{"id":14085,"date":"2020-12-03T05:00:36","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T05:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=14085"},"modified":"2020-12-02T16:18:25","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T16:18:25","slug":"billie-joe-armstrong-no-fun-mondays-warner-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=14085","title":{"rendered":"Billie Joe Armstrong – ‘No Fun Mondays’ (Warner Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>This year has been a downright catastrophe with the pandemic stopping live music and seeing us in lockdowns which have stopped us from seeing family and friends and indeed our favourite artists.<\/p>\n

Back in march, Billie Joe Armstrong set out to brighten things up a bit with the Green Day frontman putting out cover versions of songs he loved via the Green Day Youtube channel.<\/p>\n

I personally loved this as it was something to look forward to each week and lighten the mood in these dark times.<\/p>\n

So what we have here is a release of these songs as a physical document of these timeless tunes Billie decided to put his own spin on.<\/p>\n

The album starts off with \u201cI think we\u2019re alone now\u201d by \u201cTommy James and the Shondells\u201d and in fairness, it\u2019s a great version given the power-pop treatment.<\/p>\n

Next up we have \u201cWar stories\u201d and this is another tune I really enjoyed and I can\u2019t recollect hearing the original by the group Starjet.<\/p>\n

\u201cManic Monday\u201d is a song that I would be very surprised if anybody had not heard before as the original by the bangles has to be one of the most played songs on the radio. Billy does a great version here with him taking the track in a much more guitar orientated direction and the track sounds all the better for it, we are even treated to a guest appearance by Susanna Hoffs of the bangles.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorpus Christi\u201d \u201cThat thing you do\u201d and \u201cAmico\u201d are enjoyable tracks and keeps the album going nicely.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t put your arm around a memory\u201d is a track that this reviewer holds very close to his heart as the original by the one and only legend that is \u201cJohnny Thunders\u201d is a true classic in every sense of the word and in fairness to Billie he does a cracking version of a timeless tune.<\/p>\n

\u201cKids in America\u201d is another tune that will be very familiar to listeners as the original by Kim Wilde is still played on the radio a lot to this day and Billie again turns his guitar up and turns this pop classic into a power-pop gem.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that way anymore\u201d is another song this reviewer holds in high esteem as the original was written by Stiv Bators and Frank Secich and is one of my all-time favourite tunes and Billie yet again delivers with a great version that he puts his own unique stamp on.<\/p>\n