Armstrong met his first serious girlfriend, Erica Paleno (also known as Arica Pelino), inside the Gilman music club on his sixteenth birthday. Erica became known as the "first official Green Day fan" as she listened to the first four-track recordings by Billie and Sean, encouraging the band, touring with them and acting as occasional photographer for the band. Erica inspired many of Green Day's well known songs including "Christie Road", which was written for her by Armstrong about the local tracks where the couple would sneak out to meet. When Armstrong began living in punk houses and warehouses at the age of seventeen, including the warehouse above a West Oakland brothel which ultimately inspired the song "Welcome to Paradise" Erica would often stay with him despite the dangers, "I would stay with him sometimes in these warehouses full of crusty punks". The couple split in late 1991. Erica is the sister of former Green Day touring member (2004–2005) Mike Pelino and sister-in-law of Janna White, wife of Green Day guitarist Jason White.