Punk is a contentious genre by nature; founded by bands from tough, working-class communities such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned, it has changed through the decades as some bands have adopted bleak and nihilistic soundscapes (The Birthday Party, The Fall) and others have used the angry spirit and essence but softened the music (The Pogues, early Manic Street Preachers). Everybody has their favourite punk album, and we’ve compiled some of ours for your entertainment. Enjoy!
Dookie // Green Day
In 1994, American 3-piece Green Day released their third studio album, titled Dookie. The 14-track album that is just shy of 40 minutes was recorded and produced in the band’s hometown of California, with help from producer Rob Cavallo (Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance).
It was Green Day’s major label debut with Reprise Records and it landed them the No. 2 spot on the US Billboard 200, and was certificated diamond. Dookie also spawned five singles (‘Longview’, ‘Welcome To Paradise’, ‘Basket Case’, ‘When I Come Around’ and radio-only ‘She’) to further commercial success. The album was originally titled Liquid Dookie – yes, referencing diarrhoea – although after much dispute the band dropped the word ‘liquid’ as they agreed it sounded ‘too gross’.
Dookie is very much an insight into the mind of frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Many of the lyrics focus on his personal struggles with anxiety, panic attacks and dealing with bisexuality at the age of 16. The album also covers a variety of topics – some of which caused controversy when the album was released – such as depression, mass murder, masturbation and divorce.
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The album has left a long-lasting legacy on the music industry and is often credited for introducing the ‘punk rock’ genre into the mainstream. At present, Dookie is Green Day’s best-selling album of all time, with over 20 million copies sold. In addition to being a success on the charts, the album is also frequently mentioned on many prominent ‘best of’ lists curated by magazines and bloggers and recognised as one of the greatest punk albums in history. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine listed Dookie as No. 193 on their ‘The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time’ list and again in 2010, when they featured the album at No. 30 on the ‘Best Albums of the Nineties’.
Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of the band, it is hard to ignore the fact that Green Day have had a significant influence and impact on the music industry today – specifically in the genres rock and alternative – and that is primarily down to the hard-edged hooks and raw vocals that made ‘Dookie’ the success that it is today.
Words by Megan Wilson
@meglouisewilson