I have to admit that I am not surprised that the lead singer of Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, has substance abuse issues. I also have to admit that I am greatly saddened by this because he is one of my favorite performers.
Green Day canceled the rest of its North American club tour dates for this year and has postponed all January and February shows to its lead singer more time to deal with substance abuse issues. As reported in www.cnn.com.
The bass player and one of Armstrong’s best friends Mike Dirnt said the band is standing by its stricken member..
Armstrong sought treatment for substance abuse two days after his expletive-laden meltdown at the MGM Grand during the iHeartRadio Music Festival. When the band announced on September 23 that its charismatic frontman would get help for substance abuse, it did not specify the nature of his problems.
Of course the band’s name “Green Day” came out of Armstrong’s love for a green chemical substance – marijuana.
The 2012 club tour will not be rescheduled.
The 21-city tour that was scheduled to start on January 7 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and conclude on February 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas will be rescheduled.
In his rant Armstrong made reference to the fact that he was not Justin f** Bieber and should be allowed more than the one minute the show was giving to finish his set. Ironically he was in the middle of Green Day’s first major hit “Basketcase” when the meltdown began.
I hope he gets the drug treatment that will get him back out on stage where all of us fans can enjoy his music and performances again.