Now that I think of it, that first tag line in the title, "Billie Joe Does Broadway", sort of reminds me of a certain porn movie title of a slightly different name... however, we won't go there... but it does bring quite some food for the mind. This topic is making quite a buzz in the media world.
Billie Joe Armstrong, frontman for Green Day, actually made his debut on Broadway. Even before the curtain rose for American Idiot at Manhattan’s St. James Theater, (no pun intended here - that is the actual name of the theater), an announcer listed the house rules and then added, “By the way, the role of St. Jimmy will be played by Billie Joe Armstrong.” Needless to say, the roar from the crowd that followed may have been the loudest in Broadway history for a person who was was stand-in.
Armstrong played the character of St. Jimmy, the evil influence on the punky protagonist Jesus of Suburbia (played by John Gallagher Jr.). Billie Joe was filling in for Broadway veteran Tony Vincent (who is on short leave for a family matter) for eight performances. According to reviews and feedback, not only did the show get a favorable thumbs up, but apparently Armstrong was a decent actor as well as a dancer, the latter of which surprised many people.
The show was also a first on another front - it was the first punk / alternative rock album to be made into a Broadway show. It joins some impressive company like The Who's "Tommy" in regards to a "rock opera" of sorts to actually make it to Broadway. Who would've thought when American Idiot was released that it would actually go this far?
Some people say it's because the holidays are right around the corner, others are saying it's because it's the end of the year and it will be a case of "one-up-man-ship". Whatever the reason, I really don't care! October as well as the following months are setting up to be a cool time for a variety of new releases from a number of bands. Everybody and their brother seems to be up to speed regarding the new stuff from Weezer and Kings of Leon. Here's a short list of bands that will be releasing new stuff very soon;
- My Chemical Romance
- The Cold War Kids
- My Morning Jacket
- Gold Panda
... and there's more on the horizon.
Lastly, I felt a little aged by this bit. A listener emailed me and said, "Hey... you're almost 50 (thanks pal), but do you remember this? Not only was this almost 30 years ago (28 to be exact) but also the fact that Joe Strummer is now in rock n' roll heaven. It was on this date back in 1982 that The Clash played Shea Stadium as part of their farewell tour.
If you now feel a "little old"... good. Welcome to the club, we have jackets.
Until next time, keep listening!
Peace out,
Dave
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