Green Day Reflect on the 25th Anniversary of 'Dookie'

By Katrina Nattress

February 2, 2019

On February 1, 1994 Billie Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt's lives changed forever. They just didn't know it yet.

On that date a punk band called Green Day released its third album, Dookie!, and 25 years later that trio from the East Bay is not only still making music, but is one of the biggest bands in the world. On Friday (February 1) the members all reflected on their breakthrough record's big birthday. The Billie Joe got introspective, sharing a lengthy Instagram post where he hints at the band planning something special for "the big D" anniversary, and reflects on the personal whirlwind that came with success, from "Wild nights in Barcelona.. having a lot of uncertainty about our future but not giving a s**t," to "Wanting and dreading to be a rock star.. if that’s even possible" and "stress stress stress!!"

Tré had a shorter message, geared towards the haters. “The album that changed my life forever is 25 years old today!" he wrote. "Dookie! came out (no pun intended) Feb 1 1994 disproving those who jawed about punk being dead or not being appealing on a commercial scale. Well… F**k y’all. We’re still here.”

Mike also had a short message, letting fans in on a fun fact about their fourth album, Insomniac. “Remember that time 25yrs ago we put out a record and called it Dookie!" he wrote. "Well, believe it or not, Insomniac was almost named Donkie just to f**k with people!!!”

Check out all the band members' tributes to Dookie! below.

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Random thoughts and gratitude for the 25 year anniversary of the big D: We wanted to think of something special to do but we couldn’t quite come up with anything.. Maybe play the record in its entirety at the pyramids in Egypt. Or jam it Machu Picchu ? Exclusive in Viggiano.? Never quite came to fruition.. But never despair. 2019 still has time.. Dookie makes me think about Berkeley a lot. Our house on Ashby and Ellsworth a block from telegraph avenue. Living in a basement with a band called East Bay Weed Company. Our friend Ben Mattick... socialist college girls living up stairs. Coming up with she and coming clean. Riding bikes and bong hits. Turning 21. Pete’s Wicked Ale. Hysterical laughter. Maniacal laughter. Butterball turkey. “The Ashby house” was our little punk house. I would write songs all night and wake up at 2:00 pm. Have a bagel and a coffee on the front steps.. debilitating panic attacks.. my guitar, my Marshall, my 4 track tape recorder. Weird A &R dudes sniffing around. Eventually Meeting producer Rob Cavallo.. we learned so much from him. Playing Beatles songs over and over... Richie Bucher’s amazing ep cover he did for a band called Raúl inspired us to ask him to do the cover art for Dookie. Mike’s G3 bass. Tre’s Noble coolly snare... driving in my old Ford Fairlane hearing Longview on the radio for the first time. Blair Hess. our first show in Italy at a place called in bloom. Wild nights in Barcelona.. having a lot of uncertainty about our future but not giving a shit. Wanting and dreading to be a rock star.. if that’s even possible.. Local punk scene backlash... Fist fights at Gilman street... stress stress stress!! You have to have gratitude for the bad and the ugly too.. Well... that’s the random thoughts I have for now... I hope people keep listening.. cause we’ll keeping playing... love BJ

A post shared by Billie Joe Armstrong (@billiejoearmstrong) on

Photo: Getty Images

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