Guitar legend Billy Morrison talks about his new album ‘The Morrison Project’ and his career in music to date.
Perhaps best known for being the guitar player in Billy Idol’s band, there is a lot more to Billy Morrison than you might expect. From starting out in early punk bands to making a game changing move from the streets of Kings Cross to the sunshine of Los Angeles and joining up with The Cult, Morrison’s career has been lengthy, diverse and above all an emotional and spiritual journey. A period of heroin addiction stunted the early years of his promising musicianship, before a near death experience switched the lightbulb on and he realised it was time to get clean and get out. Now 28 years clean and sober, Billy reflects philosophically on that time of his life.
‘I was homeless, shooting heroin into my neck, I’d been shot, stabbed and done time in prison. If you’d seen me back then you’d have crossed the street and called the police. I’m here now to tell my story to the people that are going to ask – how did that guy go from being in a state like that to driving around Beverley Hills wearing jewellery? I think we’re all here to better ourselves and help other people. I’m an open book, and I think it’s my responsibility, above and beyond music and art, to tell people that anyone can better their lives.
‘I signed a record deal with Geffen, threw caution to the wind and came out here (LA) to make the record, and I fell in love. I realised that even if the music didn’t work out, I’d still be happier working in the local 7-11 than I would being back in Brixton. But, as luck would have it, I got the call from Billy Duffy asking me to audition for The Cult on bass. I’m not a bass player but Billy convinced me I could do it, and the next thing I’m a serious musician, playing stadiums and earning a wage from it. I was only in that band for just over two years. I’ve been Billy Idol’s guitar player for fifteen years, that’s my career. Yet every headline I read about me says ‘Billy Morrison, ex bass player for The Cult!’
It’s very clear that Morrison adores his role in Billy Idol’s band, he talks about it in such a way that he can still hardly believe it himself. As an original Generation X fan, it would have been the stuff of dreams for him. ‘I used to skip school and go to see bands like the Sex Pistols, and Adam and the Ants, and Generation X were my absolute favourite punk band at that time. I’m the only member of Billy Idol’s band that actually saw Generation X play live and know what it was all about. So to join forces with Billy, and Steve Stevens, and have a fifteen year career with them so far is just mind boggling! Talk to the twelve year old me, standing in the Lyceum watching Generation X play Valley Of The Dolls, and tell him, one day you’re going to be in that band. You can’t make that up!’
‘I’ll never forget that I came from punk rock, and I was a fan of Billy Idol, and I’ll always remain grateful and in touch with the wildness of what I’m doing now. I think that’s the key thing.’
One of the more interesting projects Billy has, and still is, heavily involved with is the notorious ‘supergroup’ Camp Freddy. Camp Freddy still exist, now under the new name of ‘Royal Machines’. They are essentially a covers band, and Billy describes it as the antithesis of every band member’s day job. ‘We’re all in bands where it’s all about how many records you’re selling, markets, units, finance. Royal Machines is purely for fun. We play at underground, corporate gig and we invite all our bigshot friends to get up and sing with us. I don’t think it would be egotistical to say we’re the world’s biggest covers band you’ve never heard of!’ With the line-up currently including Billy, Dave Navarro, Josh Freese, Mark McGrath and Chris Chaney most of us would be inclined to agree. Originally featuring Matt Sorum on drums, Camp Freddy / Royal Machines have been going for almost 25 years. ‘We were all in danger of losing sight of what we love about playing music until we got together’ Billy explains, ‘That doesn’t happen when you’re onstage with Steven Tyler playing ‘Sweet Emotion’ with Dave Navarro and Fred Durst!’
Billy’s love of collaborating with other musicians is evident on ‘The Morrison Project’ where he shares writing and music detail with rock icons such as Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, DMC, Al Jourgensen, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Linda Perry, Tommy Clufetos and John5. ‘I truly believe that making music without any preconceptions or goals yields the most creative and enjoyable results,’ Billy confirms. ‘That is exactly how this record came to life. Making music with Erik (Eldenius) and Jeordie (White) during Covid, and mixing different musical styles started my journey towards this collection of songs that ended up featuring a lot of my friends. The record is disparate in its genres, but I believe it’s also cohesive. If you know me, I am a huge fan of punk. I’m a huge hip hop fan. Ozzy’s my best mate, I’m in Billy Idol’s band and I love David Bowie. If you put all that together, you’re going to get the piano ballad, the metal song, the hip hop song, and because I didn’t care at the time – I didn’t have a record label, I wasn’t making an album, I was just having fun and getting through the lockdown in my home studio. I did it purely for the love of it.’
‘I think the lesson that everyone can learn from that is to write from your heart. Don’t write for anyone else. Write from your heart. Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem to fit. If it’s from your heart, people will gravitate to it.’
Interview by Victoria Llewelyn
Photo Credit: Jane Stuart