Billie Joe Armstrong: We sucked

Billie Joe Armstrong remembers the first time Green Day played a top festival because they "sucked".

The alternative rocker can't forget how awful the band were when they debuted at the Reading event in the UK. As well as having a slot between Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, their equipment arrived late and they were badly organised.

"The first time we played here [Reading] I just remember it sucked," Billie Joe admitted to NME magazine. "We hadn't played in a year and a half or something, and someone was obviously like, 'F**k it.'"

The three-piece act played a secret show during UK's legendary Reading Festival last weekend. The American punk band were supposed to have their extra performance cancelled as the tent was over crowded and organisers feared a crush of fans inside. The rebellious band continued regardless.

"They were afraid of chaos, basically," Billie Joe continued. "But we worked it out. It's always fun when you're doing something you're not supposed to be doing, right?"