"And it didn't happen easy, we didn't do anything cheap, didn't take any short cuts, didn't write any novelties like you see so many rock bands do. We went in and we made something we were passionate about. And either something like this was going to happen, or you go down with a good fight. And that's where I'm most proud. We did this with 100 percent integrity attached, so nobody can take this shit away from me."

[On the new album] "We needed to evolve."

[On American Idiot] "It can definitely be a soundtrack to a revolution -- we've seen it done in the past. It just depends on how ambitious people are with it."

[On American Idiot's lack of controversy] "I guess that means more people agree with what we're saying than we had anticipated." [laughs].

"In my humble opinion, this is an album that's more ambitious than what's going on in rock right now. It's more flamboyant. It takes things a step further. That's something people have been missing."

"There's a through story line about St. Jimmy, about how he comes of age in the world that surrounds him. It's not about pointing fingers. It's about wanting to declare your individuality."

[The American Idiot Creation] ''I pretty much started writing the whole album in order,'' says Armstrong. ''After I wrote 'Jesus of Suburbia' [Idiot's other five-part mini-suite], there was no going back.''

''The big challenge was, How do we do something that ambitious? I didn't want anyone to listen to American Idiot and think, Oh my God, this is so far removed from what Green Day is.''

"I think in rock music, a lot of bands haven't really been stepping up to the plate so much, without mentioning any names. There's bands that just straight up aren't political and I respect that. That's fine, If you wanna make your boring music, go ahead. No, just kidding [laughs]. We weren't always a political band. This is the first time we've ever really stepped out and done this."