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Louise Thomas
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Green Day have been blacklisted from a number of local radio stations after frontman Billie Joe Armstrong apparently branded Las Vegas a “the worst s***hole in America”.
The outspoken singer reportedly made the comments during a 20 September show at San Francisco’s Oracle Park.
People reports that Armstrong said: “We don’t take no s*** from people like John F***ing Fisher who sold out the Oakland A’s to f***ing Las Vegas. I hate Las Vegas. It’s the worst s***hole in America.”
Armstrong, an Oakland, California, native, was referring to the current owner of the Oakland A’s baseball team, who in April announced that the MLB team would relocate to the Las Vegas strip to play in a stadium that has yet to be built.
The planned move has provoked ire among many of the team’s fans, in part because it means they will be moving temporarily to a minor league stadium in Sacramento, California, for at least the next three seasons.
There are currently no finalised plans for the potential Vegas ballpark.
Armstrong’s remarks have now sparked a backlash from some of Las Vegas’s local radio stations, including KOMP 92.3 who announced its plans to pull Green Day’s music from its station.
“KOMP 92.3 has pulled any and all Green Day from our playlist,” a statement on the station’s Instagram account said. “It’s not us, Billie, it’s you. #Vegas4Ever.”
Another station, X 107.5, shared a lengthier statement on its website and also featured an announcement from midday host Carlota.
“Well, Sin City heart [Armstrong] loud and clear, and X 107.5 is not having it,” the statement said. “In response to Armstrong’s inflammatory comments, the station is banning all Green Day music, effective immediately.”
It added: “Armstrong has crossed a line with Las Vegas locals. We’re breaking up with Green Day completely. Bye Bye, Billie!”
The Independent has contacted Green Day’s representative for comment.
On Instagram, Armstrong did not address the controversy directly but instead shared a tribute to his favourite team, along with a childhood photo showing him, aged around six years old, in an Oakland A’s hat.
“The athletics leaving Oakland is devastating,” he wrote. “I feel for all the fans and the people that will lose their jobs because of greed... three sports teams have left Oakland in the past five years, leaving a cultural hole in the East Bay hearts and sport.
“I DO believe that Oakland will come back from this... I’ll always remember driving to Del Norte Bart station taking the train to the games. Some of my favourite memories.”
He added: “My 4th grade teacher used to have the radio on in class so we [could] hear if Ricky Henderson was going to break the stolen base record. He did. Family friends crazy George Billy Ball... This one hurts.”
Disappointed fans have been leaving comments on his posts, including one who wrote: “I wish I could like you Mr Billie Joe Armstrong and your show was one of my absolute favourites in Las Vegas. But when you call my home [s***, you’re] disappointing.
“You don’t have to like my city, where I grew up, raised three kids, my granddaughters, as I tell my students... if you have nothing nice to say.”
She concluded: “I’m just disappointed. I thought you were better than that.”
Armstrong’s sentiment appears to have been reflected in the band’s touring schedule for some time, as their last official tour stop in Las Vegas was two decades ago, in 2004.
They are currently touring in support of their 2023 album, Saviors.
