# Has Billy Idol been sick or inactive lately? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927 "2017-12-20T14:44:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/1 "2017-12-20T14:44:10Z")
I saw Billy Idol last night on _The Voice_. First time I’d heard him in decades. I remember him setting rock on fire during my college years. We’re both a bit older today. ☹ Idol is 62. He didn’t seem to be in full voice last night. I remember him delivering stunning power ballads. I know it’s hard for rockers to come in completely cold and perform just one song. They are geared more towards long sets at arenas. Idol appeared last night with Chloe, this seasons winner. I assume that’s his guitarist and bass player with him on stage. Anyone very familiar with Idol’s current work? Is this how he performs these days? Chloe is on a mission to revive rock. I hope she can write some new ballads and get it played. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ghv9MJHlfs) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/2 "2017-12-20T15:07:08Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uCkvkuyo_yk/hqdefault.jpg "Saws all sun roof") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCkvkuyo_yk) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/3 "2017-12-20T15:18:55Z")
Well, he’s 62. He’s no had some health and drug problems all his life, self-sabotaging whatever later career triumphs he may have had. Do you think he has always been a serious career musician who wanted to keep on working doggedly into old age like the Rolling Stones? Frankly, I’m amazed he’s still alive at all. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/4 "2017-12-20T15:21:19Z")
I thought he sound really good. Granted he is old and his voice is not what it was when he was a 20-year-old punk, but that happens to every singer. They also had an arrangement the both allowed him to harmonize with Chloe and not overpower her so that she could shine on the rocking out parts without having to compete with Billy. That was definitely Steve Stevens on guitar. The rest of his band are more session players so I am not sure if the bassist and drummer were his regular touring band, but I would guess so. They are not as iconic and Billy and Steve. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/5 "2017-12-20T15:25:02Z")
Here is the original recording of White Wedding. Idol uses very precise phrasing. He’s not a rock screamer. I wasn’t hear that precision in his singing last night. He probably wasn’t fully warmed up yet. Add in a young singer and it gets tricky. It was great seeing Idol live again. I’ll look around for a DVD with live concert footage. It would be great to see his entire show. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x9j6DE6RnSk/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBocxYi78yinwaX9EQLJIYjxxvKRQ "Billy Idol - White Wedding Lyrics") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9j6DE6RnSk) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/6 "2017-12-20T15:25:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I saw Billy Idol last night on _The Voice_. > > First time I’d heard him in decades. I remember him setting rock on fire during my college years. We’re both a bit older today. ☹ Idol is 62. > > He didn’t seem to be in full voice last night. I remember him delivering stunning power ballads. I know it’s hard for rockers to come in completely cold and perform just one song. They are geared more towards long sets at arenas. > > Idol appeared last night with Chloe, this seasons winner. I assume that’s his guitarist and bass player with him on stage. > > Anyone very familiar with Idol’s current work? Is this how he performs these days? > > Chloe is on a mission to revive rock. I hope she can write some new ballads and get it played. > [https://youtu.be/7ghv9MJHlfs](https://youtu.be/7ghv9MJHlfs) Thanks for spoilering who won The Voice this season. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/7 "2017-12-20T15:28:24Z")
He forgot to be a lover; it caught up with him. Seriously, though, he had a major motorcycle accident, a weird experimental album, some drug problems, and trouble with his label. I can’t look at **madsircool** ’s link while I’m at work, but my assumption is that it goes to VH1’s Behind The Music, which is what Billy Idol was born for. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/8 "2017-12-20T15:36:08Z")
Mony, Mony this is the Billy Idol I remember from college. 😉 Now, I have to order his greatest hits album. Stir up some forgotten memories. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IAmgTNATJkk/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCa7qp30k9FGLYW1n1avcfxHL5uXQ "Billy Idol - "Mony Mony"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAmgTNATJkk) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/9 "2017-12-20T15:42:09Z")
I remember seeing Idol perform probably 5 or 10 years ago and while the effort was there, his voice sounded rather weak. Still impressive that he’s still performing at his age. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/10 "2017-12-20T16:06:28Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Thanks for spoilering who won The Voice this season. :mad: Sorry. I thought everyone had seen the results. Most news sites say who won in their headline. Google had it on my feed this morning. Great season finale. The guest artists that played with the finalists were all awesome. Playing with your Idol, heh! is a great reward for the kids that make it to the end. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/11 "2017-12-20T16:17:56Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Well, he’s 62. He’s no had some health and drug problems all his life, self-sabotaging whatever later career triumphs he may have had. Do you think he has always been a serious career musician who wanted to keep on working doggedly into old age like the Rolling Stones? Frankly, I’m amazed he’s still alive at all. This is completely ridiculous. He was a prime shape with a six pack in his 50s on his appearance on Viva la Bam. He is highly professional and still tours. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/12 "2017-12-20T16:21:20Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > He forgot to be a lover; it caught up with him. > > Seriously, though, he had a major motorcycle accident, a weird experimental album, some drug problems, and trouble with his label. I can’t look at **madsircool** ’s link while I’m at work, but my assumption is that it goes to VH1’s Behind The Music, which is what Billy Idol was born for. It was a clip of him making a sunroof on a Lamberghini. He was is better shape than 99.5% of men his age. How many 50 year olds can perform shirtless without eliciting derision? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/13 "2017-12-20T17:04:09Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > This is completely ridiculous. He was a prime shape with a six pack in his 50s on his appearance on Viva la Bam. He is highly professional and still tours. This was my experience when I saw him at Loufest in 2015. Of course your voice changes as you age but he was still powering through his hits for 90 minutes while being very active on stage. And yeah, still shirtless and lean. Nothing about him screamed “old” to me. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/14 "2017-12-20T18:18:42Z")
Funny, I happened upon the same show last night and was happy to see him sounding and looking so good. I didn’t care for the girl singing with him but since she won, I’m assuming that simply wasn’t one of her better performances. He’s played here at least twice in the last couple of years. Too bad I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to see him with me ☹ ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/15 "2017-12-20T20:39:20Z")
I saw him in 2016 in Santa Ana (the Observatory) for the _Kings and Queens of the Underground_ tour and he ROCKED! He even had Steve Stevens back with him! He looked alittle tired (i put it down to his age) but it was still a great show. And I saw him in 2002 during the _Kiss the Skul_l tour in Albuquerque - so he’s definately not been in hiding! mc ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/16 "2017-12-20T22:07:28Z")
Mr. H likes that show with Ozzy Osborne and his son Jack. I think it’s called Detour something. Anyway, last week Ozzy was visiting a friend who plays in Billy’s band (the friend was also Billy something, he was a guitarist in addition to Stevens). He was on only briefly, but Billy sounded GREAT. I think they were rehearsing for a stint in Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/17 "2017-12-20T22:59:19Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > First time I’d heard him in decades. I remember him setting rock on fire during my college years. We’re both a bit older today. ☹ Idol is 62. If you want to feel old… Remember the “Cradle of Love” video? Betsy Lynn George, who played Devon in that video, is 46 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-billy-idol-been-sick-or-inactive-lately/804927/18 "2017-12-20T23:49:13Z")
I saw him about three months ago at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC on the Pete Townshend Quadrophenia tour. A review. > **[Pete Townshend played 'Quadrophenia' w/ Billy Idol & an orchestra (review)](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/pete-townshend-played-quadrophenia-w-billy-idol-an-orchestra-review/)** > > The audience cheered when the first recognizable thread of Quadrophenia — the mournful horn outlining the phrase “Is it me, for a moment?”— emerged from the overture that replaced the album’s opening sound effects. British tenor Alfie Boe took the...