Jack Aylmer
GREEN DAY HAS FOUND ITSELF BANNED FROM THE AIRWAVES OF TWO LAS VEGAS RADIO STATIONS FOLLOWING CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS MADE BY THE LEAD SINGER, BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG.
THE EAST BAY PUNK ROCK TRIO IS FACING BACKLASH AFTER ARMSTRONG TRASHED LAS VEGAS DURING A CONCERT AT SAN FRANCISCO’S ORACLE PARK.
ARMSTRONG, WHO IS AN OAKLAND NATIVE, TAKING AIM AT THE OWNER OF THE A’S, CRITICIZING THE TEAM’S UPCOMING MOVE TO LAS VEGAS.
HE DIDN’T HOLD BACK, TELLING THE CROWD HE HATES VEGAS.
HIS COMMENTS SEEMED TO STRIKE A CHORD WITH THE BAY AREA CROWD, BUT OVER IN VEGAS, RADIO STATIONS WEREN’T TOO HAPPY.
K-O-M-P 92-POINT-THREE ANNOUNCED ON INSTAGRAM THAT IT ‘PULLED ANY AND ALL GREEN DAY FROM OUR PLAYLIST,’ WITH A POST READING, “IT’S NOT US, BILLIE..IT’S YOU’ FOLLOWED BY A HASHTAG SAYING #VEGAS4EVER.
ANOTHER VEGAS STATION, X107-POINT-FIVE, TOOK THINGS A STEP FURTHER, DECLARING ON ITS WEBSITE THAT ‘SIN CITY HEARD ARMSTRONG LOUD AND CLEAR’ AND THAT THEY’RE BREAKING UP WITH THE BAND.
THE STATION HAS SINCE BANNED ALL GREEN DAY MUSIC.
ARMSTRONG’S CRITICISM OF THE A’S MOVE TO LAS VEGAS IS NOTHING NEW.
HE HAS BEEN AN OUTSPOKEN OPPONENT OF THE RELOCATION, EVEN GOING AS FAR AS TO SPRAY-PAINT OVER AN A’S LOGO AT A CONCERT IN TORONTO EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
FOR NOW, GREEN DAY’S MUSIC WILL BE OFF THE AIR IN VEGAS.
I’M JACK AYLMER AND FOR MORE ON THIS STORY, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.