Who Does Billy Idol Think He Is?

For a guy who can’t draw, that’s a pretty good self-portrait.
I’m not very good at drawing, but I can kind of approximate my look: the hair sticking up, the curl of the lip. As long as you get that in, people will still go, “That’s Billy Idol.”

When did you start dying your hair?
When I was about 18. I used to do it black, and once as an accident, this girl dyed it orangey-blonde. I went to rehearsal, and the singer in my band was horrified. “You’re gonna get rid of that hair.” I thought, “I’m on the right thing if he doesn’t like it, because I’m outshining him.” Soon we threw him out and I became the singer. Whoever has better hair should get to sing.

Where does your fashion sense come from?
I loved Lou Reed, and he wore all leather in the mid-’70s. When I first started in punk rock, I wore jeans and sneakers. Then I had this huge fistfight with my manager over getting a pair of leather trousers, because we had no money. “I’ll fucking kill you for them.” I lost the fight, but I got the trousers. And wore them for six months without taking them off.

Did they smell bad?
It was the height of punk rock, 1977. Everything was smelly!

Other than leather pants, what do you spend too much money on?
It used to be drugs. Actually, I never spent too much — I spent the right amount. And I’m still buying pot. Oops! Should I say that? I’ve spent a fortune on drugs, it has to be a few million dollars. We were doing drugs to get near the music, but the drugs got in the way of the music.

We’re doing this interview at a bondage club. Interested?
Anybody over 30 who’s English is kinky. I am, anyway. I’ll play along.

Warren Zevon once said, “Billy Idol is one of the great songwriters.I mean that.” Should people take you more seriously?
Most people don’t ever talk about my songwriting, which is sad, really. When I listen to other people’s versions of my songs, I’m always missing me. They’ve got everything right, except they don’t know what the lyrics are about.

What do people who don’t like you say about you?
They probably take my bravado for big-headedness. It’s just having a good time. Even getting onstage is bravado. Although half the time you’re getting up there because you’re very underconfident.

Let’s say it’s a Friday night, 10 p.m. What are you doing?
Gosh, sitting by the fire with a pipe and slippers. [Laughs.] I don’t know, probably calling up some old dear to come ’round and have fun with me.

What did your parents have that you don’t?
They’ve got each other. They’ve been married over 50 years. And I’m single.

You’re 49 and still not ready to settle down?
If the right lady comes along, I’ll think about it.

And how often does the right lady come along?
Every night!