User blog:MichaelDiaz101/Gregory Todd's life after Bullworth

In 2010 Gregory Todd graduated from Bullworth Academy. Though he didn't receive any accolades as far as academic success he was recognized for his art ability, writing skill, and how well defined a musician he was. After graduation he skipped the grad party and went on a brief trip to a neighboring town with Liza.

After the summer had ended Liza had moved to Liberty City to attend LCU. Greg, on the otherhand, had no intentions of attending college. Instead he got a job at the comic store, and got a humble apartment in Bullworth Town. During this time Greg would begin to hunt for other musicians that he could possibly work with, though in a town such as Bullworth that would be a scarce finding.

In September Greg met Mike Bellingham, a guy in his graduating class that he never actually befriended, but the two met while smoking pot at a mutual friend's house. Mike was an excellent, hard hitting drummer and the two would practice together over the course of a week. In this time they covered Black Flag's Depression and would even get down to play Alice In Chains's ''Rooster. ''The only thing missing was a Bass player. Greg could handle guitar and vocals, but they needed one more puzzle piece to complete everything they were striving for. In late November they got their wish, as they set out fliers asking for a rigid bass player that would love to, 'play aggressive, stupid, Punk music.' Bass player Ryan Batemen called Greg up and voiced his interest. When they initially practiced Greg knew that he found his formula.

December 3rd, after only a few weeks of practice, and after having written only three songs the trio would debut at a rundown bar in New Coventry. The crowd that night was only nine people, but with their intensity, rage, and dynamics they lit the entire house on fire. It was at this show that they decided on a name, Youth Insurgents.

By mid January of 2011 the band had played two more shows, one that was in that same bar in New Coventry, drawing a much larger crowd, and another at a house party in Old Bullworth Vale. To which they were kicked from the house party on account of Greg calling them, 'stupid aristocrat, assholes.'

By this time they had a small following in Bullworth. Their sound was reminiscient of Black Flag's hard hitting aggression, mixed with Dead Kennedys and Nirvana's lyrical content mixed with other inspirations such as Minutemen, Suicidal Tendencies, Minor Threat, The Stooges, Sex Pistols, and the Ramones. They would become Bullworth's first, official, Hardcore Punk band and the following they had assembled even challenged the likes of the academy. When Dr. Crabblesnitch invited them to play for their halftime show at one of the school's biggest football games they jumped at the opportunity.

At the show itself Greg wrote a song called 'Bullworth Facism'. Which was harsh criticism at Crabblesnitch, Hattrick, and their favourite pervert, Mr Burton. Even insulting the Jocks and to top it all off they lit their instruments on fire and threw them at the Prefects, needless to say they were arrested.

After being released from jail the band had garnered the attention of several labels, and fans alike. They were even getting calls from Punk venues in Liberty City, imploring them to play for them.

They played several more shows in Bullworth before signing onto a small label in Liberty City in June of 2011. They packed up their equipment and moved to the big city. It was at this time Greg began writing for what he hoped would be their first album. At this time Greg moved back in with Liza and the two began their close relationship again, though the band went on a few months of hiatus as Greg battled several emotional issues. They would come to reunite in October when the band played in East Hook, Broker.

In late October the band began to work on their first official album ''Death Feels Fine. ''In late January of 2012 the album was released. It was an aim at American Foreign policy, consumerism, conformism, and the presidental candidates that would be running that year. The album won several high praises, even scoring high on the Indie charts. Including their hit Life is Dull, which received radio play on certain mainstream radio stations. All in all the album sold nearly four million units, and was an inspiration for other up and coming Punk Rock bands.

By November they were asked to go on tour with hit Rock legends, Love Fist, in what would be their last tour. Ryan Batemen was ecstatic though Greg did not like the band. Calling them "sell-out cock rocking, misogynists." The band almost came to breaking up over this as Ryan was dearly wanting to join them on tour, thinking it was time to get big. Though Greg reprimanded him for trying to sell out. Mike also agreed with Greg, as the two wanted to remain by their Punk ideas, Ryan left the band. Following the loss of, not only his bandmate but dear friend, Liza found Greg in their apartment bathroom after an attempted suicide overdose on painkillers. He survived and would spend some time recovering.

As 2013 would come the band still lacked a bass player, though they had several part time musicians join them in their shows they did not have a definite player until May, when an up and coming, 17 year-old, Alex Reynolds would join the band. Reynolds was a bass phenom who enjoyed much of the more Hardcore iterations as Punk, just as Mike and Gregory did.

When they released their second album, ''Who Cares? ''The band would come to reach Underground success as well as much praise from more mainstream critics. It was so successful that hit Pop-Punk icons, Green Day, contacted Greg personally and asked if he wanted to play on tour with them. Though Greg didn't want to at first, thinking Green Day to be too 'soft'. Though Gregory acted against what he believed was his shill belligerence of other forms of Punk and confirmed that they would open up for Green Day.

Before they opened Greg was worried, this was his largest crowd. Though his shyness had subsided there was something to be felt here, the crowd was well over 20,000+ and the band would have the limelight on them. When they got on stage many in the crowd didn't even know who they were. Youth Insurgent had been a successful underground band, but here in the mainstream pop circa nobody knew them, that would change. As they opened they both captivated, and frightened the audience, as the Punk Rock they played was heavy, aggressive, and violent. Much of the crowd were used to the theatrics of other Pop-Punk acts, but Hardcore Punk had eluded them.

By the conclusion of the show they played a mock up version of American Idiot that would come to enrage the audience. To which Greg would throw middle fingers at much the crowd, though on the inside the backlash had hurt him, and when he returned backstage he was deeply saddened, until he was approached by Billie Joe Armstrong who would tell him that that was the most badass thing he had ever seen.

Following the show the band made headlines everywhere. They were the most famous band in the world at the time following the controversy. Every show they played following was bringing in crowds of thousands. Greg began to feel like he was escaping the cult following he wanted as more mainstream crowds came.

By 2014 Gregory began to try to escape all of this attention. Even playing more secret shows in hopes of getting their audience they hoped for. Later that year they released their third album, American Fallacy which sold 32 million units, and got great reviews. Greg feared this attention and became more and more reclusive.

2016 would come and following the election of Conservative Frontrunner, James Powell, Gregory was very vocal about it. Calling James a fascist, and even writing songs about him, one of which got him and Liza investigated as one such song was considered 'hate speech'. Greg was actually ordered, by decree, to remove the song from future sales. He didn't. To which he was brought forth by the supreme court, Greg cited that this was an attack on free speech and many musicians agreed with him, such as Billie Joe Armstrong, Jello Biafra, Henry Rollins, Dave Grohl, and even Kanye West.

Losing the lawsuit the band was fined thousands of dollars, and Greg was put under heavy survelliance, though these actions only would come to increas Youth Insurgent's following as their fanbase continued to climb. Rolling Stone even made a comment about them. "They are the most important Punk Rock band since the Green Day." Rolling Stone magazine would come to say.

In 2017 Greg and Liza would get married, though they still remained the humble apartment they attained back in 2011. Most of the funds Greg earned whilst playing was given to many organizations as well as one that would help rebuild Baghdad following the bombings constructed by President Powell.

By June of 2017 the band played at 'Punk aganist Sexism' which was Punk Rock's battle against all sexism involved in music. The band absolutely stole the show and many magazines contacted Greg for an interview, to which he declined, seeing that he hated the media. Later that year they released their fourth album.

In 2018 they would come to release another album that would be steeped in controversy yet again as the album cover depicted several celebrities meeting their satirical deaths. The album cover was completely satire but many of these celebrities would come to sue, and the songs even made a mock of these celebrities. Again, the band was dragged to court. It was not until August 2019 that the court issue was settled.

In 2020 Youth Insurgent was dubbed the band of the decade by Rolling Stone. They still continue to play and their popularity is ever increasing. As well as their controversy.