Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has said the band are pushing themselves as hard as ever during recording sessions for their new album.

The band are currently working on the follow-up to 2004's 'American Idiot' with former Nirvana producer Butch Vig.

Speaking to the Alternative Press, Armstrong said: "I really like fucking with arrangements, and I always try to look at the possibilities of how you write power-pop music.

"I'm pushing myself to be progressive in songwriting and being a songwriter. I come from a culture where I'm into great albums, and I still believe in that.

“I'm not saying I can go for it this hard every time - there might be times when I want to have something that's a little bit more spontaneous and off the cuff - but with this record, the feeling's been that you've got to just go for it."

Vig, who was responsible for Nirvana's 'Nevermind' and 'Siamese Dream' by the Smashing Pumpkins, was unveiled as the band's producer in October.

Armstrong said that the group had decided to collaborate with the producer because he has “got a lot of integrity and a lot of class”.

He added: "He works with a lot of different kinds of bands, and it could be a platinum band, or it could be more of a garage band. And he's got a long history of that.

“I feel like we kind of come from the same place, where he started in Wisconsin in kind of a garage-y atmosphere and working with bands at Smart Studios, and you know, we made our first record for $700."

(by Jason Gregory)