Billy Idol: Still Alive, Still Badass – The Documentary That Proves It

By Gina Juliano, Rock At Night Los Angeles

Film Review: Billy Idol Should Be Dead

Rock ‘n’ roll royalty, Billy Idol has a new documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead directed by Jonas Åkerlund, which highlights the ups and downs of the iconic rocker. From his early punk days heading up the band Generation X in London to going to the US as a solo artist, putting MTV on the map and smoking crack to get off of heroine. It’s an honest, emotion-evoking film that shows that Billy Idol is human too. However, it’s hard not to marvel at his strikingly good looks, unique style, signature blonde spiked hair, incredible talent and unapologetic way he carries himself as the epitome of a rock star. I was fortunate enough to see a screening of it at the TLC Chinese Theater in Hollywood with a live acoustic performance from Billy and his guitarist, Steve Stevens.

I’ve loved Billy Idol since his rise to stardom in the 1980’s and have seen him a few times in concert, where he always brings it. Honestly, he’s still a bad ass to this day, but the only difference is he’s sober. He truly should be dead with all the drug usage spanning much of his 50-year career and the horrific motorcycle crash he had in February of 1990 in Hollywood where he almost lost his leg.

It was interesting to see the behind the scenes never before seen footage and interviews with the people who know him intimately and those who just admire him. There were interviews with Billie Joe Armstrong, Pete Townsend and Patrick Stump, who also did the original score for the documentary.

There was an interview with his late mother as well as his ex-girlfriend Perri Lister, whom he has a son, Willem. The film also covers how he ended up with his long-lost son, Brant. How cool would it be to find out your dad is Billy Idol?

Billy Idol Should Be Dead also shares the complicated relationship Billy had with his father over the years and then how his dad actually “saved” him. It’s well-known that Billy had an insatiable drug habit that went on for many years until his motorcycle accident in 1990 when he decided he had had enough of that part of his life. Overall, I really enjoyed the documentary and feel like I know Billy Idol and his sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle a bit more. It’s definitely worth seeing for any Billy Idol fan.