Eight questions with Billy Idol

By Deanna Rilling

Thursday, Aug. 19, 2010 | 12:21 p.m.

What can fans look forward to as far as hits versus new material on this tour?

I think that’s the fun of doing this tour this summer is that we’ve got a couple of new band members — Jeremy Colson on the drums and Billy Morrison on rhythm guitar. Also me and Steve Stevens are writing with Billy Morrison and we’re doing two or three new songs; we’re running into new songs for a new album really. ... We’re doing one called “Love is Strange,” “Scarred for Life” and there’s one called “Kings and Queens of the Underground.” Also we’re doing a bit more of the Generation X stuff, my old punk band. We’re doing a couple of songs from Valley of the Dolls, an album I did in 1979. So I haven’t done these songs in 31 years: “King Rocker” and “Running with the Boss Sounds.”

You mentioned new songs. So you are working toward another album?

Yes, I really like the way this group is, the way it feels. I think we can make a great record. It’s funny about writing songs; sometimes you have to live to be able to have the experience to regurgitate your feelings into a decent song. They don’t just happen. I don’t just go, “Oh, I’m going to write a song” and write a song. I have to live to write songs and I think all my best songs are usually out of experiences I’ve had or experiences of my life that I’m talking to you about.

It really is just my band who I think are the dog’s bollocks. That’s what we say in England — something that’s really great you call “The Dog’s Bollocks.” I don’t know why (laughing). It’s the balls of the dog. ... So I’m having a lot of fun, I think that’s a huge thing, that’s pretty huge at this stage of the game to be enjoying it. (laughing) Not that it ever wasn’t a lot of fun, but I think like anything it goes through ups and downs. Life doesn’t go in a straight line, you know? Nor does the stage show or the band or the music.

How about the stage show? In the past you were kind of notorious for things like the giant prop of a fist flipping off the audience. Anything like that this time around?

Well, I don’t know if we’ve got anything like that, but we have got a really great stage set; it’s extremely colorful (laughing). These new modern lights today they’re just so — they can bathe the stage seriously in these over-the-top colors. We have Rob Koenig designed these he’s very good. ... We didn’t have that in Europe, so that’s something the people in America are going to see and the people in Europe didn’t.

Since you’ve made many iconic music videos — “Cradle of Love” is probably one of the first ones that I ever saw on MTV that stands out in my mind — do you have any plans to do videos for the new material? Or maybe live concert footage?

I don’t know. We’ve definitely got plans at some point to do some kind of show. I’m not exactly sure what form it’s going to take. It might have an autobiographical nature to it, as well, but that’s a little bit in the future and certainly not what’s going to be happening in a week’s time.

You’ve also embraced technology in your career, from the Cyberpunk album to offering Internet downloads before that was the norm. What do you see as maybe the next revolution in music?

It’s very difficult to say. Things are changing so fast and new inventions happen so quickly now, you’re never really quite sure where it’s going to come from. The only thing I know is that somewhere deep inside it all comes down to us. It’s all about us somehow. Despite all the machines and all the technology, somewhere it’s all about us and I’d like to think that’s what the music holds on to.

What inspires you to keep doing what you’re doing after over 30 years?

I think it’s mainly because it’s fun. Obviously we do go to work. It is a job, yeah — but wow, what a great job to have. It’s a lot of fun also sharing your life with the audience, feeling the to and fro of emotions that go on, and I think people more than ever need music. Times are very strange (laughing). ... There’s a lot to be said for the way things are today and maybe it calls upon me to do another record.

Aerosmith was just in Vegas and obviously put the rumors to bed that you’d be the new singer, but did you ever seriously consider joining the band?

(Laughing) It was a great honor to be thought of. It really was fantastic. But it’s very difficult for me to think, “How could I be [Steven Tyler]?” He’s so great. The other thing I know, they’re really brothers, Steven and Joe [Perry]. ... I’m just so glad I didn’t get in between them, you know? I’d be destroyed (laughing)! You know they love each other, so I think really I knew they would carry on together. I was very flattered, but I’m really glad they’re out there doing what they do so well.

When you’re on the road, how do you relax?

Usually I masturbate a lot. That’s one way of relaxing. It’s an incredible way, actually (laughing).