Billy Idol Reveals He 'Was Turning Blue' After Near-Fatal Drug Overdose

Anyone who grew up in the MTV era knows Billy Idol — the spiky-haired punk rocker behind hits like “Rebel Yell,” “White Wedding,” and “Eyes Without a Face.” But at the height of his fame, Idol was battling something far darker than his sneer suggested.

In his new documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival on Tuesday, June 10, the 69-year-old musician describes the drug overdose that nearly killed him in 1984.

“I was coming back in triumph and I nearly ruined it,” Idol says in the film, recalling a trip to London after finding major success in the U.S. “We flew to London where we met a load of our pals that we knew. They had some of the strongest heroin.”

Most of the group passed out after trying the drug. Idol and a friend kept going.

“I was basically dying. I was turning blue,” he reflects. “So they put me in an ice cold bath and I remember them walking me around on the top of the building, on the roof.”

The incident came during a period when hard drugs were common in the music scene. Idol admits he didn’t think much of the risks at the time.

“You’re wide open for it,” the rocker acknowledges. “A lot of the people we loved were all heroin addicts… Lou Reed wrote the song ‘Heroin.’ The New York Dolls were all heroin addicts practically. So we weren’t thinking how dangerous it was. In fact, you’re thinking quite the opposite.”

The turning point came years later during a chaotic trip to Bangkok. Idol says he and a friend caused an estimated $75,000 in hotel damages and recalls passing out in an elevator as Mel Gibson and his family watched in shock.

“The silver lining was I did put heroin behind me,” he explains. “It was too horrible, the whole experience. It actually really put me off.”

Getting clean wasn’t easy.

“Boy George said it right when he said it’s like your skeleton trying to get out of your body,” Idol says in the documentary. “There’s no quick fix. It’s such a long time. You’re just counting the days, the seconds, the hours. Even after six months, you still feel lousy.”

Today, Idol is a proud grandfather of four. His kids — Brant, Willem, and Bonnie — have families of their own, and the punk icon is embracing the role.

“It’s really good fun,” Idol told People at the premiere. “Now I see why you have children: for the grandchildren.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.