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Green Day — most recently in the news for their eigth album 21st Century Breakdown and nationwide tour — is comprised of lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, (born February 17, 1972 in Rodeo, California) Mike Dirnt (born Michael Pritchard on May 4, 1972 in Berkley, California), and Tré Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright III on December 9, 1972 in Willits, California).

While still in their teens, Armstrong and Dirnt formed the beginnings of Green Day with a band called The Sweet Children, later assuming their current name in the late 80's after a song written by the band (a "green day" is a day spent smoking marijuana).

They were later joined by Tré Cool in 1991 with the departure of original band member, Al Sobrante, and began to tour nationally while recording under the punk label, Lookout! Records.

Later signing with the Reprise label, Green Day released their breakthrough Dookie in 1994 when MTV began devoting heavy air time to the album's related hits such as Welcome to Paradise.

That same year, the band also made headlines with a live performance at the '94 Woodstock festival, spawning a genuine moment in the history of punk rock - a mud-flinging contest between band and audience.

Since then, Green Day has released several more albums - Insomniac in 1995, Nimrod in 1997 and Warning in 2000 - but all never reached the success of their first album until the much-awaited American Idiot, for which the band won a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.

Their anti-war anthem Wake Me Up When September Ends later become a theme associated with Hurricane Katrina fund raising events. The song was nominated for Best Rock Video at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, following a total 7 Green Day VMA wins the year before.

The group has also enjoyed several wins at the MTV Europe Music Awards, another for Favorite Group at the People's Choice Awards, and took home The Record of the Year Award for Boulevard Of Broken Dreams at the 2006 Grammy Awards.

Their lastest hit single and video is "Know Your Enemy" from their upcoming new album, 21st Century Breakdown, an 18-song rock opera schedule for release on May 15, 2009.

In conjuction with the release of their eigth album, the band also announced a nationwide tour kicking off in Seattle, Washington in July later heading to UK and European venues in October.

A planned musical, based on their first mega-hit album, "American Idiot", is also slated to open in September 2009 at the Berkeley Repertory Theater in California, staged by Broadway musical director Michael Mayer.

Green Day - The official site, featuring the latest news and tour information, video and audio clips, a picture gallery of live and TV performances, wallpapers, Windows icons, ringtones, fan club details and related links.

GreenDay.net - The Official Fan Site - Huge community offering the latest postings on live and TV appearances, recent chart positions, tour schedule info, messageboard and chat room, picture galleries, video and audio clips, lyrics, band history and biographies, Green Day factoids and trivia, an online store and related links to media sitings and magazine articles.

GreenDayVideos.com - Extensive QuickTime video library dating from 1990 to the present, plus picture gallery archive with TV shots, backstage passes, autograph scans, concert reviews, video clip and guitar tabs, related links.

The Green Day Authority - Loyal fan base with constant updates, a comprehensive archive of Green Day facts and trivia, band member biographies, quotes, picture gallery, awards list, song meanings, video and audio clips, tour dates and upcoming TV appearances, related links.

Green Day News - Links to the latest headline news and related feature stories from various sources around the Web.

Green Day Lyrics - Great collection of lyrics to major hits sorted by Most Popular or in a complete list, related links.

Green Day - Wikipedia - The complete hyperlinked history of the band with discography, downloadable sample of Basket Case, and a good collection of related links.

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