Tony James and Billy Idol on Jonesy's Jukebox 5/21/18

Tony James and Billy Idol of Generation X, reunited on Jonesy's Jukebox!

[@6Jillybeans]

Looking at Tony James now I couldn't believe he's in his late 60s or that he was in Sigue Sigue Sputnik in the 80s! He's so sartorially elegant here!

[@tpe1511]

I tell you what, Tony James, what a lovely bloke. Wow. Who knew?

[@Spookje09]

Every time I think I've seen the best clip of Jonesys Jukebox, along comes another banger such as this! Cheers, boys!

[@michaelsalazar9787]

Can't believe that Tony James and billy idol together

[@synthvault]

Billy Idol is the man. He is still just amazing in concert. Go see him if he comes around.

[@scottharrisohn6972]

the coolest man on the planet

[@bobcurtis3958]

Great interview with Tony James, articulate, intelligent, and interesting. Never would have guessed he played bass guitar in a punk rock band!

[@hollyvanvoast7140]

he's such a visionary.

[@mjb0183]

Saw Billy a couple times in Chicago back around 2001. He was touring with Slash’s Snake Pit. Billy hasn’t aged a bit. He looks great.

[@brettbanta2100]

You're right, dude never ages

[@GEricG]

Steve must have known Billy for almost 50 years. Mind blowing.

[@user-hv5uy7ct6g]

Tony James rules .... always

[@DaveyRamone9th]

Just hearing them talk about early days punk. Great. Interview

[@louiscalabrese9945]

I met Jonsey once in LA 1988 where he was working on a Harley Davidson. Also, between 88-89', I used hang with Billy in the studio and his home twisting joints, smoking together, talking stuff, doing X every Friday night and having great times watching the wheels go round behind the console of Keith Forsey. Cool memories,..thanx 4ever Billy.

[@Decimator-jh4gu]

Damn cool.

[@DiSCOKiNGZ]

Tony looks fantastic! - glowing with health & vitality at a good old year. One of the only clean-cut Rock 'n' Roll legends! And man, I loved that flat in Pindock Mews, a sight to behold adorned with neon-tech & TV monitors!

[@caroljackson1019]

Yeah - Tony looks great. All of these Jonesy interviews are keeping me sane while I work. He's fantastic.

[@niks7348]

What a crooner voice Billy Idol!

[@izzy_6283]

Billy's laugh though!! Gotta love him!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

that first Gen X album is my all time fav punk album---the British version, like the band intended it. It is SO musical!! Still play it regularly and still in awe of it

[@ianc1001]

willie luncheonette Agreed. There is anthem after anthem. So many great “first albums” from different bands from ‘77-81.

[@Aurora2097]

I really loved kmd sweet revenge... it was definitely my start into punk rock music...

[@davepritchard283]

Gen-X started as Generation-X originally mate.

[@filipematias5127]

Three punk rock legends!

[@benhughes4668]

It’s so great watching this interview 5 years later and having seen Generation Sex in Manchester. Was an incredible gig, the guys were all brilliant and looked like they had the best time

[@gazdon6793]

Takes me back to the good old days. Where have they gone? Best era of music by far with some great bands.

[@job77]

Planck length not infinity

[@twinkle3026]

Great banter, between the 3 legends! Jonesy's ultra soothing voice, is like melted chocolate!

[@ELECTRICEYEMEDIA]

Never forget the first time hearing Generation X in 1983. It was the song One Hundred Punks and I was immediately hooked. Was already into punk rock at the time but the older punks that went to my school at the time were constantly turning me on to the older UK bands that pioneered the wave we got in the U.S.. Sex Pistols, The Varukers, The Exploited and many more greats. Just recently picked up the limited yellow vinyl Generation X LP that was released on Record Day 2023. My music room has a Pro-Ject X8 turntable, McIntosh MA5300 amp and a set of Bowers & Wilkins towers and OMFG.... I have never heard such clarity in my life, and with these new re-issues of these classic punk albums back on vinyl it only enhances the listening experience. Fantastic!

[@roxannemoser]

Tony looks normal. He has always been just as handsome as Billy, and an underrated musician. I loved Tony when he had pink hair. Great to see Tony and Billy together.

[@HonRevPTB]

MY GOD IN HEAVEN PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU COULD EASILY FILL 2 HOURS EASILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jkitty1089]

how did I survive without Jonesy's Interviews? I learn so much and it makes me laugh-help's make it through another day-love it!

[@phelixjefford6647]

Jorney

[@rickmceachern3686]

Now it all came true Thank you

[@10kamala]

Tony Visconti said when he was on, Steve Jones was the best guitar player he ever worked with! Some credit from a producer who worked with everyone who was anyone!!!

[@ladnercr1]

when did Visconti work with Jones?

[@rinkrat55]

You guys have to get it together. PLEASE !!!! I’ll never forget riding the bus to school with my Sony Walkman. All your tunes getting me through my school days. Seeing Billy in the 80’s in Toronto with the Cult. Twice!!

[@scottcrosby-art5490]

Tony seems like he breezed past the 80s like it didn’t happen 😂

[@filipematias5127]

Generation X, GEN-X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Billy Idol... The Sex Pistols, The Professionals... EPIC punk rock icons!

[@l8tapex]

lovem all

[@MrFloppy131]

You forgot the BUZZCOCKS

[@RighteousBrother]

@@MrFloppy131 well......he's listing groups that Steve Jones, Billy Idol and Tony James were involved with, it's not a list of every punk band, you tool.

[@wallybingbang7359]

@@RighteousBrother There’s alway one abuser to spoil the party. Sad 😞

[@philipholmes5884]

Hey Steve Jones/Pistol & Gen X fans ! Check out a gig my old band did w/Steve playing "Dancing with myself" the VHS tape was found after 37 years in storage ! Type in "The Nothings & Steve Jones" if interested ! Cheers !

[@ianc1001]

First albums from The Sex Pistols and Generation X were mighty recordings - melodic and powerful.

[@garse70]

Amazing these guys are alive. Love ‘em. Gen-X brings back some memories. I don’t get star struck, but that’s Billy Fucking Idol! Jones plays good tunes too. Great hearing about their scene and all the amazing artists they hung out with. “Wasn’t Siousxie at your house?” LOL!

[@terry10tnj]

Pretty crazy that their “generation sex” idea actually happened!!

[@desertprincessuk1856]

Excellent interview. Ah bless Steve he is a diamond geezer. x

[@terrythekittie]

No airs, no graces, no flies on Steve, what you see is what you get.

[@desertprincessuk1856]

If only I could get ha! woops did I really say that out loud.

[@andrewfrancis7272]

Tony, Billy, Jonesy and Cookie playing together live - - - that would be a gig to see :)

[@LeroyKinkade]

YEEEaaahh Billy Fxxxxx Idol yeahhh yay nay way.

[@betaville72]

This interview pleased me. Good, random range of topics touched upon. The Idol/James/ Jones/Cooke line up is a work of genius. I really hope they tour it, some more shows and they will be sounding tighter.

[@realsinisterminister]

I seen a few songs just on youtube and it was great Paul Cook didn't like it that much cause all the early Gen X stuff is flat out and thats not his style but they were having fun which is the main thing

[@skullfacestudios7421]

Billy Idol is the BEST. Anyone who appreciates Gene Vincent is PURE Rock N' Roll.

[@thesentinel5523]

Goddamn, Billy still looks like Billy!

[@michaelmccartney8506]

And sounds like billy !!! Lol

[@revjimbob]

With unfeasibly unwrinkled brow...

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

revjimbob as long as it wasn’t unfeasibly large testicles like that Buster fella?! 😆

[@rumpraisin]

And Tony James looks like Eric Idle.

[@bodoono]

This is absolutely great!

[@brianstubberfield2116]

Tony James ... legend in his own lunchtime.

[@qpouvtmvoelxjtu458]

RIP Magenta Devine. Alive for another year when this was recorded.

[@Underhills]

Facking great to see these chaps together. Billy Idol was my muse back in the day. The Rebel Yell days were fantastic!!

[@ryanmcbride5764]

Billy is the best... what a great guy

[@noserialkiller3596]

Generation X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik & The Sex Pistols were brilliant bands. They inspired us to make our own quadruple-album. I used to email Tony years ago. No Serial Killer.

[@bluestate69]

Billy Idol, the best head of hair in rock.

[@djmylesmatisse]

Fantastic! One of the best interviews ever!!! I love Billy, Tony & Steve. I hope they get Paul Cook and form that Sex Generation or Generation Sex band! That would be epic!

[@theamericancurmudgeon]

Amazing interview, dropping names and talking about the early days of punk. I could listen to the three of them talk for days.

[@hemelhempsteadherts]

Loved this episode, fantastic reminiscing about times, places and music. Fab

[@stevenmorellojr]

GENERATION SEX????? FUCKIN'HELL! This is like Neptune, Apollo, and Jupiter sitting around and having a chat. This made my day.

[@gallopingglen1]

damn fine interview....man, total gold, and we are all so lucky to have these top blokes still having a blast. somebody else mentioned about tony publishing those early journals, and that would be aweosme!. total respect, i fell hard in the same dangerous hole for decades, and for him to have the insight and memory he does is really pricesless honestly. i wish that i had written journals, and that is the moral of the story, people when you become ancient, you will really appreciate, and people will want to hear it, no matter what do or where youve been, just a short couple lines of what happened that day, will be priceless when your ancient

[@katastrophenschutzwa]

What a great interview. Didn’t want it to end.

[@deletebilderberg]

Absolutely superb.

[@markjohnston3790]

Very interesting interview love the Punk stories, Billy never seems to age he looks amazing! 😉😘😂 LOL

[@gmantramp404]

He's been under the knife..

[@MarkWolfeDesign]

This was epic! Cheers!

[@hollyvanvoast7140]

Tony James is everything.

[@froorocks1000]

The mews house they mention where Sid and the others stayed at was Pindock Mews in Maida Vale W9. It's a really expensive area now. No plaque on the wall. I know this because I lived on Warwick Avenue, just next to Pindock Mews 😎

[@marklechman2225]

This is unbelievably cool. Pistols. Gen X. Sputnik. Damn.

[@theodoregriffin3565]

This is a great interview.

[@vajolet1]

Finally an interview different from the others, not based on the usual four or five questions that we all know by heart. I love this man, I love his style, his laugh, his way of telling himself, his experiences, I love his charm and obviously, first of all, his music! What a man, what an artist, what a class, what a charm !!! ps.s.that I love this man, did I say that?

[@nazznomad]

Ok that’s it, best Jukebox interview ever!

[@briancrainakacain9780]

I caught Billy on his Rebel Yell Tour...He opened with a couple of Gen X tunes! When i saw The Sisters of Mercy Tony was playing bass...Both living punk rock legends...

[@briancrainakacain9780]

Billy came into my work in 1993...i wish i would have had a chance to talk with him...no such luck...the guys that helped him said he was very nice and very cool...i remember he had dreads back then...

[@raymayhew5050]

Respect 2 the pair of ya xxx

[@folkrocksage9666]

Billy Idol sounds like Jack Sparrow's long lost punk rock brother.

[@denisebarker1146]

Folkrocksage that would be a million dollar movie

[@wildrosesfortheexit]

Its fantastic that Billy and Tony show how middle class the Punk movement was.....Jonesy was a rare cockney amongst the rest

[@hugohugo2832]

Sure was. I was a boarding school at the time. We were all punks. In 1978/79 I moved to heavy metal. The others didn’t. I reckon our entire top three years were at The Clash in Brighton.

[@HighlandMike325]

Watching again after they have just rocked Glastonbury June 2023.

[@A.BondGirl]

Wow, brilliant! Love this interview and hearing all about their early days!

[@colinrgage]

Haha Tony James is the fuckin memory man for sure

[@rockjam4534]

Great stuff!! 👍

[@fasthracing]

Three Punk legends

[@adamfindlay7091]

Bless you bad boys.

[@HonRevPTB]

This is so awesome to see!!!!!!! Has been wondering what Tony was up to!!!!!!! Seems like a cool cat, bet he's got some great stories & because he was mostly sober, he'd remember shit proper!!!!!!!

[@steveriggs8421]

Spent time getting "new" hair by the looks of it

[@freya8133]

​@@steveriggs8421At least it isn't that hideous SSS wig.....

[@Zero-9000]

Silly thing is a great track

[@chrisfriend1422]

Love this!

[@stevemalibu99]

Fantastic!

[@Kkidzz]

Was at the 2009 Mott reunion. Had a nice seat at the front of the Hammersmith Apollo. During 'Saturday Gigs' most people were standing singing along. My seat was on the aisle and standing next to me was Mick Jones belting along; at that moment he was 15 again. ;)

[@boris1873]

Great interview

[@AppleMan531]

The last time I saw Tony James was with the band Carbon Silicon with Mick Jones of The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite at The Highline Ballroom in New York City!

[@steveriggs8421]

And he was bald then!

[@freya8133]

​@@steveriggs8421They both are.

[@steveriggs8421]

@@freya8133 KOOL to hear from you

[@HonRevPTB]

OMG TONY YOU SHOULD TUTN THOSE DIARIES INTO A BOOK, IT'D BE A SMASH!!!!!!!

[@butch907]

billy idol north london boy what a great lad

[@vicesquadpunk]

Amazing stuff 💥☠️💥 x

[@ezrasprenger2253]

Love this 🖤

[@dynaman1600]

tony James was Fantastic.

[@forgotmyname4971]

Would like to hear Tony talk about his time with the Sisters.

[@thedukeofnewyork4419]

Tony James is a gent

[@Charlie311Osburn]

I love this show

[@adrianclinch9553]

Long may they live great interview

[@alabastersmidge4692]

That documentary about the Source Family is great.Saw their band YaHoWha 13 back in the 70s. Great show.

[@845callaway]

I want more of this interview!!!

[@mw844]

Played Gen X first album tunes on a show the other day. Great Pop tunes!

[@ian2lorimer]

Fuckin awesome. Billy looks awesome and Steve's tshirt are fuckin awesome every week.

[@Itelkner]

Great, Steve's old mates. Now I know why I've had a yen for hearing Billy's first album these past few days after not hearing it since the eighties.

[@johnnysamoka6832]

Legends .... my Times .

[@pisynth3784]

Now that is a band I would want to see!!

[@cosmicdrifter287]

billy still looks really cool.

[@youjoker9647]

The cosmetic procedures help

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

You Joker oh he’s had the dark glasses cosmetically attached then?! 😆

[@ohcrikey9560]

And hes such a nice guy too

[@cosmicdrifter287]

@@ohcrikey9560 r u sure?

[@ohcrikey9560]

@@cosmicdrifter287 well, i've never met him. But i've seen him interviewed shit loads of times and he always comes across as a really good bloke. But no, obviously i can't be sure.

[@davidcolley3124]

You Carnt buy them story,s priceless

[@paullimon1970]

Damn! Missed this whole show!

[@buney]

Class guys!

[@richrichie7386]

People forget Tony James was apart of Sisters of Mercy. ( VISION THING)

[@donseagrave]

AMAZING

[@jcee]

How cool, calm and collected is Tony James?Sounds a really down to earth fella that you'd like a beer with in the pub and listen to stories about the 70s punk scene!:-)

[@sophienolan7013]

Didn't realize Billy Idol wrote the music.

[@bellasue02]

Yes he wrote a lot. He has a book out that tells where his ideas came from