Green Day has had to learn the hard way not to mess with the radio stations of Las Vegas.
The rock band’s frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, 52, has received some intense backlash from Sin City locals after he launched into an expletive-filled rant about the much-loved US city.
While performing at San Francisco’s Oracle Park earlier this month, he spoke about his favourite baseball team, the Oakland Athletics and revealed his thoughts about the recent announcement that they will be relocating to Vegas.
Oakland Athletics announced the move earlier this year after they were unable to negotiate funding from the state’s government for a new stadium.
They have since been approved $380million (£284million) in public financing from the Nevada government to create their desired stadium on the Las Vegas strip and have found a temporary home in West Sacramento while construction takes place.
The decision hasn’t been favourable to some fans, including Billie who lashed out at the team’s owner, American businessman John Fisher, who also owns the San Jose Earthquakes Soccer club.
During a recent show, he told fans: ‘We don’t take s*** from people like f****** John Fisher.’
‘I hate Las Vegas. It’s the worst s****** in America,’ he added.
Las Vegas locals didn’t receive the outburst well, and multiple radio stations announced a ban on playing Green Day music.
Taking to Instagram, KOMP 92.3 shared a picture of the iconic 90s and 00s band with a large red cancellation symbol over it and wrote: ‘KOMP 92.3 has pulled any and all Green Day from our playlist. It’s not us, Billie…it’s you. #vegas4ever.’
Fans quickly took to the comment section to share their thoughts, _mindsetgenesis wrote: ‘We gotta stand our ground on this one. We got your back KOMP 🔥’.
While epaul1982 added: ‘Thank god!! Worst band EVER! Good riddance. (Eh? Come on, that’s a good one!)’
However, some disagreed with the move. Blairwilkins12 commented: ‘So you don’t believe in freedom of speech? 🤔’
Thatm84guy said: ‘Ridiculous. Just play the music.’
KOMP wasn’t the only radio station to ban the Good Riddance singers. X107.5 also announced that following Billie’s rant, they were ‘breaking up’ with the band, which includes Tre Cool, Mike Dirnt, and Jason White, ‘completely’.
Releasing a statement on their website, they wrote: ‘Well, Sin City heard him loud and clear—and X107.5 is not having it. In response to Armstrong’s inflammatory comments, the station is banning all Green Day music, effective immediately.
‘Considering he played a pop-up show at Fremont Country Club last year, we’re surprised at his comments. The show was spectacular! But now, Armstrong has crossed a line with Las Vegas locals.
‘So we’re breaking up with Green Day completely. Bye Bye, Billie!’
This isn’t the first time Billie has caused upset with his comments. Earlier this year, he also made an effort to annoy Donald Trump supporters while performing the band’s four-time Grammy-nominated single, American Idiot.
Holding a mask of the former president and republican candidate’s face during their performance at Washington’s National Park, he could be heard changing the lyrics from: ‘I’m not a part of a redneck agenda’, to ‘I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda’.
Green Day have protested Donald, 78 and his political agenda for years.
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