Billy Idol
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Generation X signed to Chrysalis Records and released three albums before breaking up. Idol moved to New York City and began working as a solo artist and began working with Steve Stevens, soon becoming MTV staples with "White Wedding" and "Dancing with Myself". Idol's second LP, Rebel Yell (1984, 1984 in music) was a blockbuster success and established Idol's superstar status in the United States.
Idol did not release a new album until 1987 (see 1987 in music); Whiplash Smile sold well, but failed to live up to expectations. Stevens soon left for a solo career and Idol continued. A cover of Tommy James' "Mony Mony" did well on MTV and Idol played Cousin Kevin in a performance of Tommy. Just before the release of Charmed Life in 1990 (see 1990 in music), Idol was in a motorcycle accident in which he almost lost his leg. The album sold extremely well, but Idol decided to take a break and acted in The Doors, directed by Oliver Stone. The follow-up to Charmed Life was 1993's Cyberpunk (see 1993 in music), which was a flop, and Idol sank into drug addiction, nearly dying of an overdose in 1994.
Idol returned to the popular eye in 1998, when he played himself in The Wedding Singer, an Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore romantic comedy, where White Wedding was used as the title track. Idol appeared on VH1 Storytellers and issued a Greatest Hits CD in 2001.
Devil's Playground, which came out March 22 2005, is his first new studio album in nearly 12 years.
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Discography
Albums
- "Don't Stop (ep)" (1981)
- "Billy Idol" (1982)
- "Rebel Yell" (1984)
- "Vital Idol (UK)" (1985)
- "Whiplash Smile" (1986)
- "Vital Idol (US)" (1987)
- "Idol Songs: 11 of the Best" (1988)
- "Charmed Life" (1990)
- "Cyberpunk" (1993)
- "Rebel Yell: Expanded" (1999)
- "Greatest Hits" (2001)
- "VH1's Storytellers" (2002)
- "Essential Billy Idol" (2003)
- "Devil's Playground" (2005)
Singles
Starting with the 1983 re-release of White Wedding, Chrysalis issued Billy's single with an IDOL vanity catalogue numbering system. This lasted for roughly seven years and sixteen singles (including various re-issues) until the release of "Prodigal Blues" in 1990.
- "Dancing With Myself" (1/1981)
- "Mony Mony" (9/1981)
- "Hot In The City" (8/1982)
- "White Wedding" (10/1982)
- "White Wedding (re-release)" (9/1983 - IDOL 1)
- "Rebel Yell" (1/1984 - IDOL 2)
- "Eyes Without A Face" (6/1984 - IDOL 3)
- "Flesh For Fantasy" (9/1984 - IDOL 4)
- "White Wedding (Vital Idol re-release)" (6/1985 - IDOL 5)
- "Rebel Yell (re-release)" (9/1985 - IDOL 6)
- "To Be A Lover" (9/1986 - IDOL 8)
- "Don't Need A Gun" (2/1987 - IDOL 9)
- "Sweet Sixteen" (5/1987 - IDOL 10)
- "Mony Mony (Live)" (10/1987 - IDOL 11)
- "Hot In The City (Remix)" (1/1988 - IDOL 12)
- "Catch My Fall" (8/1988 - IDOL 13)
- "Cradle Of Love" (4/1990 - IDOL 14)
- "L.A. Woman" (8/1990 - IDOL 15)
- "Prodigal Blues" (1990 - IDOL 16)
- "Shock To The System" (1993)
- "Heroin" (1993)
- "Speed" (1994)
- "Scream" (2005)
Quotes
- "Everybody got it wrong. I said I was into porn again, not born again." [1] (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/billyidol180986.html) after being injured in a motorcycle incident.
See also
- Coral Castle, a stone structure where Idol recorded his song Sweet Sixteen
External links
- Idol's homepage (http://www.billyidol.com/), containing a list of all his songs.
- "Devil's Playground" Review (http://music.tinfoil.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1182)
- Billy guitarist Steve Stevens on "Devil's Playground" (http://music.tinfoil.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1183)de:Billy Idol