The Birth Of An "Idiot" Musical

Hey there everyone rise and shine! Hope you're ready for another fun day here at Nimrod Street!

While Green Day were doing interviews for their recent Rolling Stone cover, Billie Joe Armstrong discussed details about the theatrical "American Idiot" musical, and the shock he felt hearing other people singing his songs.

The week after, the director of the play, Michale Mayer, spoke to RS about how the trio influenced his previous musical, Spring Awakening, and other cool stuff! 

On the first page of the article, Armstrong is asked when did the idea for the musical first come to be:

" 'American Idiot' is a punk opera. But I was very self-conscious about it. I didn't want it to come across as pretentious. Someone said, 'what is the influence' I said, 'this record has more in common with Rocky Horror than Leonard Cohen.

The idea was, 'wouldn't it be great to make a film out of it?' Then the film idea fell through the cracks, which was a bummer. The enthusiasm got lost. Then the guy from Spring Awakening, Michael Mayer-he was doing an interview. Someone asked him what he wanted to do next, and he said he'd love to do the musical of "American Idiot". One of the kids from the fan sites put that up. And a year and a half later, lo and behold, we get a call from him."

He was also asked what he thought of Spring Awakening when he first saw it:

"I was floored. It was so uncharacteristic of what I thought theater was suppose to be. I had no idea what to expect and how unconventional Michael was, in the way he directed this old German play from the turn of the century.

When I saw the show, I kept thinking that a couple of songs- 'Totally Fucked' and 'The Bitch of Living'- sounded a lot like Green Day hits. They had that sound and emotional resonance.

'Totally Fucked'- I remember seeing that and going, 'Did I write that?' It reminds me of 'St. Jimmy'. You forget how talented these people are, these theater kids. They are completely, mind and body, involved in the theater, just as much as I lived punk rock. They embody the whole thing. Then I went to a workshop, and I couldn't fucking believe it. It's incredible- all those voices singing your songs at you."

On the second page, Mayer talks about how the trio influenced Spring Awakening, especially the song, 'Totally Fucked':

"It was the effect I wanted. I was listening to "American Idiot" a lot when we were putting the final chunk of Spring Awakening together. I was literally like, 'Guys, listen to this groove. Listen to that fat guitar lick. Why can't we have this under here?"

Why was "Idiot" the record of choice instead of a classic punk album? Like, let's say "London Calling" by the Clash?

" 'American Idiot' felt so complete to me. The version we will end up performing will have other songs in it- two B sides from the European release and four from the new album. But 'American Idiot' has a huge emotional arc. There was an amazing narrative that was, at times, perplexing and ambiguous, but also so full of possibilities with a multitude of voices. Some of the songs- I heard them as dialogue. Our biggest challenge at the moment is the central secion. The 'St. Jimmy'/ 'Jesus of Suburbia' maxtrix is a complicated thing. That is what we're still grappling with. Every song on the album will be played in sequence. But the sequences will be interrupted by other songs and text."

One particular question that stands out is whether or not Armstrong is protective of his own original material:

"I am basically doing the libretto. Billie was very much a part of it. I kept calling him and e-mailing him every different version of my scenario. But the libretto is basically akin to the libretto of Tommy- there is no dialogue per se. I am inventing the way in which these songs function as dialogue- as narrative, as emotional maps.

Could the punk rock genius himself eventually ever compose for the theater?

"When we were together the other night, he did say, 'the next thing, after this, I want to write some thing completely new for you to direct.'

If you've got the gift, who knows where it comes from and why. The great thing is to keep feeding it and take care of it. What is so remarkable to me is to watch him allow that gift to grow and to be unfettered by constraints that people want to put around it. At a certain point, songwriting is more important than image and labels."

 In other news, you may already know about Green Day bassist, Mike Dirnt's designer shoes. But did you know they were animal-friendly? Yes indeed, the Dirnt has collaborated with vegan shoe manufacturing company, Macbeth. It smacks of elegance with brass lace loops.

Also available in high-top style, you can now purchase it from Journeys.com starting at $79.99! Mike has been nominated several times for PETA2's 'Sexiest Vegetarian' award despite not being vegan or even a veg!

You can read the article from NME here!

The guys have a ton of brand new photos up on their site's photo gallery. The pics are taken by photographer, Ross Halfin. Check 'em out!!

I bet what  you really want to hear about is the new video for "21 Guns" right? The video will debut on the guys official Myspace Sunday, June 21st. If you can't wait, here's a sneak peek into the making of!