The Network Drops ‘Trans Am’ EP & Announces New Album

Just last month, the not-Green-Day-side-band The Network made their perfectly timed comeback. Now, after weeks of teasing, the conspiratorial band just released an EP and announced a full album to follow. Their new Trans Am EP includes four songs; on December 4th, we’ll get more with their album Money Money 2020 Pt II: We Told Ya So!

They made the announcement today:

Back in 2003 we, The Network, warned mankind of the fate they would meet in the year 2020.

To no surprise 2020 is upon us and it looks exactly as our prophecy predicted.

As one final warning on December 4th 2020 we will release “Money Money 2020 Pt II: We Told Ya So!”

We are at Threat Level Midnight.

For now, hop in and set your transistors to the Trans Am EP, out everywhere now.

Trans Am EP

Trans Am is a 10-minute collection of spacey goodness. The first – and title – track sets the tone with those futuristic synths and carefree claps. Mike Dirnt – ahem, that is, Van Gough – sings the mid-tempo track. While it sounds like a strange love song, the one who’s really driving him mad is… a car.

“Trans Am” comes with a new music video. In a thoroughly confusing collection of clips, we see a reptilian man and his car, a woman on the run, another woman who seems interstellar and powerful, and a presumably villainous older man. The whole video plays like a movie trailer, complete with memorable quotes and flashed praise from early reviewers.

Next on the EP is “Flat Earth,” sung by The Snoo. This song is somehow more synth-heavy and features a stomping beat. But as good as the music is, the lyrics are the true highlight here. The whole song is an ode to The Network’s (erroneous) belief that Earth, Mars, and every other planet are all flat. In the chorus he sings, “If you think the world is round then you’re probably a moron.” Simply hilarious.

Track #3 is the first to feature Billie Joe… I mean, Fink on lead vocals. “Fentanyl” adopts the vibe of a 1980s dance number, while Fink sings with some excessive vocal effects. His vocals are actually really nice here, and in fact the whole song sounds like, well, a real song. This the most musically legit track here, and the most qualified to enjoy with all seriousness.

Finally, the Trans Am EP ends with “Ivankkka Is A Nazi,” which The Network previously released on November 2nd. It starts with creepy music and robotic vocals provided by The Snoo. Following an instrumental breakdown, Fink sings the rest of the song. This has by far the most politically relevant and pointed lyrics on the EP. In addition to identifying the Trumps as white supremacists and fascists, it also calls attention to the children kept in cages at the US-Mexico border. This is a great song.

You can stream or buy the Trans Am EP from all the major music providers here.

Money Money 2020 Pt II: We Told Ya So!

In two weeks, The Network will release their long-awaited second album, Money Money 2020 Pt II: We Told Ya So! While the band didn’t share the tracklist or cover art, we do have some ideas of what songs it will bring.

The title track is likely “We Told Ya So!,” which we heard part (or all?) of in The Network’s October 29th “The Prophecy” post.

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We’re also expecting to hear this “Threat Level” song in full:

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Finally, don’t forget “Tarantula”!

The new album comes out on December 4th.

Green Day’s Side Bands

Back in 2003, The Network was Green Day’s first side band. If you haven’t heard it already, or recently, be sure to listen to Money Money 2020 soon before the band releases their new music.

Between American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day’s next side band (and the first one they formally acknowledged) was Foxboro Hot Tubs. That group released the album Stop Drop And Roll!!! in 2008, and their song “Fuck Time” ended up becoming a Green Day song on their very Foxboro trilogy album ¡Dos! in 2012.

Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt are in the covers band called The Coverups, formed in 2018. Further, all three members of Green Day have recorded and toured in other side projects of their own. Billie has been in the bands Pinhead Gunpowder and, more recently, The Longshot. Mike has played in The Frustrators; Tré Cool has played in the “Icelandic death metal” band Dead Mermaids.

More from Green Day

Early this year, Green Day released their album Father Of All… It features the singles “Father Of All…,” “Fire, Ready, Aim,” “Oh Yeah!,” and “Meet Me On The Roof.” It’s a fun and straightforward record, weaving in elements of Motown along with Green Day’s brand of punk rock. While it’s not their strongest or most ambitious release (see instead American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown, and the trilogy), it is refreshingly carefree and fast-paced.

Then, surprising fans everywhere, Green Day put out an EP at the beginning of April. The “Otis Big Guitar Mix” EP features alternate versions of three trilogy songs. Sure, the trilogy came out 8 years ago, but it’s never too late for more goodies from it, right? Hear new mixes of “Lazy Bones,” “Wild One,” and “Oh Love.”

Billie Joe spent much of this year releasing covers of songs. Next week, he’ll release them all together in the album No Fun Mondays, due on November 27th. See the full tracklist for No Fun Mondays:

1. I Think We’re Alone Now
2. War Stories
3. Manic Monday
4. Corpus Christi
5. That Thing You Do!
6. Amico
7. You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory
8. Kids In America
9. Not That Way Anymore
10. That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll
11. Gimme Some Truth
12. Whole Wide World
13. Police On My Back
14. A New England

Note that Green Day’s cover of “Dreaming” (originally by Blondie) will not appear on the album.

Hella Mega Tour

Next year, Green Day plans to embark on their Hella Mega Tour, co-headlining with Fall Out Boy and Weezer. COVID-19 forced them to postpone all dates to 2021. Let’s hope that the pandemic will be over in time for the tour to happen!

Tickets for the Hella Mega Tour are on sale now. Be sure to get tickets before it’s too late! Some dates have already sold out, so don’t wait!

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Enjoy The Network’s new Trans Am EP, and remember that there’s more where that came from. After Billie Joe releases his No Fun Mondays album on November 27th, The Network will share Money Money 2020 Pt II: We Told Ya So! on December 4th. Keep checking back here for all the latest music news.