Lee Monkie Mind: “I dismissed them as being too poppy- I would later eat my words completely!”

We’re continuing our Punk Rock Philosophy series on the big influences behind your favourite contemporary punk musicians and in this instalment, Lee Wright (aka Lee Jalfrezi) from North East cheeky chappies Monkie Mind reflects on a certain Bay Area pop punk trio and what they have meant to him musically and personally…

Words I Might Have Ate

“I can specifically remember where and when it was that I first heard Green Day. I was around 16 years old and hanging out drinking at the back of a community centre. I remember this lass coming up to me and putting her headphones on me and saying ‘have you heard this punk band Green Day?’ She played me a track from ‘Dookie’ and my initial response was “that’s not real punk”! I dismissed it as being too poppy. At that time I was stubborn and listening to The Exploited and U.K. Subs etc so I was more into the gritty raw sound.  I would later eat my words and be completely addicted to all things Green Day a short while after!” 

Lee’s reaction to hearing the kings of pop punk for the first time is a reflection of the wider punk community’s response to the band throughout their career, but more specifically in the aftermath of their major label commercial smash hit album ‘Dookie’, released in 1994 by Reprise Records (a subsidiary of Warner Records). Their break from Larry Livermore’s legendary DIY label Lookout! Records- that had put out their first two albums- was part of a flurry of similar shifts in the US punk scene that saw a major label feeding frenzy hoovering up several names in the burgeoning pop punk scene. For punk purists, this was an unacceptable shift in values and Green Day have battled against the label of ‘sell out’ ever since. Although Lee may have put himself in that category of Green Day sceptic initially, the band’s infectious tunes proved to be irresistible and once Lee welcomed the pop into his musical life, there was no turning back:

“The appeal of Green Day’s music is in their melodies. They’re just so good at pulling heart strings through their clever song writing. When I first heard them, it was a time when I was more into the raw sounding songs at that time as well as well as rock / metal bands like Guns N’ Roses/ Iron Maiden that type of thing. I took a lot of influence from my older brother whose records I would often play and he was bang in to the British punk explosion. I soon gravitated towards Stiff Little Fingers and similar bands and I just became hooked on melodic punk”. 

Welcome to Paradise

Lee’s own journey through punk has seen him go from fan to friend and peer of some of his punk rock heroes. Through bands like Crashed Out (a raucous street punk band for whom Lee plays guitar) and Monkie Mind (Lee is the guitarist and frontman, taking on vocal duties) the North East musician has played out his own punk rock dreams. Monkie Mind in particular have channelled their appreciation for melody and energy into their own canon since forming in 2018 in Newcastle, UK. Tracks like ‘Black Clouds’, ‘Get Rid Ov Him’  and ‘Surrealio’ showcase the band’s ability to combine energy and punk rock power with nuanced songwriting and a commitment to singalong sensibilities. Their sound and style has led to comparisons with bands like Blink 182 and of course Green Day, a comparison Lee is happy to hear but mindful to keep their own authentic identity. But a songwriter like Billie Joe Armstrong is a powerful inspiration to have:

“I’d never heard punk so polished before, I’d only heard raw British style punk but once I realised you could get that nice clean warm sound like they achieved with ‘Dookie’ ,I wanted to try it for myself . That’s kind of what we went for with Monkie Mind, you can definitely hear the influence on our debut album (obviously on a more of a budget DIY level)! Sometimes I have to hold back from making the songs sound too Green Day though, obviously we need to have our own sound, but yeah Billie Joe has a knack for writing beautiful melodies, I take influence from that here and there”.

Lee has even dabbled with the odd GD cover, as any 90s punk fanatic must have done if they found themselves in a practice room with some willing band mates!

“Oh yeah, I’ve covered them lots of times! When we were teens we played our school hall and I think we covered ‘Basket Case’. We’ve also covered ‘Welcome to Paradise’ live a few times. A few years ago I was asked by Stan Lee from The Dickies, who are also one of my faves (and pioneers of pop  punk) to record a version of ‘Welcome to paradise’ covered by members of The Dickies, Goldfinger, Sum41, Circle Jerks and Pennywise! So, they sent me the track and I made a video in my Tattoo studio singing over their music. It was released through the Punk Rock Kareoke page which you can find on Instagram/ Facebook”. 

King For A Day

Whilst ‘Dookie’ was considered the peak of the fusion of punk rock riffs and attitude with a potent pop melodic core, it’s fair to say Green Day have ebbed and flowed in terms of the credibility and quality of their output, which currently stands at a whopping eleven studio albums. As you might expect from a band that have been going since the late 1980s, their sound has evolved and moved through different sonic phases. From the darker and less accessible ‘Insomniac’ (1995), through to 2000’s slightly underwhelming ‘Warning‘; their massive mainstream hit album ‘American Idiot‘ in 2004 through to their warmly received return-to-form ‘Saviors‘ (2024), Green Day have been consistently releasing and touring. Lee puts himself in the enclave of serious fans of the band that have loyally followed them throughout their various different evolutions, right from their very first album with its tracks on yearning and teenage angst, right through to their modern output on politics and family life:

“I can’t say I dislike any of their ‘eras’ I think each  album stands out on its own. I liked the darker sounds on ‘Insomniac’ but I think my heart lies with very early Green Day , ‘Smoothed  Out’ era being my fave, they are just great in-and-out of love pop songs”.

For any punk musician, there’s a magic in seeing your favourite bands live and learning not just from their studio sound, but seeing how they create energy and rapport with a crowd. Lee has seen Billie Joe and co live more times than he can count and the changes in this experience tracks the development of Lee’s own career, watching the band as a teen in an intimate venue as well as on stage in major arenas as one of the world’s biggest rock bands:

“My fist time seeing them live was right after ‘Dookie’ came out, me and my mates spotted an ad in a music shop that advertised a coach ride  and ticket down to Manchester to see them. It was all I hoped it would be! You could walk right to the front and enjoy the gig, and Tré smashed the kit up and handed it out to the audience ha ha! We had a great time seeing them in a small venue before they exploded.

I’ve seen them countless times since in huge venues around the UK and managed to get on the guest list too a few times due to Rancid being on the bill who we’ve gotten to know personally over the years as we’ve supported them. The best moment for me personally, was playing Gilman Street in Berkeley [a legendary punk venue that many iconic West Coast US punk bands played at the beginning of their careers including Operation Ivy, AFI and Offspring]. Playing on that legendary stage was a huge deal for me, I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the venue, just knowing that Green Day started there along with so many legendary bands was huge! Lars Frederiksen from Rancid came to our gig that day so it was a big moment for our band”. 

Having A Blast

Years of graft in the punk scene, gracing stages all over the world and making friends with the stalwarts who built the scene he loved, has been a wild ride for Lee. And he shows no signs of wanting to put the brakes on in any way, shape or form. In fact, his pop punk outfit Monkie Mind are picking up dates around the country, playing to their ever-growing fan base who appreciate the band’s commitment to good riffs and good times. Following a triumphant homecoming gig at Little Buildings at the end of 2025, Lee and his bandmates Randle Rezala and Martin Madras have more dates stacking up, the next of which is at Newcastle’s Zerox on 4th April, tickets can be purchased HERE.

Monkie Mind are staunchly DIY, diligently managing all aspects of band life themselves, retaining the independent creative spirit of those bands that have influenced and supported them over the years. To get stuck into the punk trio’s back catalogue and hear the fusion of US melodic punk with the grit and character of the North East, head to the band’s Bandcamp and follow on social media.

And the final word goes to Lee who was asked to come up with his top 10 Green Day tracks of all time- how do his picks stack up against yours? Let us know in the comments!

1. Going to Pasalacqua
2. Don’t Leave Me
3. Disappearing Boy
4. Only of You
5. Basket Case
6. Welcome to Paradise
7. Longview
8. Waiting
9. Brain Stew
10. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)