Green Day, the pop-punk trio, has confirmed the upcoming release of their 14th album, “Saviors,” scheduled for early next year. What may come as a surprise to global fans is that the album’s cover artwork was captured in West Belfast during the Troubles. The featured image showcases a young boy holding a stone during a 1978 riot at the top of Leeson Street.
However, the boy’s face in the image appears to have been altered or digitally manipulated in Green Day’s version of the artwork. The original photograph was taken by Chris Steele-Perkins, a London-based photographer, who visited Northern Ireland in the late 1970s as part of the Exit Group. This group of three photographers documented the prevailing poverty in the UK’s deteriorating inner cities.
In 2008, Chris returned to Northern Ireland to photograph and interview some of the people he had captured on film 30 years earlier. His writings and images were compiled into a book titled “The Troubles.” In a previous interview with The Guardian, he mentioned his intention to depict the lives of Catholic communities from an insider’s perspective during the conflict. He emphasized that his goal was not to illustrate a thesis but to engage with the unknown, interact with his subjects, and remain true to the narrative.
The Leeson Street image gained attention two years ago when it was posted on the discussion site Reddit, with one user remarking, “This would be a siiick punk album cover.”
While it cannot be confirmed whether Green Day saw this post, the global superstars have now become acquainted with Chris’s work. Despite the alteration of the boy’s face, the remainder of the image appears to remain unchanged.
“Saviors” is set to be released on January 19, 2024. On the album announcement day, the band—comprising Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool—also shared a new single from the LP, titled “The American Dream Is Killing Me,” a fiery, punk-inspired track.
The band describes “Saviors” as an invitation into Green Day’s collective spirit, offering insight into their friendship, culture, and legacy of over 30 years. The album promises to be a raw and emotional exploration, balancing humor and disturbance. It delves into a wide range of themes, from power pop and punk to social issues such as disease, war, inequality, influencers, mental health, climate change, and more. It’s a record that embraces honesty, vulnerability, and the complexities of modern life.
Chris Steele-Perkins, now 76, remains a member of the renowned Magnum Photos agency and is best known for his evocative depictions of Africa, Afghanistan, England, Northern Ireland, and Japan. He moved to the UK from Myanmar with his family in 1949 and has received numerous accolades for his reportages and photojournalism.
Earlier this year, his work, including the Leeson Street image, was featured in an exhibition organized by Magnum Photos at the Magnum Gallery in London.
Green Day’s new record, Saviors, has generated buzz among fans with its attention-grabbing cover image which prominently features the Belfast riot.
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