Green Day Reveals Why Billie Joe’s Tooth is Chipped in ‘Good Riddance’ Music Video

Green Day (with Gary Dell’Abate wearing a Tré Cool mask) Photo: The Howard Stern Show

Green Day shared some wild stories on Wednesday morning’s Stern Show, including how a late-night bender led to Billie Joe Armstrong chipping his tooth right before the band shot the music video for “Good Riddance.”

“We got pretty hammered,” Billie told Howard. “Tré threw a TV out of a window.” Green Day drummer Tré Cool explained it never crossed his mind that throwing a television set out the window of the hotel they were staying at was a bad idea. Billie didn’t think it was a bad idea, either, but their security guard did.

“We had a security guard at the time that was trying to stop him and then I was trying to stop the security guard,” Billie said. The scuffle between the three caused the security guard to hit Billie and chip one of his teeth.

“If you watch, during the [‘Good Riddance’] video, he has a freshly broken-in-half tooth,” bassist Mike Dirnt said. Check out Billie’s mouth (below).

Howard also asked Green Day about the band’s onstage antics, including how Billie Joe used to perform naked during concerts.

“That was pretty crazy,” the frontman admitted. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Howard assumed that, if he’s willing to take his clothes off in front of thousands of people at venues as big as Madison Square Garden, Billie must be well endowed. He didn’t state his size, but he did explain the experience that caused him to put his clothes back on.

“I got arrested in Milwaukee for getting naked on stage,” Billie told Howard. The band was allowed to finish their show, but police promptly attempted to arrest Billie once they left the stage. “I heard they were coming to get me and I jumped in a cab.”

Billie didn’t get far, though – the cops caught up and brought him to jail. The arresting officer, Billie remembered, told him, “Son, you can do that on the West Coast and you can do that in New York, but here, it’s illegal in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.”

Billie has stayed dressed ever since and has also stayed sober for the past four years. He told Howard there was a night he hit rock bottom, but he doesn’t much remember it.

“It’s a blur,” Billie said. “It was pretty much time. I woke up the next day and I remember looking at my wife and I was like, ‘How bad is it?'” She told him it was pretty bad.

“Everybody agreed that I needed to get it together,” he continued. “It was honest concern because at that point, it was beyond booze. It was drugs and stuff.” His bandmates say their new album “Revolution Radio” is better because of Billie’s sobriety.

“I love this Billie,” Tré said. “This is the most fun we’ve had in the studio. The record just shows.”

“I’m awake at 7 a.m. on Howard Stern,” Billie added. “Sobriety has brought me here.”

Green Day’s new album “Revolution Radio” is available Friday, Oct. 7.