Green day - guitarist and lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, bass player Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool - have rewritten the rules of rock at least twice in a single decade. When they first exploded onto the scene, they rewrote the rule that said punk was dead. And when they made their monumental comeback with the rallying cry "American Idiot," they rewrote the rule that said Green Day was dead. In this in-depth look at what drives one of America's most beloved rock bands - who they are, where they came from, and where they're going - rock journalist Marc Spitz goes deeper than ever before to reveal singular and fascinating insight into what makes this band tick.<BR>Drawing on exclusive interviews conducted with the band during the recording of the American Idiot album, and behind-the-scenes observations and conversations during their sold-out world tour (as well as interviews with their fellow musicians, family, friends, and enemies), Marc Spitz closely charts Green Day's evolution from their boyhood to their start in the Northern California punk rock scene, to the release of Dookie at a time when the commercial prospects for a young, loud trio seemed limitless, to their reemergence into the musical consciousness with a barrier-smashing, politically confrontational rock opera that raised the bar for punk rock itself. Also here is the ultimate underdog story, an insider glimpse into the private live behind the music, and a look at the creative process that lies at the heart of Green Day, as well as insight ingot their most popular songs.