71. Billy Idol (Generation X)

 

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/pic200/drP100/P136/P13697I586S.jpg

 

This former punk rocker scored substantial success especially in the USA with his solo more commercial hybrid of pop, punk, rock & synths during the 1980s.

 

ALL MUSIC GUIDE BIOGRAPHY

 

Key Studio Album: Rebel Yell (1983)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drg600/g686/g68658j9g3p.jpg

 

Key Compiliations: Idolize Yourself: The Very Best Of (2008)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drk700/k794/k79427adb3s.jpg

 

Career Defining Song:

White Wedding (1983 USA#36; 1985 UK#6)

Some Other Key Songs:

 

Dancing With Myself (Generation X: 1980 UK#62, 1981 USA#60; solo: 1982 USA#23)

 

Eyes Without A Face (1984 UK#18 USA#4)

 

Mony Mony (Live) (1987 UK#7 USA#1)

 

Cradle Of Love (1990 UK#34 USA#2)

 

Were any of you fans of William Broad, or did you think he was a bit of an overpartying hard living plonker?

Mainly a plonker to be honest. I quite liked Eyes without a face, and I suppose Rebel yell was ok.

another act (gen x) that seemed abit too good to be true, reckon they were bandwagon hoppers in the punk scene ... plastic punk.

 

billy idol though in the 80's was ok, dropping to a degree his 'elvis' snarl and producing some decent tracks. i like 'eyes without a face' and 'sweet sixteen' in particular was a smashing, haunting, wistful track...

Flesh for Fantasy off the same album as EWAF was a great track. White Wedding was a terrific pop/rock tune and I loved To Be a Lover.

 

I did like Gen X. I think a lot of their earlier stuff was very mod-influenced especially The Who.