Insomniac (album)
Encyclopedia
Insomniac is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock
band Green Day
. It was released on October 10, 1995 through Reprise Records
. Though it peaked at number two in the United States
and went double-platinum (according to the RIAA) by 1996, Insomniac did not have the sales endurance of its predecessor, Dookie
, largely due to its slightly darker lyrical tone and heavier, more abrasive sound. Insomniac is the band's third-best selling album behind Dookie
and American Idiot
with sales at over 8 million worldwide and 2,076,000 copies in the US alone. The album was reissued on vinyl on May 12, 2009. It was originally going to be titled Tight Wad Hill, after the thirteenth track on the album, but was renamed to Insomniac when Armstrong
asked artist Winston Smith
, who did the artwork for the album, how the cover art was done in such a short amount of time.
". The single debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
chart. "J.A.R." was followed by Insomniac, which was released in the fall of 1995.
Before the name Insomniac, the band considered naming the album Tight Wad Hill (after track 13 on the album). After visiting collage
artist Winston Smith
for the album cover, Billie Joe Armstrong
asked him how he managed to make such intricate pieces in such short times. Smith answered: "It's easy for me. I am an insomnia
c." Armstrong himself has said that the album title comes from his own insomnia, after having been woken up frequently during the night due to his son's screams.
According to a Tweet
by Armstrong on February 6, 2011, one of his regrets was not naming the album Jesus Christ Supermarket, stating that "JCSM is a much better title".
and is called God Told Me to Skin You Alive, a reference to the Dead Kennedys
song "I Kill Children
". Interestingly enough, the cover art contains an image (the dentist) that was originally used in a collage featured in the inside cover art of Dead Kennedys
' album Plastic Surgery Disasters
. Smith knew drummer Tré Cool
from Green Day's time at Lookout! Records
and told Tré that if he ever needed album artwork that he should call him. The cover art features several hidden images: a naked woman, three fairies, and several other ghostly faces in the flames. There are also three skulls on the entire album cover and back – one for each member of Green Day. One of the skulls requires you to view the piece at an angle. The hidden skull is taken from Hans Holbein
's 1533 painting The Ambassadors
. Green Day's version, however, is slightly different from the original, with the woman holding Billie Joe's sky blue Fernandes
imitation Stratocaster rather than an acoustic guitar.
, but it was generally well-received by critics. It earned four out of five stars from Rolling Stone
, which said "In punk, the good stuff actually unfolds and gains meaning as you listen without sacrificing any of its electric, haywire immediacy. And Green Day are as good as this stuff gets".
Entertainment Weekly
gave the album a B with particular praise for Billie Joe Armstrong, stating that: "Fans needn't worry about Armstrong, a new father, rhapsodizing over the joys of changing diapers or whining about being a wealthy rock star. Once more, the songs relate the travails of a pathetic, self-loathing goofball whose sense of self-worth is continually reduced to rubble by sundry jerks, authority figures, and cultural elitists."
However, Green Day was slightly criticized for not progressing as much as their predecessors. Entertainment Weekly stated that: "Insomniac does make you wonder about Green Day's growth, though. Between albums one and four, The Clash
, to take an old-school example, branched out from guitar crunch to reggae, dub, and Spectorized pop. By comparison, Green Day sound exactly the same as on their first album, albeit with crisper production and, ominously, a palpable degeneration in their sense of humor. The few hints of growth are fairly microscopic: a tougher metallic edge to a few of the songs ... and lyrics that are bleaker than Dookies."
Allmusic similarly noted that "they kept their blueprint and made it a shade darker. Throughout Insomniac, there are vague references to the band's startling multi-platinum breakthrough, but the album is hardly a stark confessional on the level of Nirvana
's In Utero. ... While nothing on the album is as immediate as "Basket Case" or "Longview," the band has gained a powerful sonic punch, which goes straight for the gut but sacrifices the raw edge they so desperately want to keep and makes the record slightly tame. Billie Joe hasn't lost much of his talent for simple, tuneful hooks, but after a series of songs that all sound pretty much the same, it becomes clear that he needs to push himself a little bit more if Green Day ever want to be something more than a good punk-pop band. As it is, they remain a good punk-pop band, and Insomniac is a good punk-pop record, but nothing more."
". The song was popular on both top forty and modern rock radio stations and peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. It was mostly well-received by critics. It has been played live heavily during Green Day's career and at most shows during the 21st Century Breakdown World Tour
.
The second single, released as a tangible single exclusively in the United Kingdom, was "Stuck with Me
". The song was moderately successful in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, but was not one of the group's bigger hits in the US.
The third single from the album was "Brain Stew/Jaded
". Oddly, the two were separate songs (tracks 10 and 11 on Insomniac), but they were released together as a single and a music video. They are both the most notable songs from the album, becoming fan favorites; the two of them are frequently performed at Green Day concerts (sometimes the only songs from Insomniac played live).
The last single from the album was "Walking Contradiction
". The song was less of a success compared to the other singles off of Insomniac, only managing to chart at number 21 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. However, its music video became one of Green Day's best-known videos.
Gapless track, seamlessly transitioning into the following song.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. It was released on October 10, 1995 through Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
. Though it peaked at number two in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and went double-platinum (according to the RIAA) by 1996, Insomniac did not have the sales endurance of its predecessor, Dookie
Dookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
, largely due to its slightly darker lyrical tone and heavier, more abrasive sound. Insomniac is the band's third-best selling album behind Dookie
Dookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
and American Idiot
American Idiot
American Idiot is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on September 21, 2004 through Reprise Records and was produced by longtime collaborator Rob Cavallo. In mid-2003, the band began recording songs for an album entitled Cigarettes and Valentines...
with sales at over 8 million worldwide and 2,076,000 copies in the US alone. The album was reissued on vinyl on May 12, 2009. It was originally going to be titled Tight Wad Hill, after the thirteenth track on the album, but was renamed to Insomniac when Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
asked artist Winston Smith
Winston Smith (artist)
Winston Smith is an artist who primarily uses the medium of collage. He is probably best known for the artwork he has produced for the American punk rock group Dead Kennedys...
, who did the artwork for the album, how the cover art was done in such a short amount of time.
Background
In 1995, Green Day's single for the Angus soundtrack was released, entitled "J.A.R.J.A.R.
"J.A.R." is a song by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Angus in 1995. The acronym stands for 'Jason Andrew Relva', a childhood friend of Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt. Jason Relva died at the age of 19 on April 18, 1992 as the result of injuries...
". The single debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart. "J.A.R." was followed by Insomniac, which was released in the fall of 1995.
Before the name Insomniac, the band considered naming the album Tight Wad Hill (after track 13 on the album). After visiting collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
artist Winston Smith
Winston Smith (artist)
Winston Smith is an artist who primarily uses the medium of collage. He is probably best known for the artwork he has produced for the American punk rock group Dead Kennedys...
for the album cover, Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
asked him how he managed to make such intricate pieces in such short times. Smith answered: "It's easy for me. I am an insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
c." Armstrong himself has said that the album title comes from his own insomnia, after having been woken up frequently during the night due to his son's screams.
According to a Tweet
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
by Armstrong on February 6, 2011, one of his regrets was not naming the album Jesus Christ Supermarket, stating that "JCSM is a much better title".
Cover art
The collage on the album cover was created by Winston SmithWinston Smith (artist)
Winston Smith is an artist who primarily uses the medium of collage. He is probably best known for the artwork he has produced for the American punk rock group Dead Kennedys...
and is called God Told Me to Skin You Alive, a reference to the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
song "I Kill Children
I Kill Children
"I Kill Children" is the ninth song on the Dead Kennedys album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables. It is sung from the first person perspective of an unnamed murderer of children...
". Interestingly enough, the cover art contains an image (the dentist) that was originally used in a collage featured in the inside cover art of Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
' album Plastic Surgery Disasters
Plastic Surgery Disasters
Plastic Surgery Disasters is the second album released by the Dead Kennedys. It has been reissued with the EP In God We Trust, Inc., which are the last eight tracks on the CD. The cover photo is "Hands" by photographer Michael Wells. The same photo was used by other San Francisco based punk band...
. Smith knew drummer Tré Cool
Tre Cool
Frank Edwin Wright III, a.k.a. Tré Cool, is an American drummer, best known as the drummer for the punk rock band Green Day. He replaced the group's former drummer John Kiffmeyer in 1990...
from Green Day's time at Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
and told Tré that if he ever needed album artwork that he should call him. The cover art features several hidden images: a naked woman, three fairies, and several other ghostly faces in the flames. There are also three skulls on the entire album cover and back – one for each member of Green Day. One of the skulls requires you to view the piece at an angle. The hidden skull is taken from Hans Holbein
Hans Holbein the Younger
Hans Holbein the Younger was a German artist and printmaker who worked in a Northern Renaissance style. He is best known as one of the greatest portraitists of the 16th century. He also produced religious art, satire and Reformation propaganda, and made a significant contribution to the history...
's 1533 painting The Ambassadors
The Ambassadors (Holbein)
The Ambassadors is a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger in the National Gallery, London. As well as being a double portrait, the painting contains a still life of several meticulously rendered objects, the meaning of which is the cause of much debate...
. Green Day's version, however, is slightly different from the original, with the woman holding Billie Joe's sky blue Fernandes
Fernandes Guitars
Fernandes Guitars is a guitar and accessory manufacturer that originated in Japan in 1969, building flamenco guitars. As the company grew it expanded production to include more acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers, and accessories to become one of the biggest guitar...
imitation Stratocaster rather than an acoustic guitar.
Reception
Insomniac did not have the big sales or airplay as the singles from DookieDookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
, but it was generally well-received by critics. It earned four out of five stars from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, which said "In punk, the good stuff actually unfolds and gains meaning as you listen without sacrificing any of its electric, haywire immediacy. And Green Day are as good as this stuff gets".
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
gave the album a B with particular praise for Billie Joe Armstrong, stating that: "Fans needn't worry about Armstrong, a new father, rhapsodizing over the joys of changing diapers or whining about being a wealthy rock star. Once more, the songs relate the travails of a pathetic, self-loathing goofball whose sense of self-worth is continually reduced to rubble by sundry jerks, authority figures, and cultural elitists."
However, Green Day was slightly criticized for not progressing as much as their predecessors. Entertainment Weekly stated that: "Insomniac does make you wonder about Green Day's growth, though. Between albums one and four, The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, to take an old-school example, branched out from guitar crunch to reggae, dub, and Spectorized pop. By comparison, Green Day sound exactly the same as on their first album, albeit with crisper production and, ominously, a palpable degeneration in their sense of humor. The few hints of growth are fairly microscopic: a tougher metallic edge to a few of the songs ... and lyrics that are bleaker than Dookies."
Allmusic similarly noted that "they kept their blueprint and made it a shade darker. Throughout Insomniac, there are vague references to the band's startling multi-platinum breakthrough, but the album is hardly a stark confessional on the level of Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's In Utero. ... While nothing on the album is as immediate as "Basket Case" or "Longview," the band has gained a powerful sonic punch, which goes straight for the gut but sacrifices the raw edge they so desperately want to keep and makes the record slightly tame. Billie Joe hasn't lost much of his talent for simple, tuneful hooks, but after a series of songs that all sound pretty much the same, it becomes clear that he needs to push himself a little bit more if Green Day ever want to be something more than a good punk-pop band. As it is, they remain a good punk-pop band, and Insomniac is a good punk-pop record, but nothing more."
Singles and commercial success
The first single released from Insomniac was "Geek Stink BreathGeek Stink Breath
"Geek Stink Breath" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the first single from their fourth album, Insomniac. The lyrics tell of the effects of methamphetamine on the human body.-History, lyrics, and composition:...
". The song was popular on both top forty and modern rock radio stations and peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. It was mostly well-received by critics. It has been played live heavily during Green Day's career and at most shows during the 21st Century Breakdown World Tour
21st Century Breakdown World Tour
21st Century Breakdown World Tour was a concert tour by American punk trio Green Day in support of the group's eighth studio album, 21st Century Breakdown, which was released in May 2009....
.
The second single, released as a tangible single exclusively in the United Kingdom, was "Stuck with Me
Stuck With Me
"Stuck with Me" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the second single from their fourth album, Insomniac. The song is about being too weak and too much of a push-over to stand up for yourself...
". The song was moderately successful in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, but was not one of the group's bigger hits in the US.
The third single from the album was "Brain Stew/Jaded
Brain Stew/Jaded
Vinyl Box Set-Other versions:"Brain Stew"* A live version featured on Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking. * Another live version on Bullet in a Bible....
". Oddly, the two were separate songs (tracks 10 and 11 on Insomniac), but they were released together as a single and a music video. They are both the most notable songs from the album, becoming fan favorites; the two of them are frequently performed at Green Day concerts (sometimes the only songs from Insomniac played live).
The last single from the album was "Walking Contradiction
Walking Contradiction
"Walking Contradiction" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the fourth and final single from their fourth album Insomniac. The song reached number 21 on the Modern Rock Tracks in August 1996....
". The song was less of a success compared to the other singles off of Insomniac, only managing to chart at number 21 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. However, its music video became one of Green Day's best-known videos.
Track listing
B-sides and outtakes
| Song | Length | Release(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "I Wanna Be on T.V." | 1:17 | Originally performed by the punk rock band Fang Fang (band) Fang is a punk rock band that originated in 1980. Fang was originally part of the punk rock scene in Berkeley, California in the 1980s. The band broke up in 1989 when key member Sam McBride was sent to prison for killing his girlfriend, Dixie Lee Carney... ; B-side to "Geek Stink Breath Geek Stink Breath "Geek Stink Breath" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the first single from their fourth album, Insomniac. The lyrics tell of the effects of methamphetamine on the human body.-History, lyrics, and composition:... " |
| "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" | 1:38 | B-side to "Geek Stink Breath Geek Stink Breath "Geek Stink Breath" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the first single from their fourth album, Insomniac. The lyrics tell of the effects of methamphetamine on the human body.-History, lyrics, and composition:... " |
| "Do Da Da" | 1:30 | Originally titled "Stuck with Me Stuck With Me "Stuck with Me" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the second single from their fourth album, Insomniac. The song is about being too weak and too much of a push-over to stand up for yourself... "; B-side to "Brain Stew/Jaded Brain Stew/Jaded Vinyl Box Set-Other versions:"Brain Stew"* A live version featured on Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking. * Another live version on Bullet in a Bible.... " |
| "Good Riddance Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) -Charts:-Covers:* Rancid have covered the song in some acoustic performances, Matt Freeman is the lead vocalist in the cover.* Comedian Tim Hawkins plays a parody of the song entitled "These Are Things You Don't Say to Your Wife"... " |
2:01 | Original version of the later famous single; B-side to "Brain Stew/Jaded Brain Stew/Jaded Vinyl Box Set-Other versions:"Brain Stew"* A live version featured on Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking. * Another live version on Bullet in a Bible.... " |
| "J.A.R. J.A.R. "J.A.R." is a song by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Angus in 1995. The acronym stands for 'Jason Andrew Relva', a childhood friend of Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt. Jason Relva died at the age of 19 on April 18, 1992 as the result of injuries... " |
2:52 | Featured on the soundtrack for the film Angus; released as its own single in 1995 |
Gapless track, seamlessly transitioning into the following song.
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Billboard 200 | 2 |
| 1995 | Canadian RPM Albums Chart | 4 |
Singles
| Year | Song | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Airplay Hot 100 Airplay The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard... |
US Mod Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
US Main Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
CAN Alt Canadian rock/alternative chart The Canadian rock/alternative chart was first published on June 11, 1995 by RPM magazine under the name Alternative 30. The song which held the number-one spot on this first chart was "More Human than Human" by White Zombie... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1995 | "Geek Stink Breath Geek Stink Breath "Geek Stink Breath" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the first single from their fourth album, Insomniac. The lyrics tell of the effects of methamphetamine on the human body.-History, lyrics, and composition:... " |
27 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 1 | 16 |
| 1995 | "Stuck with Me Stuck With Me "Stuck with Me" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the second single from their fourth album, Insomniac. The song is about being too weak and too much of a push-over to stand up for yourself... " |
— | — | — | — | — | 24 |
| 1996 | "Brain Stew/Jaded Brain Stew/Jaded Vinyl Box Set-Other versions:"Brain Stew"* A live version featured on Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking. * Another live version on Bullet in a Bible.... " |
35 | 3 | 8 | 35 | 1 | 28 |
| 1996 | "Walking Contradiction Walking Contradiction "Walking Contradiction" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the fourth and final single from their fourth album Insomniac. The song reached number 21 on the Modern Rock Tracks in August 1996.... " |
70 | 21 | 25 | — | 19 | — |
Personnel
- Billie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
– lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Mike DirntMike DirntMichael Ryan Pritchard is an American musician, best known as the bassist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the American Rock band Green Day. While at school, he would play "air-bass." While pretending to pluck the strings, he made the noise, "dirnt, dirnt, dirnt"...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Tré CoolTre CoolFrank Edwin Wright III, a.k.a. Tré Cool, is an American drummer, best known as the drummer for the punk rock band Green Day. He replaced the group's former drummer John Kiffmeyer in 1990...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- Rob CavalloRob CavalloRob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
; Green Day – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s - Kevin Army – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Jerry FinnJerry FinnJerry Finn was an American record producer. He was perhaps best known for his work with Blink-182, as well as Morrissey, AFI, Bad Religion, Alkaline Trio, MxPx, Rancid, Green Day, Sum 41 and The Offspring.-Death:...
– mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Richard Huredia; Bernd Burgdorf – additional engineers
- Winston SmithWinston Smith (artist)Winston Smith is an artist who primarily uses the medium of collage. He is probably best known for the artwork he has produced for the American punk rock group Dead Kennedys...
– cover art - Dirk Walter - art direction
- David Harlan - typographic design
In popular culture
- The song "Westbound Sign" was used in the teaser trailer for the Disney/Pixar film CarsCars (film)Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
. - The title "Bab's Uvula Who?" comes from a 1976 SNL sketch with Gilda RadnerGilda RadnerGilda Susan Radner was an American comedian and actress, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1978.-Early life:...
and Chevy ChaseChevy ChaseCornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
. - "86" was featured in the 1996 MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
film Joe's ApartmentJoe's ApartmentJoe's Apartment is a 1996 musical-serio-comedy film starring Jerry O'Connell and Megan Ward and the first film produced by MTV Films. It was based on a 1992 short film first made for MTV , but was also inspired by both the 1987 Japanese film Gokiburi-tachi No Tasogare and...
. - The songs "Geek Stink Breath", "Brain Stew", and "Jaded" are featured in the music game Green Day: Rock BandGreen Day: Rock BandGreen Day: Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and distributed by Electronic Arts. It is the fifth major console release in the Rock Band music video game series and, like other games in the series, it allows players to simulate the playing of...
.