Billy Idol 'knocked out' by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination
Billy Idol admits to be struggling to take in his nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Billy Idol is feeling "knocked out" after learning he has been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The 'White Wedding' hitmaker joins the likes of Oasis, Cyndi Lauper, Mariah Carey, The White Stripes, New Order, OutKast and Soundgarden in earning a nod to potentially join the Class of 2025 and he has admitted it's a "an incredible honour".
He told Ultimate Classic Rock: “It’s a great honour. If I do get to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you really get a chance to thank your fans. That’s what I like about it. You know, you get a chance to really thank everybody who supported you through thick and thin. So that’s an incredible honour. I mean, I’m knocked out. I’ve only just started to take it in.”
The 69-year-old punk rock icon went on to reflect on his five decades in music and admitted that when he started out, he never envisaged it lasting more than a couple of years.
He said: "It's one of those things you couldn't imagine when you started out.
"Because of course, we didn't know how long anything was going to [last]. We were really doing it for the love and [thought], 'Maybe it's just going to last a few months, maybe a year or two years.' And look, it's 50 years later. So of course, all of that stuff starts to happen."
The former Generation X frontman insists he does rock and roll for the pure love of it, so anything else is a bonus.
He continued: "You [hear] that you've influenced people. I know 'Kiss Me Deadly' is Billie Joe Armstrong's favourite song.
"Things like that are really amazing, because you don't think of that when you start out. You're just literally doing what you're doing for the love of it, not really thinking what's going to happen. You can't imagine it going on this long and that you may have an effect on other musicians and other people who write songs and love rock and roll like I do."
Idol performed during Ozzy Osbourne's induction into the Hall of Fame last year, teaming up with Steve Stevens on a cover of the Black Sabbath rocker's 1991 solo hit 'No More Tears'.
