Perry Farrell Tried To Keep “Boy Band” Green Day Off 1994 Lollapalooza Lineup

A newly published book, LOLLAPALOOZA: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock’s Wildest Festival, by Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour, recounts some wild stories from Lolla’s past, including festival founder Perry Farrell’s fight to keep Green Day off the 1994 lineup. Former Lollapalooza stage manager John Rubeli recalls, “I can’t think of a single time that Perry pushed back or vetoed a band — except for Green Day. … He was like, ‘They’re a boy band. I don’t want to book a boy band.’” Rubeli eventually convinced Farrell of Green Day’s Bay Area punk credentials, and the Jane’s Addiction frontman relented, “Okay, they can do half the tour, but I want the Boredoms on the other half.’” Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has a bitter recollection of the interaction, saying, “Perry was a fu**ing a**hole, straight up. Apparently, he thought that we were a band that was put together by [record executive] Mo Ostin at Warner Bros.” Despite initial tensions, Green Day went on to prove themselves and became one of the biggest bands from that lineup, which was headlined by The Smashing Pumpkins. (Consequence of Sound)