Tré Cool reflects on the show that “changed Green Day’s lives”

The drummer chose an infamous festival from the mid-90s as a turning point for the punk band

Tré Cool has reflected on the set that “changed Green Day’s lives” as the band continue to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their seminal album, ‘Dookie’.

The record was released in February 1994 and, months later, the band would perform some of its tracks during an appearance at Woodstock ’94. That performance was released on vinyl as part of this year’s Record Store Day.

The drummer recently looked back on the event as he appeared on the Member Guest podcast alongside Linkin Park bassist Dave Farrell. “’94 Woodstock was a complete shit show,” Cool said. “It was a Pepsi-sponsored thing, it was, like, worldwide televised pay-per-view and all that stuff, and every band of significance was there. It was crazy.

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“And of course people start going around the fence and sneaking in, and it kind of became mayhem. And then bad weather came and it was raining like crazy and the whole place became a mud pit. It was pretty chaotic, and set up really well for Green Day to take the stage and make all hell break loose.”

He recalled the moment a mud fight began, with fans throwing dirt onstage and the band responding in kind. “It got all chaotic,” the drummer said. “We kept trying to play, but Billie [Joe Armstrong] was getting mud hitting his guitar and Mike [Dirnt] was getting it on his bass and hitting him. Luckily my drum set was just far enough back where I was less in harm’s way… It was punk as fuck, and nobody expected that to happen.”

He went on to say the festival set had been a turning point for the band. “It was a crazy set – a set that changed our whole lives, really,” he explained. “After that day, tons of people were showing up at our shows. That was kind of the pivot moment – that was the green jacket moment for this band.”

Earlier this year, the punk band sparked a backlash after they announced the release of their first book, Last Of The American Girls. The graphic novel was described as “an inspiring homage and handbook for the rebellious everywoman who refuses to capitulate.”

However, fans on social media argued that it wasn’t appropriate for white men to write that “handbook”.

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“Boys, I love u with all of my heart and would happily take SEVERAL bullets for you, but don’t you think the main ‘rule’ to being an independent woman in punk should be to, well, not be told how to live their lives by men who have no experience in what its like to live as a woman?” wrote one fan on Twitter.

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