Billy Idol and Steve Stevens

The sad death of Bill Aucoin, who as I have written, I loved dearly, brought me to thinking about Billy Idol, and of Steve Stevens.
Billy I first met in the UK, when he was still a member of Generation X, a fantastic band.
The group arrived and they were all so polite and delightful! Having only recently met another to be left unamed punk band, who had come in with their delightful producer and were just being rude (if you were punk, you were supposed to be rude!). I politely told them that there was no need for this and to stop, which they did.
Shortly after I went to the famous Wardour Street Marquee, and saw them perform. I was incredibly impressed that they had chosen a steel band to open for them. Great.
Billy's performance was electrifying and while I had got used to the exuberance of punk audiences, the one that night was just way, way great. I didn't quite get the idea behind the spitting from Billy, however, it was all part of his great showmanship. Fantastic show! I stayed far back.
Anyway, the second time I was to meet Billy was a while later after I had moved to Los Angeles. There was a Chrysalis party and Billy and I ended up on the patio chatting at first quite happily, before we got into a heated argument about who came up with punk bands first, the US or the UK and I definitely disagreed vehemently with his then opinion that there were no real punk writers/performers in the US. I named Gary Valentine as one of the foremost at that time. I suppose it's a British thing, but we don't really treat stars (except for Her Majesty and Royal Family, where protocol plays a large part in one's behaviour) with any difference. They're people too. I think that some of the Chrysalis US staff were rather aghast at my having a full on argument with one of the artiststs. Nevertheless, that argument sealed a great relationship between Billy (when I saw him, which wasn't that often) and me.
Now to Steve Stevens!
What an amazing guitarist and the albums that he and Billy created together are still among my most favourite music.
Eyes Without A Face is among my top 20 favourite songs. (And discussing this as potential release in an A & R meeting, someone pointed out that you couldn't dance to it [!!], Terry Ellis got up put his arms around me and to the chagrin [as usual] of Jack Craigo, we danced.)
My funniest and most favourite memory of meeting with Billy was going to the hotel where he and Bill were staying to discuss business, and Billy asking me if I would please try on the lingerie he had just bought for his girlfriend! Not quite part of my job as head of his publishing company, was my response with a laugh.
Steve, always dressed as a punk, yet was one of the most polite and affable men I have ever met.
Back in the UK one time and staying with Nick Lowe and Carlene Carter, we had a party and finding that Steve was in town I invited him to join us. As soon as he walked in the house dressed all in black plastic and earrings, etc, I saw the look on Nick's then current drummer, and before the latter had a chance (there was always a thing between pub rockers and punk bands), told him in no uncertain terms that Steve was one of my good friends and, please, do not be rude to him.
I am glad that Steve and Billy are back together and I hope one of these days to get to see them perform again.