Billie Joe Armstrong On Controversial Morrissey Collab: "I Really Did Not Have A Clue…"

Following last year's collaboration with Morrissey, Billie Joe Armstrong has responded to the criticism he faced online after working with The Smiths frontman on his guest spot-filled album California Son.

Green Day fans in the UK collectively raised their eyebrows when the frontman guested on the track Wedding Bell Blues (and then later called it "an honour" working with Moz), given that Morrissey has previously shown support for far-right, anti-Islam political group For Britain, as well as being accused of racism on numerous occasions. Taking Billie Joe's progressive and more left-leaning politics into consideration, it certainly seemed like a surprising move from Green Day's leader – but, as he tells The Guardian, he seemingly had no idea about Morrissey's views.

“I wasn’t aware until the song came out,” Billie Joe admits. “We do the song, and he was very lovely, and then the song comes out and a lot of Brits were like, 'What the hell are you doing?' I really did not have a clue…”

At the time of California Son's release, the only collaborator on the album to speak up about Morrissey's questionable politics was Broken Social Scene vocalist Ariel Engle, who was in a similar position to Billie Joe. “It’s a very weak argument to claim ignorance,” she told The Guardian, “but it is my argument. It’s not an excuse but it happens to be the truth.”

Read this next: 20 things you didn’t know about Billie Joe Armstrong

In other Green Day news, the band released their new record Father Of All… last Friday, and are on course for their fourth UK Number One album.

In last week’s issue of Kerrang!, we asked Billie Joe about the album title – and if we should be calling it Father Of All… or its full, uncensored title: Father Of All Motherfuckers.

“For the adults, it’s called Father Of All Motherfuckers, and then for the kids and for the censorship, it’s Father Of All…” he laughed. “It’s always been Father Of All…, pretty much. I did the artwork and I scribbled ‘Father Of All Motherfuckers’ on the American Idiot album cover. Someone said, ‘You’re never going to be able to get ‘Motherfuckers’ on there,’ and I go, ‘Well, just make everybody happy and just put a fucking unicorn on it!’ And then I drew a unicorn and put it over it. So it’s kind of funny, because the unicorn has become this icon.”

Read this next: Album review: Green Day – Father Of All…

Catch Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer on The Hella Mega Tour this year. Tickets are on sale now.

June

13 Paris, France, La Defense Arena,
14 Groningen, Netherlands, Stadspark
17 Antwerp, Belgium, Sportspaleis
21 Vienna, Austria, Ernst Happel Stadium
24 Glasgow, UK, Glasgow Green
26 London, UK, London Stadium
27 Huddersfield, UK, The John Smith’s Stadium
29 Dublin, Ireland, RDS Arena

July

17 Seattle, WA, T-Mobile Park
21 San Francisco, CA, Oracle Park
24 San Diego, CA, Petco Park
25 Los Angeles, CA, Dodger Stadium
28 Commerce City, CO, DICK’s Sporting Goods Park
31 Arlington, TX, Globe Life Field

August

1 Houston, TX Minute Maid Park
5 Miami, FL Hard Rock Stadium
6 Jacksonville, FL TIAA Bank Field
8 Atlanta, GA SunTrust Park
11 Minneapolis, MN Target Field
13 Chicago, IL Wrigley Field
15 Pittsburgh, PA PNC Park
16 Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium
19 Detroit, MI Comerica Park
21 Washington, DC Nationals Park
22 New York, NY Citi Field
24 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
27 Boston, MA Fenway Park
29 Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Park

November

8 Perth, Australia – HBF Park
11 Melbourne, Australia – Marvel Stadium
14 Sydney, Australia – Bankwest Stadium
17 Brisbane, Australia – Suncorp Stadium
20 Dunedin, New Zealand – Forsyth Barr Stadium
22 Auckland, New Zealand – Mt Smart Stadium