Billie Joe Armstrong

Billie Joe with his famous

My hero is Billie Joe Armstrong. He is the lead singer, chief songwriter and guitarist of the famous rock band Green Day. He is also a guitarist and vocalist for the rock band Foxboro Hot Tubs.

Billie Joe Armstrong was born in Oakland, California, on February 17, 1972, and was raised as the youngest of six children in his family. His father called Andrew Armstrong worked as a jazz musician, and his mother called Olie Jackson worked at Rod`s Hickory Pit.

His father died of esophageal cancer on September 10,1982, when Billie was about 10 years old. About 22 years later Green Day recorded one of their albums called American Idiot. This album considers social problems. It can be seen as anti-war allegory against the policy of George Bush and the USA invasion to Iraq. However, a really beautiful song in this album called "Wake Me Ur When September Ends" is a memorial to his father. In this song Billie Joe departs from the main theme of the album, and tells us about his father.

When Andrew died, Olie married again. Billie hated his stepfather and dedicated a song to him called "Why do you want him?". It was his first song, which he composed himself, when he was 14 years old. I think, that it is an amazing fact, because not every 14-year-old can compose such good music and write a text for a song.

Armstrong`s interest in music started at a really young age. When he was five, he often visited hospitals and sang for the patients. It was really great! He brought joy and happiness to ill people. And now a lot of people enjoy Billie`s music. I have been listening to Green Day`s music since my childhood. Their music helps me to relax and it`s one of my comforters in troubles.

When Billie was 13 years old, his mum presented him with his first electric guitar. It was his famous «Blue», which he still plays.

Green Day

In 1987 Armstrong formed a band called Sweet Children with his childhood friend Mike Dirnt at the age of 15. In the beginning Dirnt and Armstrong were both on the guitar with John Kiffmeyer, also known as All Sobrant, on the drums, and Sean Hughes on the bass. After a few gigs and a demo recording, Hughes left the band in 1988. At the same time Dirnt switched to the bass and they became a 3-piece band. They changed their name to Green Day in April 1989. Tre Cool eventually replaced Kiffmeyer in late 1990, when he left Green Day in order to go to college.

But it was only the beginning. Their first tour the guys made together with Tre`s father on their old van.

In 1990 Armstrong met Adrin Nesser, at one of the Green Day`s shows in Mankato, and married her on July 2, 1994. Their first son called Joey Armstrong was born on February 28, 1995, and was named in honour of Joey Ramona. Now Joey is the drummer of a teen garage-rock band called Emily`s Army. Their second son called Jacob Danger Armstrong was born on September 12, 1998. BJ is a very good father for his two sons. He loves them very much. Different from a lot of other famous people, who have several wives or husbands, he has been living with his wife and children for 16 years, and he is not going to leave his family.

Green Day went through many obstacles on their way. They went through setbacks, creative disagreements and disapproval of the public and eventually achieved the height of popularity.

Green Day became an exclusive punk band that survived in the difficult years for the rock-culture in the 90`s.

Their songs are full of feeling. They also show us the truth of life. The guys do not want to compete with anybody, when they compose their songs, they only want to express their thoughts.

That makes them real musicians understood and loved by a great number of people. That`s why Billie Joe Armstrong is my hero.

I`m learning to play the guitar and the piano. I often play Green Day`s songs too. And I want to become such a great musician like Billie Joe one day.