After nearly 20 years, seven albums, numerous awards, painful tragedy, and multiple musical evolutions, the members of Avenged Sevenfold have earned their first GRAMMY nomination for Best Rock Song for "The Stage."

Progressive, sprawling and epic, "The Stage" is the opening and title track on A7X's seventh studio album, which saw a surprise release on Oct. 28, 2016, and launched the quintet's sound in a bold new direction.

"This was definitely a really crazy record to write," says guitarist Synyster Gates. "'The Stage' in particular is a super-long, thematic, building, progressive opening track that excites you as an artist and it excites you to introduce it to your fans, but you don't think GRAMMYs or radio."

Gates continues, "The irony of this, our last record, Hail To The King — I wouldn't say we were trying to make a sell-out record, but we were trying to make a super-concise, one vibe a song, because we'd never done that before, and so it's got tons of these three-four-minute bangers that seem maybe a little bit more radio palatable, and nothing for that one. But we write the craziest record of our entire career and that's when we get the GRAMMY nomination."

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For The Stage, the band enlisted GRAMMY-nominated producer/engineer Joe Barresi (Melvins, Queens Of The Stone Age, Monster Magnet, Tool) for the first time. True to the LP's title, Barresi pushed the band to get the feel of their exhilarating stage show.

"Joe Barresi brought a lot of new things to the table," lead singer M. Shadows revealed on Full Metal Jackie (as told by Blabbermouth). "And one thing that I had never done was to do full-song vocal takes, where you sing from the very first lyric all the way to the end of the song, and as your voice starts straining, and as it gets a little more tough on the vocals, you get that live feel."

Exploring uncharted territory in the studio can be exhausting and time consuming. But in a world where many successful bands feel pressured to restart the album cycle with regularity, taking the time to craft the new album was a conscious decision.

"We kind of reached this point in life where we don't really want to put out anything just to put something out," Shadows told Rolling Stone. "We really don't want it to be like, 'Two years are up. You've had your break; now do another record and get it out there.' We needed to wait until something really inspired us, and that's why the record took a long time to get done."

Definitely worth the wait, "The Stage" gives Avenged Sevenfold their first crack at a GRAMMY win the 60th GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 28. A7X are currently on tour in the U.S., headed for Europe this summer, and they continue to push themselves musically, recently releasing their first acoustic recording, Live At The GRAMMY Museum.

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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Originally hailing from the Orange County punk scene, metal chart-toppers Avenged Sevenfold have always pushed their personal and artistic boundaries, embracing new school sensibilities while pulling inspiration from classic bands. Their latest album, Life Is But A Dream… takes all of their influences and penchant for genre-bending songs and blends them into a bold new sonic landscape.

The 11-track LP — Avenged Sevenfold's eighth — features long running times, experimental compositions  and occasional orchestral accompaniment. While its swift genre-switching makes it a challenging collection, it also makes the album stand out among other works by mainstream rock bands.

As Life Is But A Dream… suggests, Avenged Sevenfold's willingness to experiment is what has kept the band active and vital for nearly 25 years. They've also not shied away from complex topics in their lyrics, delving into fantasy themes, broaching social and political issues, and getting emotional on songs about death, existence, and mourning the loss of their late drummer, The Rev. 

While they've served up several anthemic hits like "Bat Country" and "Hail To The King" along the way, the deep cuts are what have kept their music intriguing. Combine all of that with the potent vocal presence of frontman M. Shadows, searing leads of guitarist Synyster Gates and their interplay with guitarist Zacky Vengeance, the rhythmic power of bassist Johnny Christ and their late drumming powerhouse The Rev, it's no wonder the group have retained a loyal following since the beginning. The result has been five platinum-selling discs, two No. 1 albums and a GRAMMY nomination.

As Avenged Sevenfold release their eighth album, GRAMMY.com took a deep dive into the band's catalog to examine how keeping an open mind and ears has led them down rewarding musical paths.

Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001)

Avenged Sevenfold's debut was recorded under primitive conditions. Initially a quartet — Shadows, Vengeance, bassist Justin Sane, and drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan — the band had a $2,000 budget to play with. The Rev would immediately solidify his cred as a drumming force by recording every song in one take, and the band recorded everything else over those tight and often hyperactive tracks.

Avenged sounded utterly ferocious on thrashy songs like "Darkness Surrounding" and "Thick and Thin," then contrasted that with the piano ballad "Warmness On The Soul" and the melodic punk of "Streets," a tune ported over from Shadows' previous band Successful Failure. Unlike so many later epics, most of the tunes fell into the 4-minute range (the first and last time for an Avenged release), other than the melancholic 7-minute closing track "Shattered By Broken Dreams." The song starts in the vein of an acoustic ballad before transforming into an elegiac electric jam, combining many of their influences together in one composition.

Another one of those influences is seemingly their hometown of Huntington Beach, California, which the band has noted has a very diverse, eclectic population. The songs on Trumpet reflect that, combining elements of metalcore, punk, and classic metal into a raucous — if at times uneven — effort. Though they were all still teenagers when they recorded the project, it showed promise right away.

Waking the Fallen (2003)

Lineup changes after the release of their debut resulted in the arrival of shred king Synsyter Gates on guitar in April 2001 and Johnny Christ on bass in September 2002. Signing with Hopeless Records, who reissued their first album, A7X immediately showed how the revamped band gelled more and possessed increased confidence in the studio with their next effort, Waking the Fallen. Having two six-stringers increased the heaviness and their songwriting potential, and it was great for unleashing big guitar harmonies.

Godsmack producer Andrew Murdock (aka Mudrock) came onboard as co-producer and pushed the band to go further. He purposely reined in The Rev's drumming to balance chaos with control, and the group encouraged Shadows to sing more and not just focus on screaming, particularly in light of his vocal surgery around 2002 that took two years to fully recover from. While this singing shift would deeply influence their next album, it wouldn't sit well with some of the band's earliest fans. But it helped open up their music more. The singles "Eternal Rest/Chapter Four" and "Unholy Confessions" blended their new and old-school influences well.

The track "Remenissions" was among those that hinted at the multi-dimensional mentality to come, meshing aggressive metalcore with unexpected acoustic guitar work. The two-part, 13-minute "I Won't See You Tonight" is one of the album's most compelling pieces, both for its subject matter — detailing Shadows walking in on Sane attempting to take his own life, from Sane's perspective — and for its progression from an epic power ballad to the roaring second half, which invokes Shadows' reaction to his friend's suicide note.

It was clear from Waking The Fallen that Avenged Sevenfold were maturing fast. Their music and regular touring, including the Vans Warped Tour, set the stage for the big breakthrough.

City of Evil (2005)

With Murdock in the producer seat once again, the band's third album represented a turning point. Shadows worked with a vocal coach to have a gritty metal quality, but not blow out his voice the way he had when he was younger. He still tackles many screams live, but he took on a far more disciplined vocal approach on recordings, with grit and power that eschewed outright screaming. (Johnny Christ took over handling some of the other screams live.)

The video for the anthemic second single "Bat Country" really set the tone for the new Avenged Sevenfold — devilish Vegas imagery, lingerie-clad models, and lots of (digital) bats. The timing for this transition worked out well, as the nu-metal boom had ended and metalcore was peaking. With a classic '80s hard rock and metal revival in full swing, the time was ripe for a younger band to take those influences — Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, and Metallica among them — and shape them into a new sound. Avenged Sevenfold had arrived, heavy riffs and majestic guitar harmonies in tow.

Perhaps the metalcore mayhem was gone, but listen to the rapid fire riffs and pummeling double kicks on tracks like "Blinded In Chains" and "Burn It Down," and it's clear they still could bring the thunder. At the same time, their musical worldview had expanded. The melodic metal of "Sidewinder" featured Spanish guitar work from Gates' father, Brian Haner, in the song's extended Latin coda. "Seize The Day" recalled classic power ballads. The last three tracks veered into mid-tempo melodic metal including the galloping, Maiden-esque closer "MIA" about the horrors of the battlefield.

Avenged Sevenfold (2007)

Fourth time was the charm for the group's self-produced and self-titled album. Opening with the aggro assault of "Critical Acclaim" — which included criticism of keyboard warriors who whine about social problems but do nothing to solve them — the album traversed a truly wide range of sonic territory. "Scream" served up more groove metal intensity, "Rise" delivered high velocity power metal, and "Gunslinger" featured some bluesy acoustic work.

The Rev particularly came into his own on this album. He reportedly wrote 60% of the project himself, and he also provided co-lead vocals on half the songs. It's rare that a rock drummer gets that much input into their band's music, but he certainly provided plenty of artistic fodder to match his percussive propulsion.

Avenged Sevenfold closed out with two unexpected tracks. First was the 8-minute epic "A Little Bit Of Heaven," conjured by The Rev and inspired by Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, and Oingo Boingo. Featuring mostly orchestral instrumentation, the quirky track spun a gleefully morbid tale of murder, necrophilia, undead revenge, and a killing spree. In contrast, "Dear God" closed things out with a slow, country-leaning ballad of loneliness and longing on the road. (The video recalled Journey's "Faithfully.")

Leave it up to these guys to deliver a one-two punch without metal bombast.

Nightmare (2010)

This was originally meant to be the group's first concept album, but the tragic death of The Rev from an accidental overdose in December 2009 left the band facing an unexpected crossroads. The large void left by their 28-year-old drummer was immediately impactful, and the group enlisted then-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy to finish recording their next album (building on The Rev's pre-planned drum parts) and join them on the subsequent tour. The choice made sense; The Rev represented the next generation of powerhouse players like Portnoy, and the duo had previously bonded personally.

While the original conceptual approach to Nightmare was abandoned, it became somewhat conceptual in that many of the songs addressed the band's despair and pain over the loss of their bandmate. The Rev's fingerprints are all over the album, which frequently favored slower and melodic songs than previous efforts. But there were also thrashier tracks like "God Hates Us," which served up a metalcore flashback for the band.

The first of two albums to be produced by Mike Elizondo (Eminem, Mastodon), Nightmare is arguably  the most emotional album from Avenged Sevenfold. Many of the lyrics expressed the sorrow and grief that they felt, such as on "So Far Away." The piano-driven eulogy "Fiction" (originally called "Death,") was written by The Rev and finished three days before his passing. In retrospect, it was eerily prophetic, with lyrics like "left this life to set me free" and "in the end I gave my life for you."

Hail to the King (2013)

Following the album and tour cycle with Portnoy, Avenged Sevenfold brought in former Confide drummer Arin Ilejay for touring starting in 2011, and then creating their sixth studio album. Ilejay faced a daunting task — filling in for two big sets of shoes behind the drums.

Hail To The King was a different sort of album. A majority of the tunes had a mid-tempo stomp or slower, with insistent grooves which gave it an '80s heavy rock feel. It's not been uncommon for some thrash bands to shift focus (think Metallica and The Black Album), and the change of pace produced some memorable tunes. 

While Ilejay tackled The Rev's faster, more thunderous parts live, he focused on strong, heavy grooves on Hail To The King. There was more consistency in approach for the band here, and the spirits of Metallica, Maiden, Megadeth, and other classic and thrash icons loom large over the album. Many bands have done cover albums or songs, Avenged included; here, they offer more of an homage record.

The Stage (2016)

In true A7X fashion, the follow-up to the streamlined music on Hail To The King turned into the group's first true concept album, but more thematically rather than utilizing a linear narrative. It revolved around artificial intelligence and humanity's place in the world and the universe.

While the prog tag had been tossed around in relation to the band before, The Stage really did live up to that term, as the group experimented with alternate time signatures and more complex arrangements. It was aggressive progressive metal. Producer Joe Barresi (Coheed and Cambria, Bad Religion) came onboard this time, and Christ recently explained that Barresi never says no to what they aspire to do — he just finds a way to make it happen.

The fourth Avenged album to open up with Gothic vibes — in this case, a keyboard intro in the spirit of Ozzy Osbourne's "Mr. Crowley" — the pounding tom work heralded the arrival of the group's fourth drummer, Brooks Wackerman, following the dismissal of Ilejay from behind the kit. Wackerman left his longtime gig with punk icons Bad Religion for A7X, who they felt was a better fit for the musical path they were on. He certainly unleashed powerful fills and kicks to attest to his worthiness to their drum throne.

The Stage was driven by a lot of fire and fury, but the band also chilled on ballads "Roman Sky" and "Angels" and the 15-minute, genre-hopping "Exist." That mammoth track opened with ambient mystery, erupted into power metal majesty, and churned through lots of guitar histrionics, with Shadows' subdued vocals arriving halfway through. Then the band wrapped it all up with a spoken-word passage from acclaimed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson — metaphorically and literally reaching for the stars.

Life Is But a Dream… (2023)

And now we arrive at the album that Avenged Sevenfold have been threatening to make for nearly their whole career. Inspired by the likes of Mike Patton and his experimental band Mr. Bungle, A7X channel an "everything but the kitchen sink" ethos into their newest compositions. 

When M. Shadows announced that the band would be working with an orchestra, many people probably had visions of Metallica's S&M or a sweeping neo-classical album. But the band defied expectations by taking the opposite approach, and half of the songs are half as long as typical Avenged songs. (In other words, they run three to four minutes.) Even the barebones, black marker depiction of Death on the cover is a stark contrast to a lot of their more colorful past album art.

Shadows has stated that Life Is But A Dream… explores existentialism and absurdism, and it is inspired partially by the philosophical writings of Albert Camus as well as the use of psychedelic drugs by himself and Gates. The highly eclectic album is a study in wild contrasts, with its frequent tempo and dynamic shifts and avant-garde approach to songwriting.

A breakneck thrash pace dissipates into a gentle flute, piano, and acoustic guitar section on "Game Over," or into monotone vocals and atonal industrial sounds on "We Love You"; hypnotic horns and emotional vocals crescendo through guitar dissonance on "Cosmic." The last four tracks alone invoke elements of Broadway, funk, jazz, Sinatra-esque balladry, and, at the end, a neo-classical piano instrumental.

The latest Avenged Sevenfold platter circles back to what the band has shown from the start. By pushing themselves and their audience, one never knows what to expect from a new A7X album — or what kind of mark it will leave on its listener. How this latest epic will stand up over time remains to be seen, but Life Is But A Dream… proves that Avenged Sevenfold won't rest on their laurels. That's what's driven them all along.

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It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,  Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage, the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself, details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside, reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [Laughs]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside. We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

**Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore?**

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go. If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts, and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on "Viva La Bam" back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [Laughs] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [Laughs] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

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