MUSIC NEWS- Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong has decided to get treatment for substance abuse announced the band's rep on Sunday. The news, after the 40-year-old frontman had a meltdown onstage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on Friday, doesn't come to a surprise to many. As Green Day was wrapping up its performance during the star-filled, two-day concert, Armstrong profanely complained that the band’s time was being cut short.
“One minute left, one minute (expletive) left. You’re gonna give me (expletive) one minute? ... I’m not (expletive) Justin Bieber, you (expletives)!” he yelled (though Bieber was not even part of the night’s festivities). After the tirade, Armstrong smashed his guitar before leaving the stage.
In a statement to the AP, Green Day apologized “to those they offended at the iHeartRadio Festival” and said the group's set was not cut short by Clear Channel, the promoter of the two-day festival.
The Grammy winning band also is canceling some of its promotional appearances for it's Uno album on Tuesday. Uno is their follow-up to 21st Century Breakdown, released three years ago. Uno is the first of a trilogy of albums; the second is to be out in November, and the third in January 2013. The group is also band on the road with a nationwide arena tour that's due to kick off on November 26 in Seattle.
Armstrong was hospitalized in early September in Bologna, Italy, for an undisclosed ailment, but recovered sufficiently enough to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 6. Since then, the group has made a series of performances, including a “Good Morning America” performance and a New York City concert for the launch of Nokia Music on September 15. No interviews of the band were allowed that evening, but the band chatted with fans and Nokia and AT&T executives before performing for about two hours.
It’s still remains unclear on what Armstrong is receiving treatment for; in 2003, he was arrested for DUI, and has acknowledged previously taking various drugs but has said he now despises them.
We wish he a succesful, speedy recovery.
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