Billy Idol chats with THR at the iHeartRadio Music Awards red carpet and opens up about his new single, album and upcoming tour. Plus, he says Chappell Roan and Billie Eilish are the young artists that he's excited about.
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00:00You have a new album coming out. What can you tell us about it?
00:04Yeah, I've got a new record coming out on April the 25th. I've got a single out right now, still dancing, and I think that says it all, really.
00:11I'm still having fun doing what I've always been doing, and it's just great.
00:17I couldn't imagine still being excited about things after doing it for nearly 50 years, so next year will be 50 years.
00:26It's almost like a massive celebration, this record. It's coming out on April the 25th, and I'm really looking forward to it.
00:33We're doing a tour on April the 29th. It's going to be a bumpy year, that's basically it.
00:39What has the fan response to the new song been like for you?
00:42Pardon?
00:43What has the fan response to your new song, Still Dancing, been like for you?
00:46It's been really good. It's been fantastic. People seem to be really enjoying it and enjoying the video.
00:51We put a video out, so I've been watching that, pick up people watching it.
00:57Over a half a million people have watched it now, so it's only been out a few days, so it's doing really well.
01:04We're here at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. What do you remember about the first time you heard yourself on the radio?
01:10Such a long time ago, but it would be in England. It was probably 1977, you know, so it's a while ago.
01:18So you don't remember where you were, you're not quite sure?
01:21No, not really now, no. It's probably just one of those things. It would have been on the BBC or BBC One, I suppose, you know.
01:30Radio One, I suppose, in England, you know, because Generation X is my punk rock group, obviously.
01:35What were some songs and artists that you listened to on the radio growing up that made you want to be a musician?
01:42Well, I love people like John Lennon, or I love the Velvet Underground, David Bowie, you know, anybody like that.
01:48They just really, they sort of told you, you had to find out who you are, and once you find that out, be it, you know, and go out and be it.
01:55That's what we had to do. So that's what we kind of did, and we're sort of following along from a load of great people, so it's been fun.
02:05And you're still having fun, you're still making music, but who are some young, up-and-coming artists that you've had your eye on, and you've been appreciating their work?
02:13I suppose, like anybody else, I'm sort of seeing the Chapel Rowan and people like that come about, and she seems like a really good singer, you know.
02:24And Billie Eilish, she thinks they're good, they're great singers, so it's fun seeing people excited.
02:29I think it's great, there's so many female artists, I think that's good. It doesn't hurt, you know.