Insomniac (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Insomniac
Type = studio
Artist = Green Day


Released = October 10 1995
Recorded = April–June 1995
Genre = Punk rock
Length = 32:55
Label = Reprise
Producer = Green Day, Rob Cavallo
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:xme097lkkr5t~T1 link]
*"Entertainment Weekly" (B) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,299202,00.html link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/6167/albums/album/304759 link]
*"Robert Christgau" (A-)
Last album = "Dookie"
(1994)
This album = "Insomniac"
(1995)
Next album = "Nimrod"
(1997)

"Insomniac" is the fourth studio album from the punk rock band Green Day. It was released on October 10, 1995, through the Reprise Records label. Though it reached number two in the United States and went double Platinum (According to the RIAA) [ [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS RIAA Certificates for "Insomniac"] ] by 1996, "Insomniac" did not have the sales endurance of its predecessor, "Dookie", largely due to its slightly darker lyrical tone and more abrasive sound. [Green Day: Behind the Music]

Background

In 1995, a new single for the "Angus" soundtrack was released, titled "J.A.R.". The single went straight to number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was followed by "Insomniac," which was released in the fall of 1995. "Insomniac" opened to a warm critical reception, earning four out of five stars from "Rolling Stone", which said "In punk, the good stuff actually unfolds and gains meaning as you listen without sacrificing any of its electric, haywire immediacy. And Green Day are as good as this stuff gets." [Coleman, Mark. "Insomniac." "Rolling Stone." November 1995.]

Before the name 'Insomniac', the band considered the naming the album "Tight Wad Hill" (After the thirteenth track of the album) and "Jesus Christ Supermarket" (Billie Joe later said that his biggest regret was "That we didn't name "Insomniac" "Jesus Christ Supermarket"). After visiting collage artist Winston Smith for the album cover, Billie Joe Armstrong asked him how he managed to make such intricate pieces in such short times. Smith answered, "It's easy for me. I am an insomniac." [ [http://www.winstonsmith.com/gallery/book2/big/insomniac.html Winston Smith Gallery: God Told Me to Skin You Alive (Insomniac), 1995 ] ]

Cover art

The collage on the album cover was created by Winston Smith [http://www.winstonsmith.com/] and is called God Told Me to Skin You Alive, a reference to a song by the Dead Kennedys. Interestingly enough, the cover art contains an image (the dentist) that was originally used in a collage featured in the inside cover art of Dead Kennedys' album "Plastic Surgery Disasters". Smith knew Tré Cool from Green Day's time at Lookout! Records and told Tré that if he ever needed album artwork that he should call him. [Tre & Winston http://www.winstonsmith.com/gallery/book2/big/insomniac.html] The cover art features several hidden
Hidden images in Winston Smith's "God Told Me to Sking You Alive" http://www.winstonsmith.com/gallery/book2/big/insomniac.html] There are also three skulls on the entire album cover and back; one for each member of Green Day. One of the skulls requires you to view the piece at an angle. The hidden skull is taken from Hans Holbein's 1533 painting 'The Ambassadors'. [Green Day in Winston Smith's "God Told Me to Sking You Alive" http://www.winstonsmith.com/gallery/book2/big/insomniac.html] Green Day's version, however, is slightly different then the original, with the woman holding Billie Joe's original blue Fernandez instead of an acoustic guitar. [Winston Smith's "God Told Me to Sking You Alive" http://www.winstonsmith.com/gallery/book2/big/insomniac.html]

Track listing

All tracks by Billie Joe Armstrong (lyrics) and Green Day (music), except where noted.
# "Armatage Shanks" – 2:17
# "Brat" – 1:43
# "Stuck with Me" – 2:16
# "Geek Stink Breath" – 2:15
# "No Pride" – 2:20
# "Bab's Uvula Who?" – 2:07
# "86" – 2:48
# "Panic Song" (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt) – 3:35
# "Stuart and the Ave." – 2:04
# "Brain Stew" – 3:13
# "Jaded" – 1:30
# "Westbound Sign" – 2:13
# "Tight Wad Hill" – 2:01
# "Walking Contradiction" – 2:31

B-sides and outtakes

In popular culture

*The song "Westbound Sign" is used for the teaser trailer for the Disney/Pixar picture "Cars".
*The title, "Babs' Uvula Who?" comes from a 1976 SNL sketch with Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase. [SNL Transcripts: Elliot Gould: 05/29/76: Babs' Uvula http://snltranscripts.jt.org/75/75vuvula.phtml]
*The song "86" was featured in the MTV film Joe's Apartment. "86" plays in the montage when Joe is trying different jobs. 1996 Joe's Apartment.

Personnel

* Billie Joe Armstrong – vocals, guitars
* Mike Dirnt – bass, backing vocals
* Tré Cool – drums

Production

* Producers: Green Day, Rob Cavallo
* Engineer: Kevin Army
* Mixer: Jerry Finn
* Second Engineers: Richard Huredia, Bernd Burgdorf
* Cover design: Winston Smith
* Drum tech: Mike "Sack" Fasano Mike Fasano
* Guitar tech: Mr. C Steffes
* Project coordination: Cheryl Jenets

References