Billie Joe Armstrong

At 52 years old, Billie Joe Armstrong has this physical status:

Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter, singer, record producer, and actor.

Armstrong, the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and rhythm guitarist of the punk rock band Green Day, co-founded with Mike Dirnt, is Armstrong.

He is also a guitarist and singer for Pinhead Gunpowder's punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder, and he appears on Green Day's side projects Foxboro Hot Tubs, The Network, and The Longshot. Armstrong, who was born in Rodeo, California, discovered his passion for music at an early age and performed his first song at the age of five.

When he first began elementary school, Mike Dirnt became a member of the band Sweet Children and the two bands immediately bonded over their common passion for music, forming the band Sweet Children.

The band changed its name to Green Day, and it would later achieve commercial success.

Armstrong has also pursued musical projects outside of Green Day's scope, including numerous collaborations with other artists. In 1997, to coincide with the debut of Nimrod, Armstrong, Armstrong, founded Adeline Records in Oakland to help other bands out of town, and The Frustrators, AFI, and Dillinger Four were among the many bands releasing music.

Pat Magnarella's company later died in August 2017 and finally shut down in August 2017.

Early life

Billie Joe Armstrong was born in Oakland, California, on February 17, 1972, the youngest of six children of Ollie Jackson (1932) and Andrew Marsicano Armstrong (1928–1982). He was born in Rodeo, California. He father, a jazz guitarist and Safeway truck driver, died of esophageal cancer in September 16, 1982, when Armstrong was ten years old. The song "Wake Me Up When September Comes" is a tribute to his father. Armstrong's three older sisters, Marci, Hollie, and Anna, as well as two older brothers named David and Alan. His mother worked as a waitress at Rod's Hickory Pit in El Cerrito, California, where he and Mike Dirnt would appear together for their first gig in 1987. Pietro Marsicano and Teresa Nigro, both Italian immigrants from Viggiano who lived in Boston until 1869, when they moved to Berkeley, California.

Armstrong attended Hillcrest Elementary School in Rodeo, where a teacher encouraged him to record "Look for Love" on the Bay Area label Fiat Records at the age of five. Armstrong's father died after his father died, his mother married a man whom her children feared, resulting in Armstrong's return to music. He encountered Dirnt in the school cafeteria at the age of 10, and the two immediately connected over their obsession with music. After being introduced to punk rock by his brothers, he became interested in punk rock. He has also cited Van Halen, Ramones, The Replacements, and Hüsker Dü as his main musical influences. Van Halen's first concert ever seen was in 1984. Armstrong attended Carquinez Middle School and John Swett High School in Crockett, California, and later transferred to Pinole Valley High School in Pinole, California. He opted out to pursue a musical career on his 18th birthday.

Personal life

By Viggiano's mayor Amedeo Cicala, Armstrong was given honorary citizenship of Viggiano, the Italian commune from where his great-great-grandparents were hailed. Armstrong is a member of Project Chimps, a sanctuary for former research chimpanzees funded in large part by the Humane Society of the United States.

Armstrong co-founded Adeline Records, a rock and punk rock record label that had, in recent years, been operated by Pat Magnarella, Green Day's boss. Following Magnarella's departure from Green Day, Adeline Records ceased operations in August 2017.

Armstrong opened Broken Guitars, a guitar store in Oakland, California, with fellow Pinhead Gunpowder member and longtime Green Day associate Bill Schneider.

Armstrong and Mike Dirnt founded Oakland Coffee Works in December 2015. The company sells organic coffee beans and is claimed to be the first company to use mass-produced compostable bags and pods.

Armstrong is best known for his punk fashion style, which inspired his followers of previous and present generations to the point of being branded as a "style icon." Kat Von D also introduced "Basket Case," which is a cosmetic that he used as part of his singing career from the start.

Armstrong endorsed Barack Obama during the 2008 and 2012 presidential primaries, as well as Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential election. Armstrong expressed his love for Hillary Clinton after Sanders' demise as the Democratic nominee. Throughout the campaign and into Trump's presidency, he was dismissive of Donald Trump, comparing him to Adolf Hitler and a "puppet of the Illuminati" and blaming "uneducated white working-class people" for his rise to power. In a 2017 Rolling Stone interview, he said he did not identify himself with any political party and described himself as an outsider. Sanders again endorsed Sanders during the 2020 presidential race, later supporting Joe Biden after Sanders lost the primary. Armstrong renounced his United States citizenship following the Supreme Court's ruling Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

In a 1995 interview with The Advocate, Armstrong declared himself bisexual, saying, "I suspect I've always been bisexual." It's something that has always been interested in. I believe people are bisexual, and it's just that our parents and society have lead us into this attitude of, 'Oh, I can't.' It's taboo, according to them. When it isn't bad at all, it's ingrained in our heads that it's bad. It's a beautiful thing." In a Rolling Stone article about the Green Day album Dookie, which he referred to as "touch[ing] bisexuality a lot."

Armstrong's first serious girlfriend, Arica Pelino, was born on September 924 in Gilman Street on his 16th birthday. As she listened to Armstrong and Sean Hughes' first four-track albums, she became known as the "first official Green Day enthusiast," encouraging the band, touring with them, and being an occasional photographer for them. Many of Green Day's songs, including "Christie Road," were written about the local railroad tracks where she and Armstrong would sneak out to meet. "I'll stay with him sometimes in these warehouses full of crusty punks" when Armstrong began working in punk houses and warehouses at the age of seventeen, including the warehouse above a West Oakland brothel that later inspired the film "Welcome to Paradise." In late 1991, the couple separated. Arica is the niece of former Green Day touring guitarist Mike Pelino and Janna White's sister-in-law who is married to Green Day touring guitarist Jason White.

Armstrong met a woman he has only named as "Amanda" at 924 Gilman Street just shy of his split with Pelino, and the two began dating shortly after. Amanda created and sold her own fanzine, as well as Armstrong's "iron-willed" feminist. Amanda, on the other hand, was unimpressed with Armstrong; although the couple lived together for some time, she ended him in 1994 and joined the Peace Corps, leaving him feeling suicidal. In an interview with Spin about the inspiration behind the Green Day song "Armitage Shanks" in 1995: "It was right before Dookie came out, and I was really at odds with myself." I was like, "Do I really want to do this?" I was like, "Man, do I really want to do this?" I was thinking about suicide, how it's so easy to kill yourself, but staying alive is so difficult. I was in a breakup with my then-girlfriend, a raving punk rocker who didn't want to see me on a major label. She moved to Ecuador after being told that she could not survive in a world with McDonald's and others. It was awful." "She" "Good Riddance," "Stuart and the Ave," "She's a Hero," "She's a Rebel," "She's a Hero," "Massah," "She's a Princess," and "Whatsername" are just a few of Armstrong's songs about Amanda, both during and after their relationship and later. Whatsername on the album American Idiot and the American Idiot musical is based on Amanda's character.

Armstrong met Adrienne Nesser (the sister of professional skateboarder Steve Nesser) at one of Green Day's early performances in Minneapolis in 1990. They married on July 2, 1994, with Nesser finding that she was pregnant the day after their wedding. Joseph Marciano "Joey" Armstrong, the family's first son, was born on February 28, 1995. Joey continued to play drums in the Oakland-based band SWMRS until charges of sexual assault and coercion were levied against him in 2020. Jakob Danger Armstrong, their second son, was born on September 12, 1998; he is a guitarist and singer-songwriter who performed his first songs on line in 2015 and now plays with the band Mt. Eddy. Armstrong recalled his sudden marriage and fatherhood in a Rolling Stone interview in February 2014: "I was incredibly impulsive at the time." Impulsive activity, I believe, was supposed to reduce the chaos in my life."

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Career

Armstrong, a youth friend, formed Sweet Children in 1987. Armstrong and Dirnt played guitar, with Raj Punjabi on drums and Sean Hughes on bass, and Sean Hughes on bass. Punjabi drummer John Kiffmeyer was later replaced on drums by Al Sobrante, also known as Al Sobrante. Hughes left the band after a few appearances in 1988; Dirnt then played bass and the group became a three-piece unit. In April 1989, the couple switched their name to Green Day, owing to their fondness for marijuana.

Green Day unveiled their first EP 1,000 Hours in 1989 by looking out. Records. They released their debut studio album 39/Smooth and the extended play Slappy in 1990, which were later combined with 1,000 Hours into the compilation 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours in 1991.

Armstrong performed lead guitar and backing vocals on three tracks for The Lookouts' final EP IV, which featured Tré Cool on drums, in 1990. After Sobrante left in order to go to college, Tré became Green Day's drummer in late 1990. Cool made his debut on Green Day's second album, Kerplunk (1991).

Armstrong formed Pinhead Gunpowder in 1991, a collaboration of bassist Bill Schneider, drummer Aaron Cometbus, and fellow vocalist/guitarist Sarah Kirsch. Kirsch left the company in 1992 and was brought on by Jason White. The company has released many extended plays and albums from 1991 to the present, as well as live shows on a regular basis.

Armstrong appeared live with the California punk band Rancid in 1993. Tim Armstrong, Rancid's lead singer, begged Billie Joe Armstrong to join his band but he declined due to his success with Green Day. Billie Joe Armstrong had been named as a co-writer on Rancid's 1993 album, Radio.

Green Day broke into mainstream music with their third album, Dookie (1994), and has remained one of the most popular rock bands of the 1990s and 2000s, with over 60 million copies sold worldwide. Insomniac (1995), Nimrod (1997), and Warning (2000) followed the album.

Armstrong worked with several artists. He co-wrote Go-Go's 2001 song "Unforgiven." Penelope Houston has co-written songs ("The Angel and The Jerk") and "New Day"), as well as singing backing vocals with Melissa Auf der Maur on Ryan Adams' "Do Miss America" (where they appeared as the backing band for Iggy Pop's album Skull Ring ("Private Hell" and "Supermarket"). Armstrong also produced an album dedicated to the Riverdales. He was a member of the Green Day network from 2003 to 2005, and it was back on the network in 2020. Two albums were released by the Network: Money Money 2020 and 2020's Money Money 2020 Part II: We Told Ya So!

Armstrong travelled to New York City alone for a few weeks in 2003, wishing to clear his mind and develop new songs. He spent a lot of time in the basement of Hi-Fi, a Manhattan bar, taking long walks and participating in jam sessions. However, the friends he made during this time were drank too much for his liking, which was the catalyst for Armstrong's return to the Bay Area. Armstrong was arrested for operating under the influence on January 5, 2003, and released on $1,200 bail on January 5, 2003.

Green Day's first rock opera, American Idoot, was performed in 2004. The album has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide, fueled by hits such as "American Idiot," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," and "Wake Me Up When September Comes." Green Day, the band's second rock opera, debuted in 2009, in what was another commercial success. Armstrong, the lead vocalist of the Green Day Side project Foxboro Hot Tubs, who began in 2007 and have appeared on intermittent live shows ever since, was involved in these two projects. One album, Stop Drop and Roll! Foxboro Hot Tubs, The Foxboro Hot Tubs have been released! In 2008, I was born in Budapest, England.

Armstrong, along with Green Day and NYC punk rocker Jesse Malin, formed Rodeo Queens in 2009. "Depression Times" was released by a band and a video.

American Idiot was turned into a Broadway musical in 2009, as well as American Idiot. Two Tony Awards were given to the musical. Armstrong appeared on American Idiot for two seasons as St. Jimmy in late 2010 and early 2011.

Green Day released a trio of albums in 2012: Uno!, Dos!, and Tré! Armstrong appeared on NBC's The Voice in 2013 as an assistant mentor for Christina Aguilera's staff. Armstrong and singer-songwriter Norah Jones released Foreverly, a collection of songs from The Everly Brothers' album Songs Our Daddy Taught Us. On October 23, the album's first single, "Long Time Gone," was released.

Armstrong became upbeat onstage and ended the band's set midway through their performance of the 1994 hit song "Basket Case" on September 21, 2012. Armstrong blasted the event's promoters for apparently shortening the band's appearance before crashing his guitar and roaring off stage in an expletive rant. The band released a statement apologizing for the incident and announcing that their set had not been cut short. The occurrence occurred just four days before the unveiling of Green Day's ninth studio album, Uno!

Armstrong was seeking medical attention for an unspecified drug use disorder disorder disorder problem two days after the iHeartRadio Music Festival. As a result, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Ellen DeGeneres Show were postponed. Armstrong's ex-wife and mother of Armstrong's godson, Claudia Suarez Wright, had been drinking heavily in Las Vegas prior to the iHeartRadio Music Festival, following approximately one year of sobriety.

In a Rolling Stone interview in March 2013, Armstrong said he had "been trying to get sober since 1997, right around Nimrod." "There were meltdowns on that tour, which were massive," he explained during the 21st Century Breakdown tour of 2009–2010. Armstrong delved into his heroin use, particularly how it had escalated in the months leading up to the debut of the 'Uno!, Dos!, and Tre! "I was at my pill-taking peak at the time, medicating the shit out of myself," the band's 2011 summer tour of Europe revealed. Armstrong gave the details of a gig at Irving Plaza in New York just over a week before the iHeartRadio tragedy, in which he "threw back four or five beers before we continued, and probably had four or five when we played. After that, I drank my body weight in alcohol. I ended up hungover on the West Side Highway, lying in a little park."

Armstrong's personal struggles led to his cancellation of all remaining concert dates for 2012 and early 2013. The band announced in late December 2012 that they would return to touring at the end of March 2013. Armstrong later stated that the medications he had been using were alcohol and prescription pills for anxiety and insomnia.

Armstrong performed in "I Run NY" from The Wack Album, which was released on June 7, 2013. In the 2014 film Like Sunday, Like Rain, Leighton Meester appeared alongside Leighton Meester. Bilie Joe received the Breakout Performance Award at the 2014 Williamsburg Independent Film Festival for his role in the film. Armstrong wrote songs for These Paper Bullets, a rock musical interpretation of Much Ado About Nothing that premiered at Yale Repertory Theater in March 2014.

Armstrong appeared in The Replacements for a number of shows, beginning in April 19 at Coachella. Although Armstrong helped with his roles, frontman Paul Westerberg had been suffering from back pains and spent the bulk of his time on a couch. Billie Joe was described as a "expansion of the band" by Westerberg. Armstrong appeared at the Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta in May.

Armstrong and his son Joseph travelled to New York in November 2014 and began working in another acting role in the film Ordinary World. It was Armstrong's first lead role. The film, which was released in 2016, is focused on the mid-life of a husband and father who are trying to relive his punk history. It featured new songs by Armstrong that had been written and performed. Armstrong's own review mixed, although Armstrong's own performance was generally praised, with The Village Voice reporting that he had "a low-key charm" meaning he'd like to get more onscreen gigs in between albums.

Green Day unveiled their album Revolution Radio in October 2016. Armstrong formed The Armstrongs, a supergroup of Rancid, in July 2017.

Armstrong formed the Longshot in April 2018, and the band's debut studio album Love Is For Losers was released on April 20. Armstrong and The Longshot announced in the summer that they would embark on a summer tour just shy of turning 50. Kevin Preston and David S. Field of the band Prima Donna on lead guitar and drums, respectively, as well as long-time Green Day live member Jeff Matika on bass.

Armstrong co-wrote and performed the song "Strangers & Thieves" on Jesse Malin's album Sunset Kids in 2019.

Green Day's most recent collection, Father of All Motherfuckers, was released in February 2020.

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