band to successfully do so. This musical follows the album’s story, as well as adding in new characters and plot twists.

Who was it?GREEN DAY!!

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Sources:Shirley, Ian. Green Day Revealed. London:

Flame Tree, 2011. Print."Green Day Quotes - The Green Day Authority."

The Green Day Authority. Web. 03 May 2012. <http://www.greendayauthority.com/band/quotes.php>.

"The Killers 'offended' by Green Day The Killers Tickets." NME.COM. Web. 08 May 2012. <http://www.nme.com/news/the-killers/24702>.