Billy Idol started life as William Broad in London in 1955. He found his life’s purpose as a member of the Bromley Contingent, early fans of the Sex Pistols. William changed his name, intended first to be spelled Idle but a misprint on a poster showed him that Idol was cooler than Idle, joined Generation X and released Dancing With Myself before moving to New York. There he met Stevie Stevens and launched his solo career.
At the time, punk rock was being changed by the big names John “Rotten” Lydon and the Clash towards a more reggae and political beat. Billy and Stevie decided punk needed more sex. Not long later, Lydon called Idol the “Perry Como of punk.” Personally, I have always felt Billy Idol was trying to be the Elvis Presley, not the Perry Como, of punk with the sneering lip, stance, sexuality, and deep voice with a rumble and a rasp to it.
Riding the wave of 80s nostalgia, Billy Idol has released Idolize Yourself, a greatest hits set that is better than most. The CD includes all the hits from Dancing With Myself to LA Woman, a movie track, and two new releases, John Wayne and New Future Weapon.
But that’s not the best part. No, because the deluxe edition also includes a DVD with all of the MTV videos from back in the day on it. Now that was interesting to watch, especially the fashion choices. I’d forgotten the red leather vest/jacket thing that Idol wears in the Rebel Yell video. It looks like he took Michael Jackson’s
Thriller jacket and attacked it with a box cutter.
Musically, the songs still sound fresh and good. My fifteen year old daughter has stolen the CD from me and I hear it playing loudly through her bedroom door so I know she’s enjoying it. The few times I’ve been able to get it back from her to listen to in the car are enough so that my 6 year old daughter knows the words to many of the songs too now.
Article comments
1 - Nancy
To Russ Evenhuis:
I especially enjoyed your music review of Idol's new CD/DVD and I had to chuckle b/c my granddaughter, who listens to it with me, is totally enjoying his CD too and knows the words to many of his songs too! LOL
Billy Idol ROCKS!