Iconic Guitarist Calls Out Rockers Who Are 'Sick of Playing' Their Hits

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5 days ago

Iconic Guitarist Calls Out Rockers Who Are 'Sick of Playing' Their Hits originally appeared on Parade.
Don't bite the hand that feeds you! Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens shared a pointed message for longtime musicians who are still performing.
'I mean, we're blessed to have hits. I never understood when you read an interview with somebody, saying, 'That song bought me my house, but I'm sick of playing it,'' Stevens, 66, said during a recent interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com, per Brave Words. 'Those are quality problems, I think. So, no, never get sick of it.'
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Stevens and Idol, 69, began working together in 1981 after Stevens joined Idol as his guitarist and songwriting partner. The pair's first major collaboration was Idol's self-titled debut solo album, released in 1982, which included hits like "White Wedding" and "Rebel Yell.'
'Rebel Yell' is certainly one of those hits that people want to hear decade after decade—and Stevens is grateful to have been such a major part of it.
'I really look at it as a challenge, working with Billy. Obviously, a 43-year partnership is hard in our business. And I love being a collaborator—I've always been a band guy. I grew up in an era where our guitar heroes were all in bands: [Led] Zeppelin, or Deep Purple, or Genesis, or Yes. They were guys that used their instruments for the greater good of the song,' Stevens explained."Much like I would imagine a film director or something, when I sit down with Billy, there's a concept, there's a series of notes and melody and words, and there's all this stuff that I get to work with,' he added. 'So, certainly not frustrated in any way."
Prior to teaming up with Idol, Stevens studied classical guitar and flamenco as a teenager. He later shifted to rock music. He was active in the New York music scene during the late 1970s and played in local bands like Fine Malibus and One Hand Clap.
Iconic Guitarist Calls Out Rockers Who Are 'Sick of Playing' Their Hits first appeared on Parade on Jun 23, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.