STEVE STEVENS

Best known as Billy Idol's collaborator of 40-plus years, Steve Stevens transcends the punk-rock guitarist mould, taking in flamenco, jazz-fusion, prog and classical styles – and he remains as excited about guitar today as he was when he first picked one up

- Words Charlie Wilkins Photography Bruno Talledo

Whether igniting Billy Idol’s biggest anthems or unleashing fiery flamenco on his own, Steve Stevens has never played it safe and never stood still.

More than 40 years into his career, he remains sharp as ever. As Idol’s longtime right-hand man and collaborator, Stevens helped define the sound of the 80s but refuses to be just a relic of that era.

With a recent Billy Idol album, an ambitious tour and new signature gear, he continues to set stages ablaze with the same passion and precision that made him a guitar hero. Here, Stevens joins us to reveal how he’s been able to stay relevant in an ever-changing musical landscape.

The latest Billy Idol album, Dream Into It, dropped earlier this year. Has your songwriting process evolved over the years?

“As far as Billy and I go, nothing's really changed: it’s still two guys in a room with acoustic guitars. We’ve always felt that if a song works acoustically, you’ve got something. If it only works once you layer technology on top, maybe it's not strong enough. That’s always been our litmus test. But we also had other collaborators this time like our producer Tommy English, plus Joe Janiak, who we've worked with before, and Nick Long, who we had worked with a little bit in the past. These guys are younger, but they grew up with Billy Idol’s catalogue.

They're excited about the legacy and they know how to bring in elements from the past without just recycling it. That kept things fresh."

What unexpected influences found their way onto the record?