Guitar legend Steve Stevens has carved out an iconic career as a solo artist and sought-after sideman, collaborating with diverse musical talents from Joni Mitchell to Michael Jackson. A GRAMMY® Award winner for his work on the Top Gun soundtrack in 1986, Stevens is perhaps most celebrated for his nearly three-decade partnership with ’80s rock icon Billy Idol. His explosive guitar work on anthems like “Rebel Yell” and “Eyes Without a Face” has defined the Billy Idol sound.
Joining Stevens in Billy Idol’s touring band in 2010 was guitarist Billy Morrison. Morrison, known for his tours with The Cult and his band Circus Diablo, also co-founded the star-studded cover band Camp Freddy, which has seen guest appearances from a rotating cast of famous musicians, including Steve Stevens himself.
In a recent interview for the BOSS Tone Radio podcast, Steve and Billy discussed their dynamic as a twin guitar force within the Billy Idol band. Here are excerpts from that conversation, offering insights into their collaboration and individual approaches to being a Billy Idol Guitar Player.
The Twin Guitar Attack in Billy Idol’s Band
How is the dynamic of the Billy Idol band with two guitar players?
Billy Morrison: As the newer member, it’s truly an honor to play these iconic songs. I’ve been a Billy Idol fan for years, witnessing Steve command the stage solo. Hearing these songs now with two guitars is incredible; the twin guitar interplay adds a whole new dimension. It’s fantastic.
Steve Stevens & Billy Morrison (Photo)
Steve Stevens: It’s been a really seamless transition. Billy and I have built a strong musical connection through Camp Freddy and other projects over the past year. We understand each other’s playing styles, strengths, and where we can complement each other. When the Billy Idol tour came up, Billy was the first person I thought of, and it’s worked out better than I could have hoped.
Billy Morrison: We don’t need lengthy discussions about parts. There’s an unspoken musical understanding. We naturally lock in. I consider myself a rhythm guitar player, and I see my role as providing a solid foundation for Steve’s incredible lead work. That’s what makes this such a great fit for me – and this gig in particular. Steve is a phenomenal lead guitar player, and I thrive in that rhythm guitar role.
Crafting Iconic Guitar Parts: The “White Wedding” Story
The western-tinged guitar part in “White Wedding” is iconic. Steve, was that your creation?
Steve Stevens: Actually, that wasn’t me initially. When we were recording Billy Idol’s first album, we had eight songs done and needed one more. Our producer, Keith Forsey, had Billy stay in the studio overnight. The next morning, around 11 AM, a rather inebriated Billy Idol knocked on my door at the Sunset Marquis. He came in with a cassette and played me a demo of “White Wedding.” That Ennio Morricone-esque guitar riff was already there in the demo. Even in its early form, the song was undeniably brilliant.
Unspoken Musical Chemistry and Guitar Roles
Steve, are there moments in rehearsal where Billy Morrison surprises you with his guitar parts?
Steve Stevens: [Laughs] Quite often! But that’s a good thing. As I mentioned, this twin guitar setup wouldn’t work with just any guitarist. Billy and I have developed a real working relationship. Guesting with Camp Freddy and other projects in the last year solidified us as a strong two-guitar team. We intuitively fill in the spaces for each other. Stylistically, it felt so natural, and I wanted to bring that into the Billy Idol setting.
Billy Morrison: It’s all about musical synergy. There’s no ego involved. My role is to support Steve and the song. I find immense satisfaction in being a strong rhythm guitarist. It’s about creating a powerful base for the lead guitar to soar. With someone like Steve, who is such an exceptional lead player, that role becomes even more rewarding.
From New York Streets to Guitar Legend: Steve Stevens’ Early Days
Steve, you grew up in New York and started playing guitar very young. You attended LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts, the school from the movie Fame?
Steve Stevens: Yes, that’s the school that inspired Fame. But contrary to the movie, there was no spontaneous dancing on lunch tables! [Everyone laughs]. My friends and I were mostly suburban kids suddenly immersed in Manhattan every day. School was on 46th Street, and music stores were on 48th. Mornings were for music classes, lunch break, then academics in the afternoon. Most of us rarely made it back after lunch! [Laughs]. Hanging out in the music shops, becoming friends with the staff – that was my real education.
Billy Morrison (Photo)
The Accidental Supergroup: The Story of Camp Freddy
Billy, Camp Freddy is this incredible celebrity supergroup with Matt Sorum and Dave Navarro. How did that come together?
Billy Morrison: It was completely accidental, like many great things. There wasn’t much planning involved. Sometimes, when you don’t overthink things, they become organic and real. We were invited to play covers at a hotel opening in Los Angeles, just to have fun. We did, had a blast, and eight years later, we’re still doing it. It became something we never anticipated.
The enduring success of Camp Freddy comes down to fun. It’s also fostered amazing relationships, most importantly my musical bond with Steve. Steve has been a regular with Camp Freddy for years. Without Camp Freddy, the musical partnership Steve and I have developed might not exist.
The guest list for Camp Freddy is unbelievably diverse – Moby, Ronnie Wood, Billy Joe Armstrong, Perry Farrell, Lou Reed…
Billy Morrison: [Laughter] The list is actually over 300 guests, we’d be here a while! It’s a pretty extensive and impressive list because we prioritize fun. Camp Freddy is the opposite of the “unit-shipping” mentality of the music industry. We aren’t shipping units, we don’t have any units to ship!
Top Gun Anthem and Serendipitous Success
Steve, your guitar work on the Top Gun soundtrack, especially the “Top Gun Anthem,” is iconic. How did you get involved?
Steve Stevens: Harold Faltermeyer, the score composer, was Keith Forsey’s partner in the Donna Summer productions with Giorgio Moroder. We were working on Billy Idol’s Whiplash Smile album, and Harold came in to play keyboards. He mentioned he was working on a film and asked if I’d be interested in contributing. He showed me some aerial footage, and knowing Tom Cruise was involved, I was intrigued.
My work on Top Gun was done after Billy Idol sessions, in about three hours. And incredibly, we won a GRAMMY for it. It just shows you can’t predict these things.
Do you recall your gear for the Top Gun session?
Steve Stevens: It was the same gear I used for the Billy Idol record: an early ’70s 100-watt Marshall with a Marshall cabinet. I believe I used a Charvel guitar at the time, with a BOSS Compressor. Harold had a basic guitar part as a guide, and it was a very easy session.
Billy Morrison: From Bass in The Cult to Guitar with Billy Idol
Billy, you played bass with The Cult and front Circus Diablo. Now you’re playing guitar with Billy Idol. You’re a multi-instrumentalist.
Billy Morrison: Actually, I’m not! Playing bass in The Cult was a bit of a happy accident. Bass isn’t my primary instrument, but when Billy Duffy asks if you want to play bass in The Cult, you say yes. The Cult is Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy at its core, and I was just one in a line of people who’ve been in the band. It was a great experience, but I’m a guitarist first and foremost. I even have a Gibson signature model coming out. Bass was a one-time thing for me.
Circus Diablo videos on YouTube show a frontman with Jagger-esque and Johnny Rotten-like energy.
Billy Morrison: I’ll take those comparisons as compliments, thank you very much!
Gear Talk: Les Pauls, Marshalls, and BOSS Pedals
Let’s talk gear. Are you both Les Paul players now?
Steve Stevens: Yes. In the ’80s, it was all about those “silly, ridiculous” guitars – the pink ones with Floyd Rose trems! [Laughs]. Truthfully, I didn’t own a great guitar when I first met Billy Idol. He got Chrysalis Records to buy me a ’53 Les Paul. It wasn’t expensive because someone had foolishly removed the bridge and put a Bigsby on it. Nobody wanted it, and it was in rough shape. We fixed it up, and I recorded the entire first Billy Idol album and about half of Rebel Yell with that guitar. Then, the ’80s tapping craze and whammy bar stuff took over…
…and whammy stuff?
Steve Stevens: Exactly. I aligned with Hamer Guitars then, but I’ve returned to Les Pauls for the last 12 years. For “Rebel Yell,” I still use a guitar with a whammy bar, but otherwise, it’s Les Pauls.
BOSS DD-20 Giga Delays are reportedly in both your rigs.
Steve Stevens: Yes.
The DD-20 has four presets. Do you utilize them?
Steve Stevens: I use two mainly. One for an eighth-note delay, and the reverse function is perfect for the reversed guitar part in the “Eyes Without a Face” solo – it sounds great.
Billy Morrison: I use two DD-20s and all eight presets. I’ve been experimenting with triplet delays at specific tempos and storing them. I love the pedal. One is for my acoustic chain and one for electric, with all four presets on each dialed in. I particularly like the tape delay emulation – the way the sound degrades over time.
Steve, are you still using Marshall amps?
Steve Stevens: My tech, Dave Friedman of Rack Systems, builds my amps now. They’re called Marsha – he couldn’t afford the “Ls”! [Laughs]. It’s Dave’s take on an early Marshall plexi. I own four vintage plexis, but they’re too valuable and fragile for touring. The Marsha is like a plexi with a great master volume.
Your flamenco guitar shows feature synthesizer accompaniment. Do you use a guitar synth for that?
Steve Stevens: Yes, a GR-33, the model before the latest version. I endorse Godin Guitars.
Godin guitars have the 13-pin synth output built-in.
Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens: Exactly. I was initially skeptical about synth tracking on nylon-string guitars, but it works surprisingly well because nylon strings have fewer overtones. The tracking is spot-on. I developed a solo flamenco piece after touring with Vince Neil. I was a bit burnt out on electric guitar and seeing Paco de Lucia inspired me to do a flamenco record. I’m not a traditional flamenco guitarist though.
Steve, you use a BOSS FV-500 volume pedal. High-impedance FV-500H or low-impedance FV-500L?
Steve Stevens: The FV-500L, because my switcher has buffers. With a 30-foot cable run, low impedance is necessary.
Billy, BOSS pedals are also prominent in your setup – CH-1 Super Chorus, SD-1 Super Overdrive, and TU-3 Chromatic Tuner.
Billy Morrison: My secret weapon is the BOSS Tremolo pedal.
The TR-2 Tremolo?
Billy Morrison: Yes. I use it subtly on acoustic stuff – it adds movement. I’ve always liked that early ’50s guitar sound with vibrato and tremolo, so I incorporate it where I can.
SD-1 Super Overdrive is great for leads, but you’re mostly rhythm. What’s your SD-1 use?
Billy Morrison: Tone shaping. I use Marshalls with channel switching. The second channel is set almost clean, and I use the SD-1 for a rhythm tone option. On “White Wedding” and other songs, I use it for that added tonal character. It complements Steve’s sound perfectly.
And you also use the AC-3 Acoustic Simulator?
Billy Morrison: Yes.
Steve Stevens: It’s awesome.
AC-3 direct to PA for acoustic sound, but you use it differently?
Billy Morrison: Direct to PA is the best way to get a true acoustic sound from it. But I use it as an acoustic simulator. If I want a real acoustic, I’ll play one. The AC-3 is great for specific parts. On the song “Speed,” I use it for the verses. It gives me a sound that’s not quite clean guitar, not quite acoustic – a unique effect.
Advice for Aspiring Guitar Players
Steve, after such a long and varied career, any advice for starting guitarists?
Steve Stevens: I was lucky to start playing and listening to music during the early ’70s British rock guitar era, including Hendrix, even though he made his career in England. Listen to what you love. If you pick up a guitar after seeing your favorite band and think, “I want to do that,” that’s great. But do it for the love of music. That passion will sustain you through a long career, as it has for me. Explore music beyond your immediate favorites to find your own voice. I went through periods of listening to Miles Davis or Coltrane to see how that could influence my playing and create something unique.
Great advice. Billy, any tips for guitarists starting out?
Billy Morrison: Exactly the same. Do it because you love it. If you’re not driven by a love for music, don’t bother – you won’t get far. It’s a tough business, far from what most people imagine. Loving what you do is what sustains you. Even when you’re broke, eating Pop Tarts in the back of a van in Peoria, Illinois, you’re still having a good time because you love music. I do it because I love seeing smiling faces in the audience. Being on stage and seeing people enjoy the show takes me back to being 14 watching The Clash – it’s an amazing feeling.
