Billie Joe Armstrong (2024).Photo:Alice BaxleyBillie Joe Armstronghas laid bare his soul for more than 30 years — and does so once again onGreen Day’s latest album.The punk-rock icon, 51, opens up about his struggles with mental illness and substance abuse on “Dilemma,” which appears on the band’s new recordSaviors,out Friday, Jan. 19.“It definitely deals with mental health and addiction,” Armstrong says of the track in the new issue of PEOPLE. “When I say, ‘I was sober, now I’m drunk again,’ that could be looked at two different ways. It could be someone going, ‘F—, yeah.I was sober, now I’m drunk again,’ at a party, or it could be someone that’s fallen. That’s what it means to me, anyway.“Tré Cool, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt of Green Day.Alice BaxleyArmstrong has been candid about his issues for years. He first addressed dealing with anxiety and panic attacks on Green Day’s 1994 single “Basket Case,” and the band announced he entered a treatment facility following an onstage rant in 2012.These days, the five-time Grammy winner is happy, healthy and sober.“I don’t drink. I didn’t use any kind of program or anything like that,” he says. “I ended up being around a bunch of really good friends that don’t drink. There’s a lot more sober people — I’ve noticed that, and maybe because I was the only one that was hammered before, that now I notice that people are more sober now, and it was just something that I was unaware of, because I was s—-faced or something.“Armstrong — whoshares sons Joey, 28, and Jakob, 25, with his wife of 29 years, Adrienne, 54 — says he’s feeling more present these days.Billie Joe Armstrong with sons Jakob and Joey and wife Adrienne in 2020.Greg Schneider"For me, alcohol gets in the way of everything, from my relationship with my family to just trying to get a good night’s sleep. It gets in the way of my happiness,” he says. “So that’s why really I wanted to quit, and I was done. So with the friends that I have, I’m still able to go out and go listen to some music, see some band or go to a party — and it’s still a fun, sexy kind of evening, even though there’s no alcohol.“And then the next day, I wake up … " Armstrong adds. “I’m just tired. Now there’s no shame and hangover and all that s—. I feel really good.“Armstrong will hit the road with Green Day for theSaviors World Tourin May.For more on Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day’s new albumSaviors, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
Billie Joe Armstrong (2024).Photo:Alice Baxley
Alice Baxley
Billie Joe Armstronghas laid bare his soul for more than 30 years — and does so once again onGreen Day’s latest album.The punk-rock icon, 51, opens up about his struggles with mental illness and substance abuse on “Dilemma,” which appears on the band’s new recordSaviors,out Friday, Jan. 19.“It definitely deals with mental health and addiction,” Armstrong says of the track in the new issue of PEOPLE. “When I say, ‘I was sober, now I’m drunk again,’ that could be looked at two different ways. It could be someone going, ‘F—, yeah.I was sober, now I’m drunk again,’ at a party, or it could be someone that’s fallen. That’s what it means to me, anyway.“Tré Cool, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt of Green Day.Alice BaxleyArmstrong has been candid about his issues for years. He first addressed dealing with anxiety and panic attacks on Green Day’s 1994 single “Basket Case,” and the band announced he entered a treatment facility following an onstage rant in 2012.These days, the five-time Grammy winner is happy, healthy and sober.“I don’t drink. I didn’t use any kind of program or anything like that,” he says. “I ended up being around a bunch of really good friends that don’t drink. There’s a lot more sober people — I’ve noticed that, and maybe because I was the only one that was hammered before, that now I notice that people are more sober now, and it was just something that I was unaware of, because I was s—-faced or something.“Armstrong — whoshares sons Joey, 28, and Jakob, 25, with his wife of 29 years, Adrienne, 54 — says he’s feeling more present these days.Billie Joe Armstrong with sons Jakob and Joey and wife Adrienne in 2020.Greg Schneider"For me, alcohol gets in the way of everything, from my relationship with my family to just trying to get a good night’s sleep. It gets in the way of my happiness,” he says. “So that’s why really I wanted to quit, and I was done. So with the friends that I have, I’m still able to go out and go listen to some music, see some band or go to a party — and it’s still a fun, sexy kind of evening, even though there’s no alcohol.“And then the next day, I wake up … " Armstrong adds. “I’m just tired. Now there’s no shame and hangover and all that s—. I feel really good.“Armstrong will hit the road with Green Day for theSaviors World Tourin May.For more on Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day’s new albumSaviors, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
Billie Joe Armstronghas laid bare his soul for more than 30 years — and does so once again onGreen Day’s latest album.
The punk-rock icon, 51, opens up about his struggles with mental illness and substance abuse on “Dilemma,” which appears on the band’s new recordSaviors,out Friday, Jan. 19.
“It definitely deals with mental health and addiction,” Armstrong says of the track in the new issue of PEOPLE. “When I say, ‘I was sober, now I’m drunk again,’ that could be looked at two different ways. It could be someone going, ‘F—, yeah.I was sober, now I’m drunk again,’ at a party, or it could be someone that’s fallen. That’s what it means to me, anyway.”
Tré Cool, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt of Green Day.Alice Baxley
Armstrong has been candid about his issues for years. He first addressed dealing with anxiety and panic attacks on Green Day’s 1994 single “Basket Case,” and the band announced he entered a treatment facility following an onstage rant in 2012.
These days, the five-time Grammy winner is happy, healthy and sober.
“I don’t drink. I didn’t use any kind of program or anything like that,” he says. “I ended up being around a bunch of really good friends that don’t drink. There’s a lot more sober people — I’ve noticed that, and maybe because I was the only one that was hammered before, that now I notice that people are more sober now, and it was just something that I was unaware of, because I was s—-faced or something.”
Armstrong — whoshares sons Joey, 28, and Jakob, 25, with his wife of 29 years, Adrienne, 54 — says he’s feeling more present these days.
Billie Joe Armstrong with sons Jakob and Joey and wife Adrienne in 2020.Greg Schneider
Greg Schneider
“For me, alcohol gets in the way of everything, from my relationship with my family to just trying to get a good night’s sleep. It gets in the way of my happiness,” he says. “So that’s why really I wanted to quit, and I was done. So with the friends that I have, I’m still able to go out and go listen to some music, see some band or go to a party — and it’s still a fun, sexy kind of evening, even though there’s no alcohol.
“And then the next day, I wake up … " Armstrong adds. “I’m just tired. Now there’s no shame and hangover and all that s—. I feel really good.”
Armstrong will hit the road with Green Day for theSaviors World Tourin May.
For more on Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day’s new albumSaviors, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
source: people.com
