Michael Ryan Pritchard, known professionally as Mike Dirnt, is an American musician, songwriter and composer. He is best known as the co-founder, bassist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of American punk rock band Green Day. He has also played in several other bands, including The Frustrators
“My introduction to playing music was probably when I realized that most of the bands that I liked played guitar, so I actually started off playing guitar. And then my mom had an old pawn shop bass, so I jumped on that. It had two strings, an E and an A.”
He continues, “I met Billie in the fifth grade, and he already played guitar. I’ve always gone back and forth with bass and guitar. I am a bass player, 100%, but it’s funny because growing up people say you have to be either-or. Well I’ve always, since I was 5-years-old, sat up at the piano and banged on it, too.”
just...BASS! 