“I loved Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Then something happened where it was like you had to be in the guitar Olympics”: Billie Joe Armstrong explains why he rekindled his relationship with the guitar solo on Green Day’s newest album

Billie Joe Armstrong and Eddie Van Halen.

Last month, Green Day released Saviors – their 14th studio album, which marked not only the latest addition to the punk rock icons’ celebrated discography, but also a notable shift in the soloing approach of the band’s frontman.

As Billie Joe Armstrong details in the most recent issue of Guitar World, Saviors saw him make a conscious effort to rekindle his relationship with the humble guitar solo, resulting in what he describes as quite possibly the most solo-heavy record of Green Day’s repertoire.