Billy Idol Leads Fight Against Idling New York City Drivers
Billy Idol was revealed as the face of a new environmental awareness program in New York City as officials utilized the wordplay “Billy never idles.”
And the singer said he's happy to help draw attention to the otherwise dull topic of pollution pumped into the city air by idling vehicles.
“There was a lady in the D.E.P. here in New York who was a fan. The mayor’s a fan,” Idol told Rolling Stone. “But I think it was the I-D-L-E and I-D-O-L that sparked the idea that we could have fun with that and at the same time make an important statement for New York and its healthy climate.” He added: “This city really means a lot to me, and the idea that I could give back in some way for such a good cause, it was such a great idea. Obviously, the air quality [in New York] is loads better than it was when I lived here, but car idling is a major contributor to air pollution and that’s just not healthy.”
Responding to the fact that Mayor Bill de Blasio quoted Idol’s tracks “Eyes Without a Face” and “White Wedding” during the launch event, the singer said: “It was fun when he said it was a 'nice day to start again.' You can always have a fresh start.” He admitted that it wasn’t common for politicians to quote him, adding: “It’s kind of fantastic.” Challenged that the "Generation X era Billy would’ve told him to fuck off,” Idol laughed, admitting, “Yeah, maybe. That’s right.”
Idol will be seen and heard across multiple media platforms, encouraging New Yorkers to shoot phone videos of any vehicles seen idling in the streets. Those whose videos are used to achieve a successful prosecution will receive a 25 percent reward from the resulting fine.