Klipsch was honored to be part of the festivities when Green Day was inducted into the Rock and Hall of Fame in 2015.

In between rehearsals before the induction ceremony, Green Day’s legendary bass player Mike Dirnt visited the Klipsch green room backstage and heaped praise upon us, saying he has always loved our speakers and headphones. It was flattering, to say the least.

In 1986, Dirnt formed the band alongside Billie Joe Armstrong that would end up being one of the true icons of the punk rock era. Green Day still sells out shows across the world with fans flocking to see Dirnt, Armstrong and Tre Cool, the green-haired (at the time) drummer who joined the band in 1990.

The California native fell in love with the Reference Premiere RP-160M speakers we had on display backstage and has since outfitted his entire home theater room with Klipsch speakers. (Stay tuned for more on that install.)

Meanwhile, we have caught up with the freshly minted Rock Hall inductee to ask him five questions. Short and sweet. No bullshit. Just the way Dirnt and Klipsch like it.

What was the first album you bought with your own money?

The first album I bought with my own money was the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey. I purchased it when I was five years old at Goodwill for 25 cents. Funny thing...in 2011, it was our stage walk-on music for the 21st Century Breakdown tour.

What is the one album or artist you can’t live without on the road?

David Bowie.

What is the best live concert you have ever experienced? 

The Rolling Stones at a small club, the Echoplex in Los Angeles.

Speakers or headphones?

On the go, definitely headphones, so I can be in my own world. At my home or in a hotel, speakers always!

How would you define quality sound?

In my opinion, quality sound is the truest representation of the original recording! I like to hear music the way the artist intended for it to he heard, not overly enhanced.

We have dubbed this question and answer series “No Bullshit” in honor of Paul W. Klipsch who famously wore a yellow “Bullshit” pin underneath his lapel, flashing it to anyone who was full of it. It is an expression of the Klipsch commitment to deliver world-class speakers and headphones that are high on quality and short on fluff. In this series, we will cut through the nonsense with legendary musicians. To learn more about the origins of the Klipsch “No Bullshit” slogan, click here.