Billie Joe Armstrong, the vocalist and guitarist for Green Day, has revealed how he rewrote the “embarrassingly bad” lyrics to the band’s hit song ‘Basket Case’. Speaking on the Song Exploder podcast, Armstrong spoke about the origins of the song, sharing music from his initial four track demo featuring the original lyrics. A grand love song was his original idea, and Armstrong created a beatbox effect with his mouth to represent the drums. Drugs, specifically crystal meth, played a delaying role in the song’s evolution. As the euphoria of the drug wore off, Armstrong hated the song’s original version and thought that it was the worst song he had ever written.
Armstrong initially abandoned ‘Basket Case’ but eventually took the decision to revisit it from a different perspective, leading to a significant songwriting triumph. This time, Armstrong was focussed on the subject of panic attacks, which he had suffered from since he was 10 years old. Armstrong had to deal with panic attacks in a world that didn’t understand or comprehend anxiety disorders. He used the song to talk about those panic attacks, describing the sensation of feeling crazy, but also about how he learned to ride it out.
In recent years, Armstrong has been open about his alcohol and substance abuse. Armstrong sought alcohol to help cope with growing stage fright early in his career. As he became more nervous before performances, he started drinking more frequently. During his on-stage meltdown during a performance at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas, Armstrong’s issues with alcohol came to a head. He entered rehab in 2012 and has attributed his stage fright to a deep-seated phobia. Recently, the band released their 14th album, ‘Saviors’, which returned to the theme of past substance use. Armstrong has spoken about his own journey towards sobriety and his ability to maintain it.
For advice and support on mental health, visit many organisations such as CALM, Help Musicians UK, Music Support Org and The Samaritans
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