Billie Joe Armstrong thinks his drinking problem stemmed from stage fright.
The Green Day frontman – who has been open about his struggles with alcohol addiction over the past few decades – has pointed to the period around 1995’s album ‘Insomniac’ as the beginning of his issues, which came from trying to deal with the pressure of performing live.
He told the ‘WTF’ podcast: “I get massive stage fright, it’s the anticipation of all day going on and getting ready to go on stage at a stadium or something.
“I started around the record after ‘Dookie’, that I would get so nervous that I started drinking more before shows.
“I was like, ‘Hey that works, I’m gonna keep doing that’. Then I realised, ‘Woah I keep drinking after the show too and during the show’. It just kinda happened.”
The ‘Basket Case’ hitmaker has recalled his drinking even during high periods for the pop punk legends, such as 2004’s ‘American Idiot’ rock opera LP.
He said: “I’ll be fine for a few drinks then some other guy starts to come into the picture. Not angry, I start to turn into everyone’s drunk annoying uncle.
“It can get really funny then it can turn where I can’t switch it off and I’m drinking until [4am].
“There were other human garbage can moments where other drugs were involved but that’s the thing, I just want to keep going.”
Billie Joe – who was sober for five years between 2012 and 2017 – admitted he fell back into old habits.
He added: “It was fine for a while and It steadily got back in your old ways. I’m older. It hurts my body and emotionally more. My family more.”
Green Day return on Friday (19.01.24) with new album ‘Saviors’.