Latest news with #WhiteWedding
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Billy Idol wasn't shocked to find out he had a secret son
Billy Idol wasn't surprised to discover that he had fathered a child during the 1980s. The White Wedding rocker found that he was dad to son Brant Broad after his daughter Bonnie – who he has from his relationship with Linda Mathis – discovered her half-sibling through a DNA test and admits that the news wasn't a huge shock due to his hedonistic behaviour at the height of his fame. In an interview with The i newspaper, Billy said: "Maybe a little bit, but the more I thought about it, I guessed there must be something like that, because we were going around in the 80s, and 70s, just having knockdown, drag-out sex with a million people you didn't know. A lot of people in the rock world got children beyond their usual relationships." Idol has forged a close bond with Brant - who lives in New York and works in the construction trade like his father and uncle did. The 69-year-old rocker said: "We're quite good friends, and I love him. He's a nice guy." Billy recounts in the documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead – which premiered at the Tribeca Festival earlier this month - how he almost died from a heroin overdose and was relieved that he cheated death so he could enjoy the success of his 1983 album Rebel Yell, which reached the top 10 in the US Billboard charts. The Eyes Without a Face singer said: "I'm just glad I didn't die, because I had this great album and I wanted to come back to England and say – 'Now what do you think?' I nearly blew that. So I'm glad I lived through it." Idol, whose real name is William Broad, struggled with drug addiction during his time in the spotlight and admits that his problems were worsened by the fame that came with music success. He explained: "You start being known by the general public who don't necessarily give a s*** about your music. They just know that spiky blonde hair and go, 'Hey it's Billy!' "That's where the pressure came in, as gradually your world closed down. You're stuck in tiny rooms trying to expand your life beyond that. You might as well be as high as a kite doing that." Billy will celebrate his 70th birthday in November and is now happy to be a doting father and grandfather after overcoming his addiction issues. He said: "I'm all set up for that. I'm in a better place in my life. In lots of ways, I've done everything I wanted, at least to my own satisfaction. And now I'm not a drug addict, I can really be there for them."
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Rock star marks new album with appearance from special guest
Less than 24 hours after dropping his fourth album, musician Yungblud took to the stage to headline his second annual Bludfest music festival — and the singer brought out a very special guest to help him celebrate. The English rock star, real name Dominic Harrison, dropped his latest release Idols on Friday, with the album currently on track to be his third Number 1. The singer took to the headliner's stage on Saturday night to debut his new releases as well as sing some of his fan favourites. As his set drew to a close, the Cotton Candy singer revealed he had a surprise for the crowd. He teased the audience that he likes to perform with an 'idol' each year at the show. After all, performing an album named Idols wouldn't be complete without a cameo from an idol – and they don't get much bigger than Billy Idol. Fans were shocked when the Dancing with Myself singer joined Yungblud on the main stage to perform together. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. The pair teamed up to give an electrifying performance of Idol's 1982 hit White Wedding, which fans said was an incredible surprise. 'My jaw was dropped for the whole song and announcement,' commented one fan. 'I've said it before and I'll say it again: Dom is this generation's Billy,' another said. Following the performance, Yungblud told fans he would 'remember this night forever'. Bludfest is an annual music and arts festival founded by Yungblud in 2024. It was created as an affordable alternative to other festivals. Performers at the two-day Milton Keynes event included Denzel Curry, Blackbear, and Australia's very own Chase Atlantic and Peach PRC. Yungblud on the headliner's stage at Bludfest 2025. Credit: Supplied / Supplied
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic Guitarist Calls Out Rockers Who Are 'Sick of Playing' Their Hits
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 per Brave Words. 'Those are quality problems, I think. So, no, never get sick of it.' 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 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.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rock Icon, 69, Looks Youthful in Bold Outfit at NYC Documentary Premiere
Rock Icon, 69, Looks Youthful in Bold Outfit at NYC Documentary Premiere originally appeared on Parade. When it comes to rock stars with style, no one does it better than Billy Idol. On Tuesday, June 10, the 'White Wedding' singer, 69, arrived at the New York City premiere of his documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, rocking an all-black look complete with a skirt, blazer, and trendy boots. Idol completed the look with chunky silver jewelry. As always, his signature bleach blonde hair was spiked to perfection. Billy Idol Should Be Dead is a documentary about the musician's rise to fame in the late 1970s and 1980s. As for the somewhat shocking title of the film, Idol found it quite fitting. 'Well, it's one of those things that people usually say when they don't realize I'm still alive. They actually say that: 'Isn't he dead?' Yeah, I should be dead with everything that I did to myself. But it just made me laugh; the idea of that as the title,' he revealed during an interview with The Ankler earlier this month. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 'I think the documentary has got a depth to it, as we really worked on it over quite a long period of time, mainly because the coronavirus was going on while we were making it. It kept getting stopped for one reason or another from the different waves of the virus,' Idol continued. 'But actually it really helped the documentary in the sense that we were able to massage it and really look at what we had and realize what we needed,' he added. 'I think we've got something really good. I think it's a really great documentary that shows a lot of aspects of my life.' Following the red carpet and premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, Idol is set to Icon, 69, Looks Youthful in Bold Outfit at NYC Documentary Premiere first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Wales Online
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Billy Idol nearly died from heroin overdose
Billy Idol nearly died from heroin overdose The 69-year-old rocker had returned to London in 1984 to celebrate his success in the US but his partying with friends got out of hand Billy Idol (Image: Guy Bell/REX/Shutterstock ) Billy Idol almost died from a heroin overdose. The 69-year-old rocker had returned to London in 1984 to celebrate his success in the US but his partying with friends got out of hand and the group had to revive the Rebel Yell hitmaker when he "turned blue" and collapsed. Speaking on documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival on Tuesday (10.06.25), he said: "I was coming back in triumph and I nearly ruined it. "We flew to London where we met a load of our pals that we knew. They had some of the strongest heroin. Everybody did a line or so and they all nodded out except for me and this mate of mine." As the rest of the group passed out, Billy and his friend kept taking the drug. He continued: "I was basically dying. I was turning blue. So they put me in an ice cold bath and I remember them walking me around on the top of the building, on the roof." Article continues below Billy insisted he and his peers never considered the dangers of heroin and it was a drug the music scene had "embraced" at the time. He said: "A number of people were on it. But you know, you're wide open for it. A lot of the people we loved were all heroin addicts. "Lou Reed wrote the song 'Heroin.' You weren't thinking how dangerous it was. In fact, you're thinking quite the opposite. Maybe this could unleash something." The White Wedding rocker ultimately gave up the drug for good when he and a friend caused $75,000 damages to a hotel in Bangkok at a time when his son Willem, now 36, was a baby. At one point, he recalled passing out in an elevator with the doors opening and closing him, while police were called when he threw a log through a glass window. He said: "Mel Gibson was there with his family on holiday, horrified. Article continues below "The silver lining was I did put heroin behind me. It was too horrible, the whole experience. It actually really put me off. "Getting off heroin is one of the most awfulest experiences in the world. Boy George said it right when he said it's like your skeleton trying to get out of your body. There's no quick fix. It's such a long time. You're just counting the days, the seconds, the hours. Even after six months, you still feel lousy."
