Green Day’s fourth studio album, Insomniac, turned 25 on October 10, and the Californian punk superstars have marked the anniversary by announcing a special vinyl reissue of the album featuring bonus live tracks. They’ve also released previously unseen footage from the European leg of their world tour supporting the album.
Footage of the trio clowning around in continental dressing rooms before smashing through singles Geek Stink Breath, Walking Contradiction and Brain Stew onstage in front of thousands of delirious fans now seems rather poignant at a time when the return of live gigs is as far away as ever.
“We wanted to do something special, so here is the biggest glimpse ever into the Insomniac era tours from 1995-96,” the band say. “Never before seen footage from Europe 95 tour and Live concert in Prague shot on 16mm film in Europe 1996 with the fateful last shows on tour before returning home to go back into the studio for Nimrod album sessions. Enjoy! Time to celebrate Insomniac 25th and bust out the champagne and caviar.”
Tracks from the band’s March 26, 1996 show at the Malá Sportovní Hala in Prague will feature on the forthcoming double-disc Insomniac reissue, which is being pressed on translucent orange vinyl. The album is available to pre-oder, although the trio caution, “Just note, due to COVID-19 production delays, vinyl will not ship until early 2021.”
Ahead of this reissue, on November 27, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong is releasing a compilation of cover versions. The No Fun Mondays album was recorded during lockdown, and features Green Day’s frontman tackling songs by The Bangles (Manic Monday), John Lennon (Gimme Some Truth), Billy Bragg (A New England), Kim Wilde (Kids In America), Johnny Thunders (You Can’t Put Your Arms Round A Memory) and more.
