By Steve Newton
There’s a bit of an interesting story behind this picture, another one taken by the awesome Bev Davies.
I’d interviewed Billy Idol on the phone then gone to see him play UBC’s War Memorial Gym on the Rebel Yell Tour.
I was hanging out backstage with a gaggle of fans way more punk-lookin’ than me–although I did have my New York Dolls button prominently displayed on my jacket.
Then Idol strode into the room, and while everyone else just looked on in awe, I figured I’d be first to score his John Henry on my backstage pass and get the hell out.
“I don’t sign autographs!” he replied to my request. “I’m no fucking star!”
Then a couple minutes later, maybe feeling sorry for acting like a douche before the term was even invented, he gave in, and started signing everything passed his way.
But by that time the desire for Billy Idol’s autograph had worn off. And besides, I already had this autograph from “Scotty Bad”, my best buddy from Chilliwack who used to do an Idol tribute in a Feldman band called the Miks.
So I just got Bev to take that picture of me and Billy Idol and got the hell out.
Yeah, yeah–I know our heads are way too close together.