NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� When first entered American consciousness in the early '80s, leather-clad and bleached hair in tow, he not only brought a punk rock sound to the mainstream. The Englishman brought a new attitude, a new, rebellious way of being.
In the time since, songs like 鈥淲hite Wedding,鈥� 鈥淩ebel Yell鈥� and 鈥淓yes Without a Face鈥� have become instant classics 鈥� for those who've worn a spiky jacket and those who've only imagined what it might be like.
Now, over four decades later, he's got the wisdom to reflect. It's led to a new documentary about his life, 鈥淏illy Idol Should Be Dead,鈥� which will premiere 鈥� and a new album, the polished punk-pop of 鈥淒ream Into It.鈥�
鈥淚t was a gradual process, really,鈥� he said of 11 year span between albums. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 so much that we didn鈥檛 want to make an album, it was more like we were building up to doing this.鈥�
Idol discussed with The Associated Press this week his new album and forthcoming documentary, his past struggles with addiction, his first-ever and more.
Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: You've described 鈥淒ream Into It鈥� as autobiographical. I thought your last album, 2014's pulled from your life as well.
IDOL: Being this age, in particular, 69, when you look back, you can really see your whole life, how it plays out. And maybe it鈥檚 also having grandchildren. My children are having children.
You sort of reach this vantage point where you can really look back and see all the sort of different eras of my life. And you can sing about it. And I think I didn鈥檛 go deep enough with the songs I did on 鈥淜ings and Queens.鈥� I thought lyrically I could go deeper. That鈥檚 one of those regrets I had about the last album. So I really went for it, and I went for more imagery, (on 鈥楧ream Into It,鈥� in the) way of talking about my life. I鈥檓 not spelling it out exactly.
AP: There are a lot of rock 鈥榥鈥� roll women on the album. Avril Lavigne and The Kills' Alison Mosshart are all featured.
IDOL: (Mosshart's) voice is just incredible. And of course, Joan Jett, I鈥檝e known since 1978 after a Germs/Dead Kennedys concert. We hung out at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles. I was on a Generation X promotion tour for the first album. I mean, I鈥檝e just been watching her career forever and she鈥檚 fantastic. So, it was just great.
AP: The documentary has an evocative title, 鈥淏illy Idol Should Be Dead.鈥� It sounds like it may dive into your past
IDOL: There was a point in my life when I was living like every day, like, 鈥淟ive every day as if it鈥檚 your last.鈥� One day, you鈥檙e going to be right.
In the '70s, in you know, young people, we had this feeling that we were being completely ignored. You were even being told that you had no future. And so, we just didn鈥檛 think beyond the day-to-day existence. It was probably only when I really started having children and stuff like that, I really starting to realize I (should) try start to give up drugs and things.
I鈥檝e always flirted with death, in a way. Even you鈥檙e staring at the concrete. It鈥檚 right there, you can come off that thing and get horribly messed up. And I鈥檝e done it. It鈥檚 horrible. You find out how human you are, how vulnerable. There鈥檚 lots of things about my life that, yeah, I did kind of call death at times. Not really mean to, but you just were living like that.
Imagine if it was today. If I was doing what I was back then today, I would be dead because I would have
AP: I've heard that sentiment from other performers.
IDOL: When we were young, with lots of drugs and stuff, one minute people were there and then next week they weren鈥檛.
We were just living the rock 鈥榥鈥� roll lifestyle 24/7, dressing like it, thinking like it. And in those days, it embraced drugs. It鈥檚 just what it was like. I took acid at 12 and a half, 13 (years old.)
You get sucked into that world and it takes a hell of a long time to get away from it. And that鈥檚 partly what I鈥檓 singing about in the album as well. There鈥檚 a point in my life where I was very drug addicted, and it ruins relationships. Yeah, I鈥檓 lucky that I've kept the brain I鈥檝e got, because some people went brain-dead and some people ended up in jail forever. Or dead.
AP: You're nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the first time. Do you think your younger would be excited?
IDOL: I do sort of think about and and . 鈥淎nd what? Are you going to be in something with those guys?鈥� You know, Buddy Holly. These are some of the seminal people who turned on the people that turned me on, you know? Somewhere down the road, it led to punk rock.
Also, my motorcycle has been in the Rock & Roll of Fame for like five years. So I might as well be in it, too.
Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
