For some viewers, one of the unexpected highlights of last night’s Idol finale was surely Green Day’s performance of their new cover of what may well have been John Lennon’s finest solo tune, "Working Class Hero." It was a powerful rendition, restrained yet full of intensity — everything your average Idol moment ain’t, in other words. It even came with a good cause: Green Day recorded the song for Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur, an all-star compilation of new Lennon covers whose proceeds will go toward ending the ongoing genocide in Sudan. (The CD will be in stores June 12; you can already donate $0.99 by buying Green Day’s single or R.E.M.’s "#9 Dream" cover on iTunes. To raise even more money for Darfur, Green Day have designed a limited-edition "Working Class Hero" t-shirt available soon at Hard Rock Cafe.) You couldn’t have asked for a better proof that the show’s commitment to social justice extends beyond their special "Idol Gives Back" episode — or that Green Day are rapidly becoming this decade’s most eloquent protest musicians.
A few weeks back, I was able to sit in on a shoot for Green Day’s "Working Class Hero" music video in Brooklyn. Billie Joe and his bandmates weren’t there, unfortunately — they’d already filmed their scenes on the West Coast — but what I saw there was far more compelling than any lip-synched performance could have been. Director Sam Bayer, Amnesty International representatives, various crew members, and several survivors of the Darfur conflict had gathered in the spacious, light-filled studio. Grouped together in twos and threes, the refugees stepped before Bayer’s cameras to talk about the horrors that have befallen their homeland — truly harrowing stuff. "I’m lucky to escape to USA," Assad Doutoum, who left Darfur last September, told me after filming his part. "But I miss my wife, my family — my sister, my brother, my mother, my father — I don’t know exactly where they are now, [whether] they died. I wish by this project to send my message to all the people, to know what is happening in Darfur. It’s still happening now."
Later on, Bayer — an accomplished director whose long list of credits includes iconic videos from the ’90s (Nirvana’s "Smells Like Teen Spirit"; Blind Melon’s "No Rain"; Smashing Pumpkins’ "Bullet With Butterfly Wings") to the present day (all the videos for Green Day’s 2004 LP American Idiot; Justin Timberlake’s "What Goes Around…"), sat down for an exclusive on-set chat about Lennon’s legacy, honoring the survivors’ experiences, and why this clip could be his last.
PopWatch: How did you become involved with this project?
Sam Bayer: Well, I’ve worked with Green Day a bunch in thepast, and an old friend of mine from Warner Bros. came to me withthis. And as soon as they started talking about doing something to helpDarfur, I was in. If you can educate some people out there andentertain them at the same time, I think it’s a really good thing.
What’s this video going to look like when it’s done?
I look at this old John Lennon footage, like the sit-in in ‘68, and there’s very much a pseudo-documentary quality to thatstuff, like handheld 16mm film. So we’re doing the video in black andwhite, and I’m trying to keep the spirit of John Lennon in the footage.I think it’s got the feeling of something that could have been made inthe late ’60s, early ’70s — you know, when people gave a s— aboutchanging the world. And that I really mean.
How will today’s footage fit into the video?
I want to cut some of [the survivors'] stories into the video, andI want MTV to play this. We were choking up filming it. If I can getone soundbite — the guy that told me his father got killed in front ofhim was making me tear up. I think that this can be a really importantvideo. These people have a lot of courage.
How does making a video like this compare to making a typical pop video?
Oh, I mean, this is actually worthwhile. I’m trying to givesomething back. And it’s completely different. I want people to buy therecord, if people still buy records.
What else do you have coming up? I can’t imagine what it must be like to follow up this kind of project.
I think this will probably be the last music video I ever make.You’re asking me — it’s kind of impossible to go back. It’d be very hardto go back and do another music video after this.
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True. Green Day’s performance was soberly awesome, and the cause couldn’t be nobler.
The question is, will Americans be able to wrench them self away from the latest celeb-drama or reality TV spectacle to care?
Here’s to Billie Joe for trying.
Nice post, Fan. Unfortunately, I don’t have that much faith in my fellow Americans.
Remember, this was the same bunch that paused for all of about one month after 9/11. After that, they were back to cutting each other off in traffic and giving each other the finger.
I’m thinking Darfur isn’t high on the priority list. Hell, New Orleans isn’t high on the priority list, and that’s not on the other side of the ocean.
The most amazing band, ever. Americans are becoming more aware of the chaos we’ve created as well as the general chaos in a perpetually changing world. Happy that Green Day is one of the groups willing and able to “give back”. I may be in the minority, but I find most people, at least around me, give of their time, money and thoughts to making the world better.
Shame on Green Day. I will in no way support a band that openly attacks the President of my country and then asks me to support a cause that I am sure he is only a mouthpeice for. Watching Billy Joe sing “Working Class Hero” was a joke. He is the complete opposite of every blue collar worker in THIS COUNTRY. He is out of touch and hasn’t a clue.
Lennon believed in giving peace a chance. You call yourself a Lennon Lover yet you support our President? Talk about an oxymoron…
Lennon believed in giving peace a chance. You call yourself a Lennon Lover yet you support our President? Talk about an oxymoron…
I’ll clarify. I am crazy about John Lennon’s music and think he was a genius. But the adoration stops there because his call for peace and respect for the “working man” was hypocritical. He was just like every other liberal “artist” at the time, and we are simply seeing the same thing now. The only difference is men like John Lennon and Bob Dylan were talented. Green Day is awful and unoriginal. Calling the President an American Idiot is akin to a small child telling his parents he hates them because they won’t buy him his favortie toy.
Wow, Lennon Lover, I think I might have to respectfully disagree with you just a smidge. I think if anyone is out of touch, it would be our President.
75% of us oppose the war, over 80% of us oppose amnesty for illegal aliens, 70% of us are in favor of stem cell research. He is on the opposite side of all of these issues – and those are just three that I came up with off the top of my head.
Who is really out of touch?
And before you go getting snarky on me, Lennon Lover, let me just clarify that I am working class, I am a veteran, and I am a huge of neither John Lennon or Green Day.
Stop the squabbling. Unfortunately without celebrities who may or may not be simple mouthpieces for Darfur and other causes, we would not know about them. Aside from buying the single and/or CD, I hope this prompts people to do a little research on what’s going on outside our borders. Hate is a very powerful motivator.
Hey, Lennon Lover, no one is asking you to vote for Green Day or buy their records. They’re trying to raise money for a good cause. You don’t have to support that either.
And FYI – you don’t own blue collar. I was raised blue collar as were the members of Green Day. Feel free to support the president, but don’t feel free to speak for me.
My only complaint with the whole Darfur thing is that New Orleans is still in a total state of disrepair. I’m all for helping out globally, but I think we need to fix ourselves as well.
Your statistics are out of touch, Ron Mexico. I assume you frequent CNN and MSNBC for your information. Why is it that when celebrities begin endorsing causes, the American public chooses to support them? Why is it ok to support a cause like Darfur but not ok to support a cause that could keep our country safe from terrorists?
And for the 80% of you that oppose amnesty for illegal aliens (especially if you are blue collar); how did your family get here? The wave of Italian immigrants (both legal and illegal) in the 19th and 20th centuries exceeds anything we are seeing today. But yeah, let’s kick out of everyone who doesn’t belong here so they don’t drain our resources and meanwhile use said resources on other people in the world we consider more deserving.
Look – Green Day can do whatever they want because this is a free country. I just with they were more appreciative of that right.
And before I get yelled at: I think what is happening in Darfur, and lots of other places around the world, is heartbreaking. I just don’t understand why our country gets slammed for not supporting enough global causes and then slammed again for being too imperialistic.
And before I get yelled at: I think what is happening in Darfur, and lots of other places, is heartbreaking. I just don’t understand why our country gets slammed for not supporting certain global causes and slammed for at the same time for being too imperialistic.
I see, and you question my statistics based on what exactly? Did you poll every American yourself? And what is your rub with CNN and MSNBC? You didn’t mention Fox, so one can clearly assume that you get your information from there. And they are more accurate how exactly?
I doubt I will support this cause, because I feel that we need to take care of us first – again, take note of New Orleans.
As for the war, please tell me what terrorist or threat was in Iraq prior to the war! If Bush had put all of his resources in Afghanistan to pursue bin Laden, you wouldn’t hear a peep out of me about this.
Regarding your short-sighting comments on illegal immigration, you obviously live in an area that is not very impacted by it. Give it some time. Once your freeways, hospitals, and schools are overcrowded, your tune will change.
My intent was not to get into a political debate. I guess I just feel very strongly about bands like Green Day who implore me to support something but do not have the decency to at least question/challenge our President in a manner that resembles respect.
And Ron Mexico, I am actually from New Jersey but am currently in Baton Rouge, LA. I know what you are talking about, and agree to some extent. It isn’t just New Orleans that is hurting, either.
Again, I just see a guy like Billy Joe and think he is a large part of what is wrong with this country.
I apologize for getting so ramped up about this (where is Ep to mellow me out).
I’m no fan of W, and, as a veteran, I am offended by the manner in which he has utilized our military. I take particular exception to the fact that he has not really served (I don’t count his spotty Air Guard service during peace time), and yet there are kids dying daily for something that had nothing to do with the war on terror.
So, while I like a few of Green Day’s songs, I don’t really consider myself a fan. And I will certainly never be the guy to follow a celebrity cause.
But I fully back his criticism of this administration. No telling where this all ends if people don’t speak out.
I am a fan. There’s nothing in the constitution that requires anyone to treat the president with respect. Especially, if after watching him lose the popular vote in 2000, he got in by having connections that led to certain Supreme Court decisions.
Listen, Green Day is just a band (a great one IMO-that I alone seem to have). But what we seem to be arguing about is who we are as Americans and who we’ll be in the future. It’s important to figure it out and it scares everyone. But what makes us great is that every citizen who wants to contribute should speak out, even if the president doesn’t want to hear it. He’s just the temporary help. The rest of us are permanent, full time citizens. That’s why we all get crazy. It’s not Green Day, even if they rep something that drives “Lennonlover” crazy.
And just because I’m compulsive, here’s Billie Joe doing his bit in New Orleans too: http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=1904
ll lk dk
Green Day’s American Idiot was not disrespectful to our country or our president. It was an expression of our right to freedom of speech, which everyone claims to hold foremost in their beliefs, but then wants to inhibit the use of that right by those who disagree with their own views.
Billie Joe grew up in a blue collar family and his father died when he was 10. His father was an example of a working class hero, however, he, Mike and Tre, would have every right to record this even if they were born with trust funds. Trying to help others isn’t restricted to those who have gone without.
Green Day has always helped out their own community and country through their involvement in charitable events. Billie Joe and his entire family recently went to New Orleans to help build a house for Habitat for Humanity.
I admired John Lennon and I think he would be happy to know someone is trying to bring attention to those less fortunate than themselves.
Exactly, it wasn’t desrespectful at all. They were bashing bush.. yes. But I mean he REALLY is a idiot. so I give Green Day props on that!
.. They truley arethe greatest punk rock band in the world.. they are sooo amazing at what they do.. very sucessful. loooove Tre’s funny faces when he drums. I’m 14 and I have loves Green Day since I pretty much knew what good music was.. GRADE 2!! 
.. My parents didn’t like all the swearing.. but y’a know… they knew i was still going to like them when I got older.. SO TRUE! 
.. They are the greatest rock band of alltime!..
.. I miss all the songs about sex and stuff. Very good songs!! ..
I looove you Green Day! Kepp up your awesom work!
P.S — I know you’re maturing ALOT.. but please no TOO much
ok, well bye! love you guys!
xx_Kaatiee
green=nday rocks
Green Day did a very good thing just like when they played with Bono and U2 for hurricane Katrina. I agree that they hate Bush.
American Idiot was amazing. Period. The only reason people have any problem with it is because Green Day actually speak their minds.
Questioning and challenging authority has been our right from this country’s very beginning. Different people have used different media to do that.
American Idiot was no more disrespectful than 60’s & 70’s rock bands who challenged “the establishment” and the Vietnam war.(They were considered disrespectful for their time!) Are there other 50+ Green Day fans out there who remember those now considered classic “Golden Oldies.” Those early bands were limited in their lanquage usage, but the protest was there and they pushed the envelope as far as possible!
Countinue to question what our leaders are doing — oh by the way, watch the movie “Wag the Dog” with Dustin Hoffman. See any similarities.
Anyone who likes Green Day should learn about the Mike Gravel for President campaign. Mike Gravel is the *only* alternative to those “politics as usual, do nothing democrats” we have in the Senate today. Vote for Mike Gravel!
I think Billie Joe is a fine example of excellent fatherhood. I am a mother, and for my children, I speak out against the genocide in Sudan, and our current adminstration’s lack of care for African communities here and aboard. GO GREEN DAY! Also, for the record, I tend to listen to jazz. I just want to comment and applaud Green Day’s advocacy. There are doing a heck of lot more than Paul McCarthy is doing now.
How nice it is to see actually political and social debate in a place usually reserved for Paris Hilton, Fergie, and Anna Nicole Smith!
Whether or not we agree or disagree, at least I can rest well knowing that not everyone on here is some mindless celebrity-following lemming.
ok,
A. Lennon Lover, please, Green Day’s American Idiot isnt directed at the president in anyway. if you actually took the time to listen to the album, which i know you wont, you would understand the song better, but instead you judge the song and album on the media and talk youve heard about it. am i right so far?
B. Green Day is all for helping people, and yes, they dont believe in the president at all, but isnt that what freedom of speech is for?
and so what if the American public start to care about issues after its made public by a band? yes, it is sad the public doesnt care unless someone takes a stand and talks about it, but you cant honestly think people are just gonna wake up one day and go, “oh, i feel like saving Darfur today!” if that happened, maybe the cover wouldve never been done, and maybe Darfur would be better.
so basically what im saying is, you have no right to question what Green Day does, because i dont exactly see you doing anything about it!
haha Green Day Believer is such a stupid name. Good point though.