Good Charlotte guitarist Billy Martin’s live rig

It’s late afternoon as the members of Good Charlotte arrive at New York City’s Irving Plaza for soundcheck. Although the group isn’t due to hit the stage for five more hours, a throng of 20-something fans (many of them female, clutching CDs, posters and various other merch items they hope to have signed) have been camped outside since morning. On their way inside, the band stop and greet their admirers, eliciting screams and “Oh my God!’ cries. Yeah, being a rock star sucks alright. “We’re having a good t