Green Day’s ‘Saviors’ artwork is photo from the Troubles in Belfast

25 October, 2023

the cover artwork for Green Day's 'Saviors'

The artwork for Green Day‘s upcoming new album ‘Saviors’ features a photograph that was taken during the Troubles in Belfast.

The Billie Joe Armstrong-led trio announced their 14th full-length record yesterday (October 24) and shared the single ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me’, which they’d debuted at an intimate show in Las Vegas last week.

The cover includes a black-and-white image of a young boy holding a rock and standing in front of a fire in the middle of a road. Green Day’s band name appears in a pink logo above the picture, with the album title featured below it.

As BBC News reports, the photo in question was shot during a 1978 riot on the Falls Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was taken by photographer Chris Steele-Perkins. See the artwork in the post below.

The Troubles lasted nearly 30 years and claimed the lives of more than 3,500 people.

Following the reveal of the ‘Saviors’ cover, some fans on X/Twitter have pointed out the connection to Belfast and asked whether there was any significance of having the photograph on the album.

Other users noted that Green Day had previously taken inspiration from the Northern Ireland punk scene, including bands like Protex, Rudi and Stiff Little Fingers.

Green Day have since given further details on the project on social media, writing: “What is ‘Saviors’ about, you ask?”

The group went on to list the following inspirations: “Power pop, punk, rock, indie triumph. disease, war, inequality, influencers, yoga retreats, alt right, dating apps, masks, MENTAL HEALTH, climate change, oligarchs, social media division, free weed, fentanyl, fragility…”

They added: “What would Andy Warhol do? What would John Waters do? What would Quentin Tarantino do? What would GREEN DAY do?”

Green Day have been inspired by politics in the past. Back in 2004, the trio’s album ‘American Idiot’ and the single by the same name saw them express anger over the US war in Iraq and the presidency of George W Bush.

‘Saviors’ is set for release on January 19, 2024, via Reprise/Warner – you can pre-order/pre-save it here.

Last Sunday (October 22) – during the second of their two nights headlining When We Were Young 2023 – Green Day debuted another not-yet-released track called ‘Look Ma, No Brains!’.

In other news, the band have revealed that they’ll embark on a US stadium tour next year with The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and The Linda Lindas. Specific dates are yet to be confirmed.

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