Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong spoke with Vulture about his concerns regarding American politics ahead of the release of their latest album, ‘Saviors’ this Friday. He compared the new album and its themes to 2004’s ‘American Idiot.
He explained, “I believe it was easier to satirize George Bush before social media. It was before the tech bros walked in. Now some billionaires would rather launch a rocket into space than deal with the infrastructure we have here.”
Words of Billie Joe Armstrong About Politics And The Future
While writing the first single, ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me,’ from the upcoming album, Billie Joe Armstrong was concerned about the country’s direction. During the interview, he also shared his thoughts on the current situation.
He explained, “We are on the verge of an autocratic government. Or someone openly declaring, ‘If I’m president again, I’ll be a dictator.'” What’s the Maya Angelou quote? When people tell you who they are, trust them. [Actually, ‘When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time’] This exaggeration has given way to what is possible. It is based on a personality cult.
His words continued, “America is not supposed to be about personality cults. we are supposed to be about a group of people establishing laws that make the lives of the American people easier and more affordable. Getting good jobs, accessing good health care, and protecting people from corporations that exploit them. I believe we are completely lost on that, the true American ideal.
The Political Environment’s Effect On The Band’s Music
After a period of relative political silence, Green Day returned to its roots with ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me‘. It was released in October 2023. Armstrong revealed that the song was written during the ‘Father Of All Motherf**kers’ era. It was purposefully saved for the ‘Saviors’ album, owing to the political climate in the United States.
He explained to Canadian radio station 102.1 The Edge, “[The song was] low-hanging fruit for—because we have terrible politics and terrible division in [the] United States. But this time we brought it out, and it seemed like the right time. We stepped away from politics for a while. It was because we didn’t want to be just another pundit on CNN, pointing fingers.”
The situation also influenced the band’s stage shows, as they expressed their opposition to Trump’s policies by changing lyrics during the last New Year’s concert.
