Joel Madden: GC move was hard

Joel Madden says putting Good Charlotte on hold was "bittersweet".

The 35-year-old rocker and his twin brother Benji fronted the band they founded in 1996 and were joined by bassist Paul Thomas and guitarist Billy Martin. The siblings recently stepped away from the group and have their own project The Madden Brothers.

Although they had been working on a debut record under their new title for three years, Joel admits it was still difficult to step away from the band that made them famous.

"We said, 'Let's stop what we're doing [with Good Charlotte] because, honestly, we don't really mean that anymore.'

We did when we wrote it, but we don't now," he explained to Kerrang! magazine. "We had a talk with the guys in Good Charlotte and it was bittersweet, but I think everyone needed a break. Paul went back to college, Billy is drawing for comics. For a while, Benji and I thought we might just produce and write. But we still wanted to put our music out, but we wanted it to represent who we are now. Three years later we have a record that I really like."

When quizzed on whether it marks the end of the famous pop punk band, Joel revealed he is unsure of what happens next. Their songs Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous and Girls & Boys propelled them into the limelight, as well as scoring the twins high-profile relationships. Joel is married to Nicole Richie and the couple have two kids together, while Benji has recently struck up a romance with Cameron Diaz.

"I don't know where Good Charlotte lies. This project is most definitely where we're at now," Joel added. "We started Good Charlotte when we were 15 and it's been the biggest part of our lives, so it's not something we'll ever quit or stop."