'''Joel Reuben Madden''' (born March 11, 1979 in Waldorf, Maryland, USA) is the lead vocalist for the band Good Charlotte and identical twin brother of guitarist Benji Madden.
Biography
Joel's father left on Christmas Eve when Joel was 16 years old, which increased financial problems for the family. Joel and Benji had to take numerous odd jobs to help with the family finances. Although Joel and Benji had no musical experience, the two decided to start a band after attending a Beastie Boys concert at the age of 16. Their first band was called "The Benji, Joel, and Brian Band,' which they started with a friend. The band was short-lived. Eventually, Joel and Benji recruited their high school friends Aaron Escolopio and Paul Thomas, and they formed Good Charlotte.
Joel attended La Plata High School in La Plata, Maryland. Joel cites the torment from his peers as inspiration for much of Good Charlotte's lyrics on their self-titled debut album, as well as on their second album, ''The Young and the Hopeless'', especially the song "The Anthem."
Misc.
He and his brother Benji write all of Good Charlotte's music.
He and his brother Benji were MTV VJ's for awhile when they co-hosted the late night rock music countdown show All Things Rock on MTV
He became the eleventh star and tenth victim to appear on ''Punk'd'' more than twice. His first was when Joel was tricked with his brother Benji by Ashton Kutcher for the incident when they saw his Range Rover had crashed on top of a Volvo while being towed. His second is when he pranked Michelle Trachtenberg by being blamed for driving into a parking garage without knowing the low water pipe hanging.
He has legally changed his last name to Madden, his mother's maiden name, from Combs, his father's name, along with his twin brother Benji.
Joel is five minutes younger than Benji.
On the Big Screen
Joel Madden had a small part in Bill Cosby's, Fat Albert (released in 2005). He was in the scene “Straight Outta TV Land”, a classroom scene. Joel will also be shooting a new movie called "Valley of the Damned" this Summer. He and Benji put the voices of the interrogators in the movie Live Freaky! Die Freaky!. He is also in a movie called Fast Future Generation, which is about his band Good Charlotte and Japan. The movie is directed by Marvin Scott Jarrett
Personal Life
*Joel has an older brother named Josh who is a DJ and a younger sister named Sarah who sings for the band Her Daily Obsession.
