My Green Day Experiences

My First Green Day Experience:
The first time I met Green day was nothing compared to the second time but it still meant something. They were signing autographs at a record store here in Rochester the day of their show. So anyways it was May 15,1997, 4 days before my birthday and my Dad had taken me to see them. When I first saw Billie Joe I couldn’t breathe or talk. So seeing as though I couldn’t say much because I was in aw, I didn’t talk to Billie very much. So he signed one of my shirts then went to go take pictures with these little girls who were pretending to cry. But next was Mike, and oh my God is he beautiful. But anyways he signed my shirt that I brought and the shirt I was wearing and I talked to him a little but not much. Then I saw Tre’ and he was talking to some security guard and I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to sign my shirts and he tapped me on my shoulder and was like “Sure I can sign your shirts”. So he signed them and we talked about Samiam because they were on tour with them. And then, I was pushed away from him by the line that was forming in back of me. That’s about all for meeting them, but later that night I went to their concert and it was a typical Nimrod concert with Billie in his thong and stuff. It was a good night all together. I still sleep with the one tee shirt that they all signed and it’d never been washed. It’s very nasty smelling and looking but I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

My Second Green Day Experience:
This topped my first time meeting them by a lot. Although, I didn’t get to talk to Billie I was still never happier before in my life. So anyways this time it was the day of the Warped Tour in Buffalo on July 19, 2000. Like, an hour before Green Day was supposed to go on I saw Billie walking around behind the Motocross stuff right where I was standing. So I started following him trying to get close enough for me to yell his name and when I finally did he turned in look and waved but he wouldn’t come over. Then them actually playing started off bad because I had front row of the wrong stage and while I was watching Suicide Machines, who were (I thought) before Green Day I heard that they were playing on the opposite stage. So I just left and ran all the way over to the other stage and their stuff was being set up. And being as small as I am I pushed through as many people as I could and I could only get to the middle of the crowd. So I only got to actually see them a couple times but I had a whole lot of fun.

I was upset with the fact that I didn’t get the front like I had been planning for so long, but we were the last people to leave at like 10:00. And then my dad decided to stop at a truck stop. And we were eating at Burger King and me and my four friends noticed the bass player from Suicide Machines come in I didn’t think any other band was there but there were tons of security guards there from the show that I recognized. So anyways my dad and me were walking out and I was wearing my friends Misfits shirt because mine was all wet (thank god) and this security guy goes “You know who would love that shirt, the bass player from Green Day”. And I was like “Oh my god is he here”. And I went on and on about how much I loved them so he went out and was going to go get him off his bus to come meet me. And then he talked to his bus over the radio and they said Mike and Tre were sleeping. So I started to walk back, all sad because I didn’t get to meet them again and two of my friends came running out to tell me that they just shook Mike and Tre’s hand inside. So I ran in and they were standing in line talking to only a couple people because not too many people were there to notice them. So I started to talk to Mike and Tre and Mike was just so incredibly sweet to me because he realized how much I loved him. So Tre ended up giving Mike his money and order and left after I got their autographs on the back of my receipt. And I continued to talk to Mike and we talked about my room and that’s when he realized I was like their biggest fan, and he said “I really shouldn’t do this but.” and then he pulled a pick out of his pocket and told he it was their only pick they had left on the bus and they had all been jamming with it on the bus earlier, and then he gave it to me. I thought I’d pee my pants right there. So he showed me a bunch of hand shakes and he taught me this one important one and then on my first try I got it right and he got so happy and said I was the only one to get it right one the second try. So we talked about the album and stuff and he talked to my boyfriend and my friends about bands on and off the Warped Tour. My dad went and bought a camera because we had used up the one we had on the Suicide Machines and Mike took a picture with me and I asked him to come to Rochester for their next tour. The he gave me a hug and we left. I was such a mess after that…but I’ve never been happier. Later my friends told me they saw Billie out by the bus and they called to him to see if they could get him to see me but he ran onto the bus. In a way I lost a little respect for Billie Joe that night but I gained a ton for Mike. He had always been my favorite and it was a total dream come true for him to be that sweet. I still admire Billie and love him because I can understand in a way about the whole popularity thing and how he hates that. Once again, my Dad helped make the best day of my life.

Email: trebjmyk@aol.com