Welcome to My Panic: Words + Music

by Billie Joe Armstrong

Soaring ambition. Unwavering integrity. Billie Joe Armstrong isn't the first punk to negotiate mainstream success, but he might be its most undisguised example. In Welcome to my Panic, Green Day's iconic front man holds nothing back as he tracks listeners though his deeply personal and artistic journey in raw detail.

Matching his emotional storytelling with new, exclusive, recordings of Green Day's biggest hits including “Basket Case”, “Good Riddance”, “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, and “American Idiot”, Armstrong chronicles the seminal moments in his life: the trauma and triumphs that have come to define him. As we listen, Billie Joe reminds us punk rock is not about how hard you can play but how hard you can remain yourself.

Genres: Music, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

Audio CD

Published September 21, 2021

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not me listening to Billie Joe Armstrong describing serenading a girl in high school and STILL, today, wishing I was that girl....

Yep, that’s me. Because this was such a sensitive and wonderful retelling of Billie Joe’s lifetime love affair with music, interspersed with all the best Green Day songs. Touches candidly on everything from his tough time in high school to his addiction and recovery to his wife and family. Many really cool insights into his songwriting and the earlier iterations of Green Day with different members, and other very cool stuff I did not know about him and the band. I loved this!

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are so fun! I wish they had more artists that I'm familiar with.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Green Day has been a part of my soundtrack for a long time. Their music has been there for me and with me through messy times, fun nights, and big changes and feelings. And now I can add a pandemic to the list too. I found myself singing and humming Basket Case more than once in 2020.

It all keeps adding up
I think I’m cracking up

This quick listen is full of music and behind the music tidbits. But it was the honest, no BS style of telling that made this a hit for me. Billie Joe Armstrong is a natural born storyteller. It’s like he’s sitting right there across from you sharing his tales. I would have liked a few more details on this or that, but overall I just enjoyed the ride and listen from the clubs to the stadiums to the Rock &Roll Hall of Fame.

Dig out the headphones and give it a listen!

Highly recommended.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that Audible has an original series titled Words + Music. Billie Joe Armstrong's Welcome to My Panic was a welcome addition to the series.

I was in high school when Dookie was released and I remember some of the moments Billie Joe talks about. I remember watching footage from Woodstock and the crowd was going ape shit. To hear about it from his perspective was actually quite different than I felt while watching the muddy performance.

If you're a fan of Storyteller's and MTV's Unplugged, I think you will love Audible's Words + Music. Even better? With an Audible subscription, it's free.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to hear about the past and musical process of one of my favorite musicians. He is well spoken and the audio was great quality. The songs thrown in were a nice touch.

It was only an hour and half long and I feel like most of that were songs... most of which I've spent most of my life listening to. I would have liked a bit more content, but for a free audiobook, I'm not going to complain.

Definitely worth a listen if you like Green Day and have some spare time.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Billie Joe Armstrong to be well-spoken and interesting to listen to. This was really short, and about half of it was songs. While I enjoyed the music, I wanted more of Billie telling his story. Not complaining-- it was free and the only negative I had was that I wanted more.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Green Day since early middle school. Listening to Billie Joe discuss his life and motivation for different songs was wonderful.

[Victor Mickelsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair warning, This is perhaps the oddest review for a book I have ever created. Actually, this is probably more of a “dear diary” circa 1994 that you come across randomly one day (on your NEW Audible Free with Subscription audiobooks) and you decide what the hell, let’s check it out! Well this book review is a result of my past and president colliding in a wonderful way! (and yes, I recommend taking the hour to listen to this book!)

I remember I was a 7th grade outcast in JR High the first time I saw Green Day preform. Our Music teacher at the time
was airing the live broadcast of 25th anniversary of Woodstock (“Woodstock ‘94”). I think I instantly devolved a huge crush on Green Day’s lead singer, Billie Armstrong ❤️. He is dreamy, sexy in that rugged/pretty-boy/nerdie-bad-boy way. I’ve always had an admiration for/and can relate to/with people who channel their energy into creating art (on any platform). As an artist myself, and back in 1994, being young, and knowing the frustration of not being quite understood by people my own age... and at the same time falling for older men who were perhaps flawed and in need of support or love themselves (the kind of self love/exceptance that one can only give to one’s self. (Oh not to mention the difference between straight men, Bi men, and gay men! a lesson that look me decades to learn! Victor, there is no point in expecting a marriage proposal from a straight married man... move on! 😂😂😂❤️) As for my 7th grade self, not yet realizing one cannot seek to repair flaws in a person; a person must be willing to heal for themselves. I remember not understanding the inability to have the magic power to “FIX”these kind of men, and they still attract me today! ...And give them a messy textured haircut, a nose ring (piercings and tattoos please)... Eyeliner, natural dark hair (that can morph colors from punk rock red to emerald green)... well you get the point! I’m still crushing on Billie Joe 27 years after seeing him in 7th grade music class on the tiny (large for its time) portable TV (wheeled on a small shit-brown metal entertainment center(?)...complete with state of the art VCR🙊 if you reserved the “fancy one” in time) from the school library! And I’m glad that Mr. Armstrong sounds like he’s tackled his insecurities and his estranged relationship with fame. It seems that many artists who end up with overnight success (especially at a young age) seem to develop a love/hate relationship with their career. From one perspective they are doing what they love everyday, and getting paid very well for it. But factor in the stress of everyone (fans included) expecting more and more from you, all while you feel like you are possibly compromising your artistic self for the mainstream demands of those around you (again, including your fans who make you who you are! I can see where it all becomes a grey blurred line of... who am I versus who have I become!?!! I feel like all the modern day artists who have overcome type of self alienation (if you will) have in the end, been true to how they feel, what they feel, and are people who realize maybe you are not the same person you were 10 years ago??? And you know what? that’s okay! People are supposed to grow and evolve with time and knowledge! I know Billie and his band have painted the background of my life story with not only beautiful, meabingingful, and powerful music; But their music also is like my personal time capsule; that I can drag out anytime and sonically tune into... and I will be instantly swept back to an exact moment/location in my life! Every sound has a flavor, sensation, temperature, oder, and deep emotional tie to my past. This is a place where my past and present aline and comfort me... a world of wonder all my own! ❤️

This audiobook is almost exactly like many of my crushes or past relationships with men... it’s short, bittersweet, directly to the point, keeps me captivated with the desire of needing more, and ends rather abruptly! All this may sound negative, but I honestly mean every word that described this audiobook in a positive light! It’s just enough to keep me entertained, and although I love Billie Joel Armstrong... girl, I want to get started on some serial killer thriller so just over an hour of sexy Billy is fine with me! 😛😂😂😂 (Thankfully, unlike real-life men, audiobooks have yet to gift me an STD/STI! So I don’t have to make time to get an STI screening either!🤫😲😉😂🤣😂🤣😅)

But it’s amusing to know that even after 27 long years; The talented, intelligent, mysterious, and handsome Billie Joel Armstrong from Green Day, can still make me have a pulsating WAP! 🔥🔥🔥💦💧🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛😻

[erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When people write about how they are older and wiser, I think God, that sounds so boring. Wisdom is so overrated. I love writing from a perspective of my younger self. It's just honest emotion--it goes back to the songs I wrote about girls, lost love, things like that. You have to be in that place of--gosh, almost naivety. That's what being young feels like. I think people cheer for Green Day as far as being able to wear your heart on your sleeve."

As a Green Day longhauler (it's been about 12 years since I first got into them), this felt like a warm hug. Just gorgeous--and very illuminating as to how hard and draining the creative process can be, especially when you're in what's considered one of the biggest rock bands in the world and you are also very, very hard on and demanding of yourself. I love Billie Joe, probably always will. Green Day's music was such a constitutive, vital part of my growing up that it's hard not to get emotional when I think about them.

The acoustic versions of the songs were amazing. Especially Basket Case, American Idiot and Graffittia--it's scary that they can still sound just as good and make really good records *checks* almost 35 years into their career. And I loved the "improvised" feel of the narration. He didn't read from a pre-written script, he seemed to be thinking of what to say in the spot. Not in a bad way. It was very informative as to the early years of the band and what was going on behind the scenes throughout the recording of their albums, particularly Billie's struggles with mental health, and how that inspired one of their most well-known songs Basket Case. I have nothing but love for this guy. ❤️

[David Lies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let this be the philosophy of a punk rocker.

Its not hard to fail placing a finger on the philosophy of the punk rocker and the band Green Day, at the same time, through hardship and experience Billie Joe explains the situations that led him through writing some of his greatest selling songs. Cascading quickly through events stemming from his family origins in Oklahoma, meeting Mike Dirnt, his fathers death, dropping out of school and starting the band, and eventually to adding Tre Cool. The struggles continued through his writing and performing career as he enlightens the audience to addiction and his own personal regrets as a showman. The audiobook was excellent, but as a fan of Green Day, far too short to only give a thirsty man a drop of water to make him crave more.

Great listen, great songs within each chapter. Worth my time.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more of a podcast with songs than a book. Or a recorded interview perhaps. Nevertheless, I love it. These guys are weird. They go against much of my persona or ideas, but I guess maybe it’s a guilty pleasure. Representative of my teenage angst perhaps. Ever since hearing the early music from the days of underground punk music and lookout records, I’ve resonated with this music. Seeing them in concert in 1996 in a small venue with only a hundred or so fans is still one of my favorite shows. Though I didn’t care for the transition to the mainstream music and increasingly vulgar lyrics, I appreciate the talents of the artists and they definitely still entertain me. Billy Joe Armstrong is a talented songwriter. Listening to him explain his music and talk about his band mates is very enlightening. Entertaining. Respectable. It takes me back in time. Back to compilation cassettes with Green Day. Operation Ivy. All the great Gilman Street artists! Long live Lookout records!!! ( I know, the label is already gone, but the mental state lives on!)

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all have our Green Day stories.

The first time I heard Basketcase it was 1994, I was eleven and smooshed in the backseat of my parents car. They were in the front, and my two sisters and one brother and I were all in the backseat. It was raining. I even remember we were driving down Foothill Blvd at the time in Rancho Cucamonga where I grew up. The song came on the radio and I was absolutely riveted.

After that Green Day became MY band. I listened to them constantly. I tracked down the side bands. I had shirts I wore to pieces. Any magazine or book that had them in it had to be mine. I went to many many shows as I grew older. I idolized Billie Joe.

Over time the level of my enthusiasm began to fade. I think I have one Green Day shirt now as opposed to dozens. I still listen to them often and I still have the softest spot for Billie Joe. I loved this and how much performing his music matters to him still. I enjoyed hearing about the circumstances and thought processes behind these songs, too. Definitely an excellent listen for fans.

[ANSM (themuslimbooknerd) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bille Joe Armstong is such a dearie, not doubt about that. So is his story-telling and stories!

BUUTTT...(and it is huge one!) I don't what on earth were the sh!tload of producers were doing with this. I can't call this content an audiobook by any stretch at all. Listening to makes extremely obvious not a single book editor was involed with the production of this. The whole format felt like a mushed-together hybird accidental GMO version of an interview podcast, where Billie was basically (most probably) answering some pre-listed question with no connection or continuity among them. And the worst part, if the question were non-existent in the audio.

[Laianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great intro to Green Day and Billie Joe Armstrong for a casual fan. I love Audible’s Words + Music series, and while I wouldn’t rate this as high as Common’s Bluebird Memories (my favorite so far) I enjoyed the foray into my own childhood for this one. I learned a lot about the formation of the band and Billie Joe Armstrong as a person. Definitely worth the listen.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick audiobook experience. Loved the honesty and transparency as Billie Joe explores how it felt to become mainstream in the punk climate of the 80s and 90s. This felt personal -- socially and creatively. He's a good story-teller, and I esp. enjoyed how several Green Day tunes (4-5) are used as the backdrop for his stories.

[Glenn Rolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very cool listen. Billie Joe's open and honest mini-bio was refreshing to hera I learned things I never knew, and I'm happy he's in a great place in his life now.

Looking forward to more new music whenever he and the boys are ready.

[TheLibraryOfSarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely in love with this- I have a great deal of respect for Billie Joe and all he's done with his music and influence, especially touching on mental health. It was nice hearing more of his story in this audiobook along with acoustic versions of a few well-loved songs.

[Pat of Rocks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost everyone within a few years plus/minus of my age owned Green Day's Dookie album (most on cassette tape too). This album and band was a big influence and icon of our time.

Short, simple and honest stories paired with some good acoustic tracks.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will forever love Billie Joe and Green Day. <3

[Annie Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I enjoyed learning about Billie Jo Armstrong. It was fascinating to learn the stories behind the songs. Of course the music was also fabulous!

[cel · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really love billie joe armstrong <3

[hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love him lmao :(

[Kinyorda Sliwiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series never disappoints. I love hearing origin stories from artists that I love. Armstrong is a musical genius. His difficult experiences growing up led to him writing iconic anthems by the time her was 15. Hearing the stories behind the songs makes them that much more impactful.

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m enjoying these audible books. I heard the Patti Smith book and discovered nearly 30 different artists. BJA is someone I’ve respected for some time and this recording as fortunately clarified my position

[Rachel Nagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was just entirely too short. I wish I could listen to him talk about every song album and personal encounter. Very cool little personal punk nugget.

[Velicia Jerus Darquenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite bands of all time, so of course I had to listen to BJA talk to me about how it all started and daydream as if I was girl he was serenading. 😍

[Leah Agirlandaboy]

More disjointed than the Tom Morello version (edited interview vs composed stage show), but good enough for what it is. Man, I love Green Day, though.

(We had a casual connection to Mike Dirnt before he moved, and I’m happy to report that both he and his wife were very nice and extremely cool.)

[Laura Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing that would have made this better was if it was longer! Loved it!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was nice. It felt like a hour and a half interview special complete with the songs, the addition of the songs would probably elevate this to 3.5 or even 4 if I let my Green Day and Billie Joe Armstrong fan side take over but as a book and being objective about it, it limits the rating I can give.
I don't think this has anything new that a major fan would not know already, but if they are like me who still calls themselves a major fan but has shied away from delving into the members personal lives in an effort to retain that sense of 'first-time-hearing' of the songs (for me that was when I was 12) or to retain their own interpretation, this might provide nuance.

Most of that nuance for me came from the last 30 minutes or so, with the discussion of how Saint Jimmy and Jesus of Suburbia while two different characters in 'American Idiot' are also different aspects of Billie Joe Armstrong and through that lens they are the same person. Previously, I had come across the notion that they were the same, but only in the story narrative, 'Welcome to My Panic' adds the nuance that it's also meta. It was also interesting to hear his opinion on the importance of finding another outlet besides music in order to remain sane when writing music.

In general when it comes to nuance I didn't actually know he suffered from panic attacks but I did know he has struggled with various addictions so finding out how they factored into each other was again interesting.
Overall a good listen, it's a reminder for us fans that he is a punk artist and human while for those who aren't fans it may challenge their ideas of what being a celebrity in regards to music is like.


Popsugar Challenge prompt 2021: A book about art or an artist.

[Jay Ward A.K.A. Chris Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course this was an amazing time spent with one of my lifetime heros’. Billie is on my Mount Rushmore and this audio piece is just another example of why. So honest, humble and funny. What I wouldn’t give for a sit-down drunken night with this guy! For those of us who’ve been alongside him and his band for all these years you know what I mean. Billie and this bands music has pulled me thru teenage breakups, having my heart stomped on and thinking I’d never feel better, to drumming along on the steering wheel the same day. Every party I ever attended Green Day was present in musical spirit! And now we’re all old men listening to audiobooks! Man I miss those days when music was all that mattered. Everyone in band tshirts. Fistfights over who’s favorite band was better. It seemed like a legendary album dropped every month from someone you loved back then. The music mattered. You locked yourself in your room with the cd booklet and read along to every lyric. Goosebumps, tears, and rage rushing thru you before going out on the town for another banner Saturday night! Ripped jeans, Airwalks, and a band Tshirts on! Thank you Billie for providing my life with a substantial proportion of its soundtrack. Your words will always mean something to me. And now I’m passing the torch to my 4 little ones. You’ve always been a genius! Thanks again my man.