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Along with Duran Duran, Billy Idol was one the first pop/rock artists to achieve massive success in the early '80s due to a then brand-newU.S.
television network, MTV. Mixing his bad-boy good looks with an appealing blend of pop hooks, punk attitude, and a dance beats, Idolquickly
rocketed to stardom, before hard living derailed his career and almost proved fatal. Born William Michael Albert Broad on November30, 1955,
in Middlesex, England, the youngster relocated with his family for a brief spell to New York, before returning back to England.After a stint at
Sussex University only las ...read more
Along with Duran Duran, Billy Idol was one the first pop/rock artists to achieve massive success in the early '80s due to a then brand-newU.S.
television network, MTV. Mixing his bad-boy good looks with an appealing blend of pop hooks, punk attitude, and a dance beats, Idolquickly
rocketed to stardom, before hard living derailed his career and almost proved fatal. Born William Michael Albert Broad on November30, 1955,
in Middlesex, England, the youngster relocated with his family for a brief spell to New York, before returning back to England.After a stint at
Sussex University only last a year, Broad found himself as part of a group of teen punk rockers who befriended and followedthe Sex Pistols,
known as "the Bromley Contingent" (a member of this colorful group of characters was Siouxsie Sioux, eventual leader ofSiouxsie & the
Banshees).
It wasn't long before Broad realized that he too could be the frontman of a punk band, and assumed the name Billy Idol shortly
thereafter.After a stint playing guitar in a group called Chelsea didn't pan out (interestingly, the group featured future Clash guitarist Mick
Jones andfuture Damned guitarist Brian James), Idol put down the guitar and picked up the mic, and recruited bassist Tony James, drummer
JohnTowe, and guitarist Bob Andrews, forming Generation X in 1976. Named after a 1960s paperback book, the band signed a
recordingcontract with Chrysalis shortly thereafter (Towe was replaced with new skinsman Mark Laff) -- resulting in such releases as 1978's
self-titled debut, 1979's Valley of the Dolls, and 1981's Kiss Me Deadly -- before splitting up.
Disappointed with Generation X's demise, Idol relocated to New York City, where he pursued a career as a solo artist. Hooking up with
Kissmanager Bill Aucoin, Idol issued the 1981 EP Don't Stop (comprised of a cover of Tommy James' '60s hit "Mony Mony" and a pair
ofremixed Generation X tracks), which helped the singer score another record deal with his former band's label, Chrysalis. Idol found
theperfect collaborator and partner in guitarist/Johnny Thunders look-alike Steve Stevens, and issued a self-titled debut in July of 1982. A
pairof eye-catching videos for the tracks "White Wedding" and "Dancing With Myself" (the latter a remake of a Generation X
composition)scored major air time on MTV, with both clips focusing in on Idol's spiky, peroxide blonde hair and Elvis-like sneer. The debut
eventuallyobtained gold certification, and set the stage perfectly for Idol's big commercial breakthrough, 1984's Rebel Yell.
Rebel Yell became the singer's best-selling album of his career (eventually going double platinum), spawning such big-time MTV/radio hitsas
the album's anthemic title track, "Eyes Without a Face," and "Flesh for Fantasy," establishing Idol as an arena headliner stateside. Butwith
massive success came its many distractions, which prevented Idol from issuing a new studio album until three years after Rebel Yell.1987's
Whiplash Smile was another sizeable hit on the strength of such hits as "To Be a Lover" and "Sweet Sixteen," but failed to live up tothe lofty
expectations set by his previous releases. Stevens jumped ship shortly thereafter to launch his own band, Steve Stevens' AtomicPlayboys
(and eventually was a member of Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil's solo band), leaving Idol to fend for himself.
An eight-track best-of set, Vital Idol, was issued later the same year, spawning one of the year's most heavily played MTV videos -- a
liveversion of the previously recorded cover of "Mony Mony" -- which helped keep Idol in the spotlight. Idol spent the next few years working
onhis fourth studio release, but reappeared in the summer of 1989 as part of an all-star rendition of the Who's Tommy, with Idol playing
therole of the sadistic character Cousin Kevin. Around the time of Idol's next release, 1990's Charmed Life, the singer was involved in
aserious motorcycle accident (in which he almost lost his leg), forcing the singer to walk with a cane for a period of time; the video for
thealbum's lead-off single, "Cradle of Love," featured the singer filmed from the waist up. The ploy worked, as the single (which was also
usedas the theme song in the failed Andrew "Dice" Clay movie, Ford Fairlane) was another smash hit, making Charmed Life the fourth Idol
albumin a row to achieve at least reach platinum sales.
Expectedly, several years passed before the release of Idol's next album, during which time he tried his hand at acting with a bit part inOliver
Stone's motion picture The Doors. By the time 1993's Cyberpunk surfaced, Idol had dropped his spiky peroxide hairstyle in place
ofdreadlocks, and experimented with techno beats. The move proved to be an unwise one, as the album tanked and sank from the charts.
Atthe same time, Idol was knee deep in drug addiction, resulting in another close brush with death when he overdosed and had to be treated
ina Los Angeles hospital in 1994. Not much was heard from Idol until 1998, when he made a cameo appearance (as himself) in the hit
AdamSandler/Drew Barrymore comedy The Wedding Singer, which resulted in renewed interest. Idol teamed up once again with Stevens, was
thesubject of a VH1: Behind the Music special (as well as a Storytellers episode for the channel, which was ultimately issued as a CD),
andissued a more extensive Greatest Hits set in 2001; the latter of which sold 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone. Next up was his first
studioalbum since Cyberpunk, Devil's Playground, released on Sanctuary in 2005. « hide |
Similar Bands: Generation X, Steve Stevens, Duran Duran, Def Leppard, Blondie Contributors: Baronessa, AleksiS, TheRamblingElf, Alex101, tom79, SandwichBubble, TwigTW, burntsugar,
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