10 Music Side Projects Better Than The Main Band
5. The Network
Absolutely no band wants to find themselves where Green Day was at the turn of the '00s.
Coming off of the critically mixed album Warning, their attempt to return to their pop punk roots with Cigarettes and Valentines was stolen from their recording studio, leaving only a few of their demo tapes to survive. While they made the absolute best out of a bad situation with American Idiot, they did decide to have a little bit of fun with the Network.
Despite everything they say about them having no association, The Network is one of the most interesting side projects made by a mainstream act. Rather than the usual snotty punk rock that you've been used to, this is practically the sound of Green Day wanting to make a Devo record.
Giving each member a chance to shine, each of these songs feels like they were written by Mark Mothersbaugh, even going so far as to have that stuttering vocal delivery on songs like Supermodel Robots and Roshambo.
It's also understandable why Green Day didn't pursue this any further though, considering the mammoth success of American Idiot just a few years later. Then again, if you're in the market for some vintage '80s cheese, this will definitely send you on a wild ride.