Al, the Artist formerly known as John Kiffmeyer, used to bang the drums for Sweet Children.  Then he went to college & got a life.  End of story, or beginning of legend?

There aren't too many websites out there that mention Green Day's original drummer, Al Sobrante.  So, we at Green Day Supastar decided to dedicate a page just for him, in our usual crazy style!  If you've been paying attention, then we don't have to tell you that this is merely a lampoon with some truth mixed in... or is it the truth with some lampoon mixed in?  Or did we mix in some rum?  Anway, we just wanted to make it perfectly clear that we are not trying to start any rumors... we HATE rumors!  You can pick out what's true & what isn't if you want!  Enjoy!

Little is known about the terror known as Al Sobrante, who he is, or where he's going.  Rarely does he show his face in the broad daylight.  He lives in the shadows, feeding off the flesh of the weak.  Few have looked him in the eye and live to tell the tale.  That is the awesome power of Al Sobrante.  This is his story.

Al was born John Kiffmeyer, a young boy who ran away from home at a young age.  Due to unknown causes, he had an accident just outside the city of El Sobrante, California, leaving him unconscious.  John awoke, losing his memory from what seemed to be a fall.  He found himself in a strange area, near a sign that read "El Sobrante."  Still recovering from his injuries, it appeared to say, "Al Sobrante" to John, and so he mistook that to be his name.

Finding nothing for him here, John ...now Al, continued to run until he came to a house on a hill.  There he met a boy named Frank, playing his drumset in his garage.  Amazed with his talent, Al begged Frank to teach him how to play.  Since Al knew nothing about his origin or where he came from, Frank let him live in his garage.  Years later, Al was playing Frank's drumset when he was discovered by two boys who, ironically, were looking for a drummer.  Since Frank was out practicing with his band, and he had a drumset over there to play, Al packed up Frank's own drumset and went along with the boys.  Together, they formed a band called Sweet Children, who eventually changed their name to Green Day.

Because Al did not like sunlight very much, Green Day always played indoors, where it was dark.  Then one day, the boys were making plans to play a gig in the town of El Sobrante.  Al froze, confused about what he was hearing.  Billie and Mike explained to him that El Sobrante was a nearby town.  Al became very anxious to play there, hoping that he would find answers to who he was and where he came from.

After their show was over in El Sobrante, Al ran out the back door, searching the night streets for a sign.  Hours later, he came to an abandoned house.  The name on the mailbox said "Kiffmeyer."  ...Could this be what is left of his home?

Making sure no one was around to see him, Al broke into the house, hoping to find answers.  He found what he was looking for in an old, untouched bedroom.  There, he found a picture of him as a young boy, on the back was written "John, 1981."  Finally, he knew who he was.  He was John Kiffmeyer.  From that day on, he went under both names, switching between the two for fun.

When Green Day became rather popular throughout the West Coast, Billie & Mike decided to go on tour.  Al/John decided that going on tour would be too much for him, not wanting to leave the security of his old house.  So he told the boys that he was going to college, and left without a trace to the old Kiffmeyer house.  They say he still lives there today, only coming out at night, for he hates the sunlight.  Sometimes he goes to night shows in Berkeley, playing with different underground bands, never rearing his head in fear that he may be tempted to leave El Sobrante, his home.