Months after Hoover Dam show, Billy Idol plays the Strip

Billy Idol could have just recorded a song about severe drought in the West.

But this is Billy Idol, and that won’t do. This type of activism is a participation sport. In April, the punk rock icon took his warning of the global water crisis to the source, Hoover Dam. He played the first show ever at the dam, for a handful of VIP ticket holders.

The result, “Billy Idol: State Line,” is due for a theatrical run Nov. 15, with streaming info to be announced. Idol’s first PSA in partnership with the Department of Interior begins airing Thursday.

Idol is now performing in a more familiar format, entering a five-show run at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas running Friday through Oct. 28. The amazing Steve Stevens, Idol’s sidekick for decades, is back on lead guitar.

The 67-year-old rocker has also re-released his self-titled debut album, which includes a previously unreleased recording of a show at The Roxy in L.A. and a 12-minute Clubland extended remix of his classic “White Wedding.”

Idol talked of all of this, and also Elvis, in a recent phone chat:

Johnny Kats: You’ve played a lot of shows in Las Vegas over the years, but what was this show at Hoover Dam like for you?

Billy Idol: It’s just kind of a pretty amazing thing really. I mean, (laughs) we played on the helipad with the dam behind us. Then Steve and I did an acoustic thing right at the base of the dam. I don’t think people get to walk there because it’s all kind of stony, and right beneath that is all the technology that makes the dam work. It was really fantastic.

Another Vegas icon we’ve seen you embrace over the years is Elvis. I feel like you have so much Elvis in you. What is your view of him, and his legacy?

I see complete honesty in Elvis. I think he grew up alongside a lot of the influences, whether it was country music or soul music, R&B, whatever it was, and mixed it together to have a whale of a time doing it.

Whatever you say about Elvis, it was no act. That’s who he was, right?

Yeah, I think he was just being himself. He was just super-honest, in the moment. He could mix it all together, and he had this incredible range. The way he developed his voice was really interesting, from the ’50s through the ’70s, he really worked it. He sounded a lot different in the ’70s than the ’50s. That’s what’s fun about him. Of course, I love the ’50s Elvis, but at the same time, I do appreciate the Elvis who sang some great music in the ’60s and ’70s.

Elvis was only 42 when he died, and now we have rock stars in their 80s touring or playing residencies here in Vegas.

Time is so different, because at one point in the ’60s, you could only look back to the ’50s. There was no other time for rock ’n’ roll, so that’s what we did. The Beatles would look back and talk about Elvis, and how much they loved Little Richard and Buddy Holly. There was a lot of that in England, which was very inspired by the energy of rock ’n’ roll and R&B, soul music. The Beatles were singing just as much soul music as rock ’n’ roll. So, I grew up listening to all of that, and then we just threw it all into punk rock.

Where did your inspirations come from when you were starting out, like in the Generation X days?

I think we all loved a lot of punk rock artists. We loved the Velvet Underground and that stuff. But for me personally, I was drawing just as much from Mick Jagger as Iggy (Pop). These were just people who inspired our lives. That’s what I think about people like Elvis, Mick Jagger. They are inspirations.

I love that you’ve released that show from 1982 at The Roxy. What goes through your mind when you look at young Billy Idol?

What I didn’t realize about singing, for instance, is that you’re always growing as a singer. The more you sing, the more you learn about your singing, and you realize the songs you can write for your voice. So, throughout the ’80s, I was discovering more and more about what I could do with my voice. I’ve been finding out where I could go. It’s been a discovery. I’ve been singing for 47 years, professionally. You find out more and more things you can do with your voice, things you used to be able to do that maybe you can’t do quite as well, and something new you can do very well. It’s a journey.

You’re not nearly as old as some rock stars who are still touring, and playing residency shows in Las Vegas.

I had no idea you could sing this long, in rock ’n’ roll. Now we have people who are 80, singing rock ’n’ roll! (Laughs.) But back when we were starting out I didn’t know what would happen if I kept singing into my 60s, my late 60s now. But it’s still fun doing it. We have Steve Stevens, and we’ve really got a killer band. In terms of what you’ll see, it’s probably the best version of Billy Idol that’s ever been.

Cool Hang Alert

An idol of a different sort, my buddy, Fifth Avenue co-founder, and early birthday celebrant Jerry Jones, hosts Kenny Davidsen’s show at Piazza at Tuscany Suites from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. A killer band led by Davidson on keys, Steven Lee on guitar, Dennis Blair on bass, Quintin English II on drums, Rob Mader on sax. Jones, Rob Hyatt, Jeff Celentano and Naomi Mauro on backing vocals. Many topnotch singers. Runs until 1 a.m., no cover.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.