European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Story and photos by Anita Gosch staff writer it was typical silly idol. Last week in Frankfurt Germany idol wanted to walk on stage at the fest Halle with a seeing Eye do Gand a bid Man s Cane. It seems the Singer had a scratched c Mea from a Contact Lens and he wanted to take full a i. Wantage of to by having press photographers take his of tra. 1 hat idea  red. Instead photographers were a de to come backstage to shoot idol with the dog and c.  As he Carne walking Down a hallway tilled with smoke from a smoke machine. Only the dog would t cooperate. The giant Long hit red Type German Shepherd kept wanting to go Back to the dressing room his own no doubt instead of walking obediently by idol s Side toward the cameras. The photographers chuckled. Quot we need some worst Here Quot said one. Idol did t seem pleased. If anything he looked embarrassed. After about a minute he let the dog go and bounded up toward the stage despite the foolish Little incident a and despite his scratched Cornea a idol went on to give a powerful and energetic two hour show with songs that reached As far Back As his 1982 debut Solo album. It was idol s first tour of Germany a he left Europe fora Solo career in new York in 1981 after the breakup of his former band British Punk sters generation x. Backed by new guitarist Mark younger Smith two female backup singers a keyboard player Bass player and drummer he gave his German fans All the expected hits the rockers White wedding dancing with myself rebel yell eyes without a face to be a Lover and flesh for fantasy the Ballad Sweet sixteen the Tommy James classic Mony Mony the live Staple la. Woman and songs from his current release charmed life. The stage set was simple but what one would expect of idol. On the left a giant Skull glared at the fans with eyes that lit up on the right was a figure of a woman displaying a huge naked Bottom and in the Center Hung a giant clenched fist. Idol May have toned Down the music from his previous albums somewhat for charmed life but on stage he s still the Rocker. Despite the motorcycle Accident in february that smashed his right leg the Energy of his live show has t diminished. Wearing sunglasses throughout the concert and carrying his Blind Man s Cane for kicks he pranced strutted and sneered about the stage like a modern Day Elvis Presley growling out the rockers and purring through the ballads. The mention of idol s name among Rock fans has always brought diametrically opposed reactions people either love him or hate him. So it was interesting to see just what kind of fans idol attracts. Billy idol in concert in Frankfurt. Below idol with new guitarist Mark younger Smith. Mixed. There were screeching schoolgirls ecstatic looking Secretary types some scantily Clad heavily makeup women of All Ages a few male idol look alikes with spiked dyed Blond hair including one who had come All the Way from Dresden Young and not so Young men who tried to look bored but were soon caught up in the music and Energy. But despite the fans diversity the accolades were Universal. "1 saw the rolling stones and David Bowie this year and Mick Jagger and Bowie both seem so old on stage Quot said an 18-year-old woman. Quot but Billy idol radiates this youth and  Quot he exudes some kind of sexuality that just cannot be denied Quot added an american. Quot even As a Guy can feel  Only one negative Point from the concert comes to mind idol s former guitarist Steve Stevens is sorely missed both As a musician and As a personality on stage a sort of the dark haired counterpart to idol. Billy idol performs throughout Europe through mid december. Check the Quot on stage Quot listing on pages 14-15 for tour Dales and  thoughts by Kira l Biluk associated press after three albums glorifying life on the Edge Billy idol s latest Effort charmed life shows a Man brought Down to Earth by two major events a the birth of his son and a serious motorcycle Accident that left his right leg broken in three places. Charmed life is the most personal album he s done to Date certainly the most introspective but there s still plenty of rebel left in idol. In the Lovely prodigal blues idol reflects on his life. He has no regrets but has Learned to Quot believe in mercy Quot and somewhat tame his fears. Quot life throws horrors up at you All the time and it s up to you to Deal with them Quot idol said in an interview in Philadelphia. Quot i think there s even a fear about that that you have to get through life a you have to be willing to face up to dealing with it and that s a fear in  writing such a personal album came almost As a Relief to idol. M Quot it really was the first time in 14 years that i be got a Chance to actually sort of think Back Over my life and be Able to put it into song in terms of retrospect instead of being instantaneously right on it Quot he said. The birth of his son Willem Wolfe two years ago also had much to do with idol s change in attitude. Quot you realize there in front of you is a sort of shining example of yourself really and of course it makes you want to deserve that within him Quot he said. Quot so you really want the Best Side of yourself to come through. Quot it really made me reflect on How the whole process of life s pretty wonderful and to a certain extent it made me want to sing songs that had that element to them a a much More positive attitude really to  but sexuality rages through charmed life As Well in. Such sultry tracks As the Loveless pumping on 5fee/and the right Way which All show him As less dominant and More seductive. And Cradle of love which Rose to no. 2 on billboard s charts is a teasing bit of eroticism that depicts hindi As the rebel who Quot took a Little child  one of the More obvious changes idol made on charmed life was the replacement of longtime guitarist and co writer Steve Stevens with Texas born guitarist Mark younger Smith. Quot they be got a lot More legacy of the blues Down there i think Quot idol said Quot and that s what i hear in Mark s playing a sort of the sound of Tumbleweed blowing through your mind. I think to a certain extent it adds a bit More of a psychedelic aspect to the  before his Accident in february idol was cast As a close Friend of Jim Morrison s in Oliver Stone s upcoming movie the doors. The role was substantially reduced because of his lengthy recovery. Idol said Stone s film tries to make sense out of the chaos that was Morrison s life. He added that the reason he was chosen for the part was to Quot lighten up what in a lot of ways is a quite serious  idol even covered the doors song la woman on charmed life a version that stays relatively True to the original but has been spruced up with ripping guitar lines Courtesy of younger Smith. Quot Jim Morrison was singing about America or la As a microcosm re of an America he was very jaded with really to the extent that he left it to go to Europe whereas i m the other Way around. I m still having a bit of a love affair with America and so it s exciting to be the lost Angel Quot 10 stripes Magazine november29, 1990 /