Billy Idol
Encyclopedia
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English
rock
musician
. A member of the Bromley Contingent
of Sex Pistols
fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock
era as a member of the band Generation X
. He then embarked on a successful solo career, aided by a series of stylish music video
s, making him one of the first MTV
stars. Idol continues to tour with guitarist Steve Stevens
and has a worldwide fan
base.
, Middlesex
, the son of a salesman. He attended Tideway School in Newhaven, East Sussex
. The name Billy Idol was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of Broad as "idle".
In 1958, when Idol was two years old, his parents moved to Patchogue, New York
, on Long Island. The family returned to England four years later with Idol and a younger child Jane (who had been born in the US), settling in Dorking
, Surrey. In 1971 the family moved to Bromley
, south east London, where Idol attended Ravensbourne School for Boys. Idol (rather William Broad) also attended Worthing High School for Boys (later becoming Worthing College). In October 1975, Idol went to Sussex University to pursue an English degree and lived on campus (East Slope) but left after year one (1976). He then went on to join the Bromley Contingent
of Sex Pistols
fans, a gang that travelled into towns where the band played.
Idol first joined the punk rock
band Siouxsie and the Banshees (before the band had decided on that name) in 1976, but soon quit and joined Chelsea
in 1977 as a guitarist. However, he and Chelsea bandmate Tony James
soon left that group and co-founded Generation X
, with Idol switching from guitarist to lead singer. Generation X were one of the first punk bands to appear on the BBC Television
music programme
Top of the Pops
. Although a punk rock band, they were inspired by mid-Sixties British pop, in sharp contrast to their more militant peers, with Idol stating; "We were saying the opposite to the Clash
and the Pistols. They were singing 'No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones', but we were honest about what we liked. The truth was, we were all building our music on the Beatles and the Stones". Generation X signed to Chrysalis Records
and released three albums and performed in the 1980 film, D.O.A.
, before disbanding. Idol moved to New York in 1981, and became a solo
artist
working with Steve Stevens
, Phil Feit and Steve Missal. Idol's debut solo album, Billy Idol
, was released in July 1982.
", originally recorded for their last album Kiss Me Deadly
, and a cover of Tommy James & The Shondells
' song "Mony Mony
". In 1982, Idol became an MTV
staple with "White Wedding
" and "Dancing with Myself". In 1983, in an effort to introduce Idol to American audiences not yet as familiar with him as those in the UK
, Idol's label released "Dancing with Myself" in the US in conjunction with a music video directed by Tobe Hooper
, which played on MTV for six months.
(1983) was a major success and established Idol's superstar
status in the United States with hits like "Eyes Without a Face
," "Flesh For Fantasy", and the title cut
. Idol also became very popular in Europe thanks to this album and its singles, particularly in Germany
, Italy
, Switzerland
and later in the UK
. Tracks from the album featured in the 1988 Hollywood comedy film Big
, which starred Tom Hanks
.
Idol released Whiplash Smile
in 1986, which sold well. The album included the hits "To Be a Lover," "Don't Need a Gun" and "Sweet Sixteen". Idol filmed a video featuring "Sweet Sixteen" (which he also wrote) in Florida
's Coral Castle
. The song was inspired by the story of Edward Leedskalnin
's former love, Agnes Scuffs, who was the main reason Leedskalnin built the structure over a period of decades, starting years after she jilted him the day before their scheduled wedding in their native Latvia
. Stevens parted ways with Idol after Whiplash Smile
. In 1986, Stevens appeared with Harold Faltermeyer
on the Top Gun
soundtrack. Their contribution was the Grammy
winning instrumental, "Top Gun Anthem
".
A remix album was released in 1987 called, Vital Idol
. The album featured a live rendition of his cover
of Tommy James
' "Mony Mony". The single topped the US chart in 1987.
In 1989, Idol appeared on stage with The Who
as Cousin Kevin as part of the live version of Tommy
, which was aired as an HBO special and released on home video and later as a DVD. In later years, Idol also stood in as a guest performer with The Who on "Bell Boy
", a hit from their rock opera
album Quadrophenia
, and provided the lead vocals that were originally sung by the band's late drummer Keith Moon
. On these brief appearances, Idol dressed in a full bell boy's uniform to reflect upon Moon's eccentricity on stage.
Idol was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which nearly cost him a leg in February 1990 in Hollywood. He was hit by a car when he ran a stop sign while driving home from the studio one night, requiring a steel rod to be placed in his leg. Shortly prior to this, film director James Cameron
had chosen Idol to play the T-1000
character in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
and had drawn storyboard
s to resemble him, but the accident prevented Idol from accepting.
Charmed Life, was released and a video for the single, "Cradle of Love
" had to be shot. The song had been featured in the Andrew Dice Clay
film, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
. Since Idol was unable to walk, he was shot from the waist up. The video featured video footage of him singing in large frames throughout an apartment, while Betsy Lynn George was trying to seduce a businessman. The video was placed in rotation on MTV. Idol and George recreated the opening of the video for the 1991 American Music Awards
. Against his doctors' advice, he also managed to make appearances to promote Charmed Life.
Idol made a cameo appearance in the 1998 film The Wedding Singer
with Adam Sandler, in which Idol ultimately saved the relationship between characters Robbie Hart (Sandler) and Julia Sullivan (played by Drew Barrymore). Idol also had a small part in the movie The Doors
, directed by Oliver Stone
. Idol played Jim Morrison
's drinking buddy, Cat. Idol also performed at Roger Waters
' live concert The Wall Live in Berlin in 1990.
. Regarded as experimental, it was recorded in a home studio using a Macintosh
computer, which was a new concept at the time. Idol recorded the album with Younger-Smith and producer Robin Hancock. Special editions of the album were issued with a floppy disc which contained a screensaver
. It was the first album which listed the e-mail address of the artist (idol@well.sf.ca.us, which is now inactive) in its booklet. In 1996, Idol appeared in a live version of The Who
's Quadrophenia
. He returned to the public eye in 1998, when he played himself in The Wedding Singer
, in which "White Wedding" was also the title track. He was also considered for the role of the villain, Jacob Kell, in Highlander: Endgame
, although ultimately Bruce Payne
was cast. He also shared the stage with the band Third Eye Blind
.
VH1
aired Billy Idol - Behind the Music
on 16 April 2001. The Behind the Music series was popular, and each band or artist that was featured on that program usually gained a resurgence of interest after the show had aired. Idol and Stevens were no exceptions, taking part in a VH1
Storytellers show three days later. The reunited duo set out to play a series of acoustic/storytellers shows before recording the VH1 special. The acoustic tour was a success, and Idol eventually started adding new material into the show. Another Greatest Hits CD was issued in 2001, with Keith Forsey
's "Don't You (Forget About Me)
" appearing on the compilation. Forsey had originally written it with Idol in mind, but the singer turned it down and eventually the song was given to Simple Minds
, who made it a hit in 1985. The album also includes a live acoustic version of "Rebel Yell", taken from a performance at Los Angeles station KROQ's 1993 Acoustic Christmas concert.
In 2000, Idol was invited to be a guest vocalist on Tony Iommi's album
. His contribution was on the song "Into The Night", which he also co-wrote
. That year he voice acted the role of Odin, a mysterious alien character, in the animated fantasy film Heavy Metal 2000
. In the 2002 NRL Grand Final
in Sydney
, Idol entered the playing field for the post-match entertainment on a hovercraft
-type stage to the intro of "White Wedding", when he managed to sing only two words before a power failure ended the performance. "White Wedding" appeared on popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, playing on fictional Classic rock
radio station
, K-DST.
, which came out in March 2005, was Idol's first new studio album in nearly 12 years. It reached #46 on the Billboard 200
. The album included a cover of "Plastic Jesus
". Idol played a handful of dates on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour
and also appeared at the UK's Download Festival
at Donington Park
, the Voodoo Music Experience
in New Orleans
and Rock am Ring
. In 2006, as his only UK live date, he appeared headlining the Sunday night of GuilFest
. That same year he made an appearance on Viva La Bam
where he helped Bam Margera
succeed in "creating" a sunroof for his $250,000 Lamborghini Gallardo
and performed live for April Margera
for her birthday. In 2006, Idol guested on his keyboardist
Derek Sherinian
's solo album Blood of the Snake
, covering the 1970 Mungo Jerry
hit "In the Summertime". A video was made featuring Idol and guitarist Slash
. In November 2006, Idol released a Christmas
album called Happy Holidays.
In 2008, "Rebel Yell" appeared as a playable track on the video game, Guitar Hero World Tour
, and "White Wedding" on Rock Band 2
. The Rock Band 2 platform later gaining "Mony Mony" and "Rebel Yell" as downloadable tracks. On 24 June 2008, Idol released a new greatest hits
album, The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself. The compilation featured two previously unreleased tracks, "John Wayne" and "New Future Weapon". A third track, "Fractured", was available for download on iTunes. He embarked on a worldwide tour, co-headlining with Def Leppard
.
In July 2009, Idol performed at the Congress Theater, Chicago for the US TV series Soundstage
. This performance was recorded and was released on DVD
as In Super Overdrive Live, on 17 November 2009.
in Donington Park. He stated, "With all of these great heavyweight and cool bands playing Download this year, I'm going to have to come armed with my punk rock attitude, Steve Stevens, and all of my classic songs plus a couple of way out covers. Should be fun!" In March 2010, Idol added Camp Freddy
guitarist, Billy Morrison and drummer Jeremy Colson to his touring line-up.
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Rebel Yell
"|| Best Male Rock Vocal Performance
||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"To Be A Lover
" || Best Male Rock Vocal Performance ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Cradle of Love
" || Best Male Rock Vocal Performance ||
is an annual awards ceremony established in 1984 by MTV
.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Dancing With Myself
" || Best Art Direction ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Dancing With Myself
" || Best Special Effects ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Eyes Without a Face
" || Best Cinematography ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Eyes Without a Face
" || Best Editing ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| || "Cradle of Love
" || Best Video from a Film ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Cradle of Love
" || Best Male Video ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Cradle of Love
" || Best Special Effects ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Shock To The System
" || Best Special Effects ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Shock To The System
" || Best Editing ||
|-
are the British Phonographic Industry
's annual pop music awards.
|-
| || Billy Idol || Best British Video ||
|-
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. A member of the Bromley Contingent
Bromley Contingent
The Bromley Contingent is a label invented by journalist Caroline Coon about a group of followers and fans of the Sex Pistols. They owed their name to Bromley, a suburb of London, in the county of Kent, where some of them lived. They helped popularize the fashion of the early UK punk movement...
of Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
era as a member of the band Generation X
Generation X (band)
Generation X was a British punk rock band, formed on 21 November 1976 by Billy Idol, Tony James and John Towe.-History:...
. He then embarked on a successful solo career, aided by a series of stylish music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s, making him one of the first MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
stars. Idol continues to tour with guitarist Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens is an American guitarist and songwriter.He is best known for playing for other artists and less known for his critically acclaimed solo efforts , collaborations Steve Stevens (born as Steven Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter.He...
and has a worldwide fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
base.
Early life and Generation X
Idol was born in StanmoreStanmore
Stanmore is a suburban area of the London Borough of Harrow, in northwest London. It is situated northwest of Charing Cross. The area is home to Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, high.-Toponymy:...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, the son of a salesman. He attended Tideway School in Newhaven, East Sussex
Newhaven, East Sussex
Newhaven is a town in the Lewes District of East Sussex in England. It lies at the mouth of the River Ouse, on the English Channel coast, and is a ferry port for services to France.-Origins:...
. The name Billy Idol was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of Broad as "idle".
In 1958, when Idol was two years old, his parents moved to Patchogue, New York
Patchogue, New York
-Notable citizens:* Franc D'Ambrosio, Broadway Actor, best known for being the longest running Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. Graduated Pat-Med HS 1981* Michael Fagan, professional bowler...
, on Long Island. The family returned to England four years later with Idol and a younger child Jane (who had been born in the US), settling in Dorking
Dorking
Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
, Surrey. In 1971 the family moved to Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
, south east London, where Idol attended Ravensbourne School for Boys. Idol (rather William Broad) also attended Worthing High School for Boys (later becoming Worthing College). In October 1975, Idol went to Sussex University to pursue an English degree and lived on campus (East Slope) but left after year one (1976). He then went on to join the Bromley Contingent
Bromley Contingent
The Bromley Contingent is a label invented by journalist Caroline Coon about a group of followers and fans of the Sex Pistols. They owed their name to Bromley, a suburb of London, in the county of Kent, where some of them lived. They helped popularize the fashion of the early UK punk movement...
of Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
fans, a gang that travelled into towns where the band played.
Idol first joined the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Siouxsie and the Banshees (before the band had decided on that name) in 1976, but soon quit and joined Chelsea
Chelsea (band)
Chelsea are an English punk rock band, formed in London in 1976.Three of the four original band members went on to help found Generation X. More than two decades after its release, "Right to Work", Chelsea's debut single, was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all...
in 1977 as a guitarist. However, he and Chelsea bandmate Tony James
Tony James
Tony James is a British musician, best known as a bassist of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik.- Career :He was originally a member of the punk band London SS, along with Brian James, , and Mick Jones plus Terry Chimes .Later, James joined the early punk band Chelsea...
soon left that group and co-founded Generation X
Generation X (band)
Generation X was a British punk rock band, formed on 21 November 1976 by Billy Idol, Tony James and John Towe.-History:...
, with Idol switching from guitarist to lead singer. Generation X were one of the first punk bands to appear on the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
music programme
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. Although a punk rock band, they were inspired by mid-Sixties British pop, in sharp contrast to their more militant peers, with Idol stating; "We were saying the opposite to the Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
and the Pistols. They were singing 'No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones', but we were honest about what we liked. The truth was, we were all building our music on the Beatles and the Stones". Generation X signed to Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
and released three albums and performed in the 1980 film, D.O.A.
D.O.A. (1980 film)
D.O.A.: A Rite of Passage is a 1980 rockumentary film directed by Lech Kowalski about the origin of punk rock. The rockumentary takes interview and concert footage of some of punk rock's earliest bands of the late seventies scene...
, before disbanding. Idol moved to New York in 1981, and became a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
working with Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens is an American guitarist and songwriter.He is best known for playing for other artists and less known for his critically acclaimed solo efforts , collaborations Steve Stevens (born as Steven Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter.He...
, Phil Feit and Steve Missal. Idol's debut solo album, Billy Idol
Billy Idol (album)
Billy Idol is the full-length solo debut by Billy Idol . Preceded in June 1982 by the hit-single "Hot in the City", the album was released in July 1982. After the next single from the album, "White Wedding", entered the Top 40 a year later, Billy Idol was reissued with the addition of the earlier...
, was released in July 1982.
Early solo success
Idol's solo career began with the EP titled Don't Stop, which included the Generation X song "Dancing with MyselfDancing with Myself
"Dancing with Myself" is a song by the band Generation X. The song was first released as a single and a 12" in 1980 and, a few weeks after the single release, was included on the band's last album - 1981's Kiss Me Deadly...
", originally recorded for their last album Kiss Me Deadly
Kiss Me Deadly (album)
Kiss Me Deadly was the third and final full-length album from Generation X. The band shortened its name to "Gen X" for this release. Following the departure of all original members with the exception of Tony James and Billy Idol and the addition of ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes, the album featured...
, and a cover of Tommy James & The Shondells
Tommy James & the Shondells
Tommy James and the Shondells are an American rock and roll group whose period of greatest success came in the late 1960s. They had two No. 1 singles in the U.S. — "Hanky Panky" and "Crimson and Clover" — and also charted 12 other Top 40 hits, including five in the top ten: "Crystal...
' song "Mony Mony
Mony Mony
"Mony Mony" is a 1968 single by Tommy James & the Shondells, that reached #1 in the UK charts.-History:"Mony Mony" was credited to Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, and Bobby Bloom. The hook in the song is said to have been inspired by James' view of a MONY sign atop the Mutual of New York...
". In 1982, Idol became an MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
staple with "White Wedding
White Wedding (song)
"White Wedding" is a song by Billy Idol that appeared on his album Billy Idol . Although "the Big 80's: Episode I" of VH1's Pop-up Video trivia show claims Idol wrote the song to voice his displeasure with his sister's fiance , on an episode of VH1 Storytellers, Idol claimed that there was never...
" and "Dancing with Myself". In 1983, in an effort to introduce Idol to American audiences not yet as familiar with him as those in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Idol's label released "Dancing with Myself" in the US in conjunction with a music video directed by Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ; the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation...
, which played on MTV for six months.
Rebel Yell and superstar years
Idol's second LP, Rebel YellRebel Yell (album)
Rebel Yell is the second album by British punk rock artist Billy Idol, released in 1983. It was very successful with four singles on the U.S. Hot 100 charts, while the album reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album charts...
(1983) was a major success and established Idol's superstar
Superstar
A superstar is a widely acclaimed celebrity.Superstar or superstars may also refer to:-People:* Warhol Superstar, associates of Andy Warhol* WWE Superstar, the term used to refer to entertainers from the WWE...
status in the United States with hits like "Eyes Without a Face
Eyes Without a Face (song)
"Eyes Without a Face" is a song by Billy Idol, co-written with guitarist Steve Stevens from Idol's 1983 album Rebel Yell. The song is softer and more ballad-like than most of the album's other singles.-Song information:...
," "Flesh For Fantasy", and the title cut
Rebel Yell (song)
"Rebel Yell" is the first song on the Billy Idol album of the same name. When first released in 1984, it charted outside the UK Top 40, but a re-issue in 1985 reached #6. It did not fare as well in the US, only reaching #46...
. Idol also became very popular in Europe thanks to this album and its singles, particularly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and later in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Tracks from the album featured in the 1988 Hollywood comedy film Big
Big
Big is a 1988 romantic comedy film directed by Penny Marshall and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" to a magical fortune-telling machine and is then aged to adulthood overnight...
, which starred Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
.
Idol released Whiplash Smile
Whiplash Smile
Whiplash Smile is Billy Idol's third full-length album. Released in 1986, it was supported by the singles "To Be a Lover", "Sweet Sixteen", and "Don't Need a Gun"...
in 1986, which sold well. The album included the hits "To Be a Lover," "Don't Need a Gun" and "Sweet Sixteen". Idol filmed a video featuring "Sweet Sixteen" (which he also wrote) in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
's Coral Castle
Coral Castle
Coral Castle is a stone structure created by the Latvian American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin north of the city of Homestead, Florida in Miami-Dade County at the intersection of South Dixie Highway and West 157th Avenue. The structure comprises numerous megalithic stones , each weighing several...
. The song was inspired by the story of Edward Leedskalnin
Edward Leedskalnin
Edward Leedskalnin was an eccentric Latvian emigrant to the United States and amateur sculptor who single-handedly built the monument known as Coral Castle in Florida...
's former love, Agnes Scuffs, who was the main reason Leedskalnin built the structure over a period of decades, starting years after she jilted him the day before their scheduled wedding in their native Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. Stevens parted ways with Idol after Whiplash Smile
Whiplash Smile
Whiplash Smile is Billy Idol's third full-length album. Released in 1986, it was supported by the singles "To Be a Lover", "Sweet Sixteen", and "Don't Need a Gun"...
. In 1986, Stevens appeared with Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer is a German musician, keyboardist, composer and record producer.He is recognized as one of the composers/producers who best captured the zeitgeist of 1980s synth-pop in film scores...
on the Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
soundtrack. Their contribution was the Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning instrumental, "Top Gun Anthem
Top Gun Anthem
"Top Gun Anthem" is an instrumental rock song played on guitar by Steve Stevens. It was the theme for the 1986 film Top Gun. A variant of the song without the electric guitar is played at the introduction when an F-14 Tomcat is being prepared to takeoff from the aircraft carrier...
".
A remix album was released in 1987 called, Vital Idol
Vital Idol
Vital Idol is a compilation of remixed singles from Billy Idol's first three albums. Peaking at number 10 on the Billboard 200, the album was supported by a live single version of "Mony Mony"....
. The album featured a live rendition of his cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Tommy James
Tommy James
Tommy James is an American pop-rock musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as leader of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells.-Early life and career:...
' "Mony Mony". The single topped the US chart in 1987.
In 1989, Idol appeared on stage with The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
as Cousin Kevin as part of the live version of Tommy
Tommy (rock opera)
Tommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was...
, which was aired as an HBO special and released on home video and later as a DVD. In later years, Idol also stood in as a guest performer with The Who on "Bell Boy
Bell Boy (song)
"Bell Boy" is a song recorded by The Who for the 1973 album Quadrophenia and 1979 movie of the same name. It was never released as a single....
", a hit from their rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
album Quadrophenia
Quadrophenia
Quadrophenia is the sixth studio album by English rock band The Who. Released on 19 October 1973 by Track and Polydor in the UK, and Track and MCA in the US, it is a double album, and the group's second rock opera...
, and provided the lead vocals that were originally sung by the band's late drummer Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
. On these brief appearances, Idol dressed in a full bell boy's uniform to reflect upon Moon's eccentricity on stage.
Idol was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which nearly cost him a leg in February 1990 in Hollywood. He was hit by a car when he ran a stop sign while driving home from the studio one night, requiring a steel rod to be placed in his leg. Shortly prior to this, film director James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
had chosen Idol to play the T-1000
T-1000
The T-1000 is a fictional nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy assassin and the main antagonist in Terminator 2: Judgment Day controlled by the series main antagonist Skynet. The T-1000 is portrayed primarily by Robert Patrick; however, being a shape-shifter, the T-1000 is played by other actors in some...
character in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
and had drawn storyboard
Storyboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
s to resemble him, but the accident prevented Idol from accepting.
Charmed Life, was released and a video for the single, "Cradle of Love
Cradle of Love
"Cradle of Love" is a rock song written by Billy Idol and David Werner for Idol's 1990 fourth studio album Charmed Life. The song is the album's sixth track, and was released as its first single. The song became one of Idol's biggest hits in the United States, where it reached #2 on the Billboard...
" had to be shot. The song had been featured in the Andrew Dice Clay
Andrew Dice Clay
Andrew Dice Clay is an American comedian and actor who played the lead role in the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.Clay has been in several movies and has released a number of stand-up albums...
film, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane is a 1990 American action/comedy film starring comedian Andrew Dice Clay as Ford Fairlane, a "Rock n' Roll Detective," whose beat is the music industry in Los Angeles. The film was directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:...
. Since Idol was unable to walk, he was shot from the waist up. The video featured video footage of him singing in large frames throughout an apartment, while Betsy Lynn George was trying to seduce a businessman. The video was placed in rotation on MTV. Idol and George recreated the opening of the video for the 1991 American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
. Against his doctors' advice, he also managed to make appearances to promote Charmed Life.
Idol made a cameo appearance in the 1998 film The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
with Adam Sandler, in which Idol ultimately saved the relationship between characters Robbie Hart (Sandler) and Julia Sullivan (played by Drew Barrymore). Idol also had a small part in the movie The Doors
The Doors (film)
The Doors is a 1991 biopic about the 1960s-1970s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver Stone, and stars Val Kilmer as Morrison, Meg Ryan as Pamela Courson , Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as Robby Krieger,...
, directed by Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
. Idol played Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
's drinking buddy, Cat. Idol also performed at Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
' live concert The Wall Live in Berlin in 1990.
Crisis and resurgence
In 1993, Idol released CyberpunkCyberpunk (album)
Cyberpunk is a concept album by English rock musician Billy Idol, released in 1993 by Chrysalis Records. Inspired by his personal interest in technology and his first attempts to use computers in the creation of his music, Idol based the album on the cyberdelic subculture of the late 80s and early...
. Regarded as experimental, it was recorded in a home studio using a Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
computer, which was a new concept at the time. Idol recorded the album with Younger-Smith and producer Robin Hancock. Special editions of the album were issued with a floppy disc which contained a screensaver
Screensaver
A screensaver is a type of computer program initially designed to prevent phosphor burn-in on CRT and plasma computer monitors by blanking the screen or filling it with moving images or patterns when the computer is not in use...
. It was the first album which listed the e-mail address of the artist (idol@well.sf.ca.us, which is now inactive) in its booklet. In 1996, Idol appeared in a live version of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's Quadrophenia
Quadrophenia
Quadrophenia is the sixth studio album by English rock band The Who. Released on 19 October 1973 by Track and Polydor in the UK, and Track and MCA in the US, it is a double album, and the group's second rock opera...
. He returned to the public eye in 1998, when he played himself in The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
, in which "White Wedding" was also the title track. He was also considered for the role of the villain, Jacob Kell, in Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame is a 2000 fantasy film originally released on September 1, 2000. It is the fourth theatrical release in the Highlander film series, and it serves as both a continuation of the Highlander films and the Highlander television series...
, although ultimately Bruce Payne
Bruce Payne
Bruce Martyn Payne is an award winning English character actor and producer and was a member of the 1980's Brit Pack. Although he is best known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum...
was cast. He also shared the stage with the band Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
.
VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
aired Billy Idol - Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
on 16 April 2001. The Behind the Music series was popular, and each band or artist that was featured on that program usually gained a resurgence of interest after the show had aired. Idol and Stevens were no exceptions, taking part in a VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Storytellers show three days later. The reunited duo set out to play a series of acoustic/storytellers shows before recording the VH1 special. The acoustic tour was a success, and Idol eventually started adding new material into the show. Another Greatest Hits CD was issued in 2001, with Keith Forsey
Keith Forsey
Keith Forsey is an English soundtrack composer, drummer, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:Forsey's first recordings were as the younger member of the group The Spectrum, better known for the end title theme for Gerry Anderson's Captain Scarlet, but hit makers across Europe in their own...
's "Don't You (Forget About Me)
Don't You (Forget About Me)
"Don't You " is a song known for its being in the soundtrack to the film The Breakfast Club and performed by the band Simple Minds in 1985. The songwriters were producer Keith Forsey "Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song known for its being in the soundtrack to the film The Breakfast Club and...
" appearing on the compilation. Forsey had originally written it with Idol in mind, but the singer turned it down and eventually the song was given to Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
, who made it a hit in 1985. The album also includes a live acoustic version of "Rebel Yell", taken from a performance at Los Angeles station KROQ's 1993 Acoustic Christmas concert.
In 2000, Idol was invited to be a guest vocalist on Tony Iommi's album
Iommi (album)
Iommi is a heavy metal album by Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and myriad guest musicians and vocalists, including:*Henry Rollins of Black Flag and Rollins Band*Skin of Skunk Anansie*Brian May of Queen*Dave Grohl of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters...
. His contribution was on the song "Into The Night", which he also co-wrote
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. That year he voice acted the role of Odin, a mysterious alien character, in the animated fantasy film Heavy Metal 2000
Heavy Metal 2000
Heavy Metal 2000 is the 2000 follow-up to the 1981 animated cult film Heavy Metal, based on the fantasy magazine of the same name. The story itself is based on the graphic novel, The Melting Pot, written by Kevin Eastman, Simon Bisley and Eric Talbot...
. In the 2002 NRL Grand Final
2002 NRL Grand Final
The 2002 NRL season's Grand Final took place on Sunday, 6 October 2002, at Telstra Stadium. 80,130 people saw the Sydney Roosters beat the New Zealand Warriors 30-8. The Clive Churchill Medalist was Craig Fitzgibbon of the Sydney Roosters.- The teams :...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Idol entered the playing field for the post-match entertainment on a hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
-type stage to the intro of "White Wedding", when he managed to sing only two words before a power failure ended the performance. "White Wedding" appeared on popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, playing on fictional Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, K-DST.
Devil's Playground and beyond
Devil's PlaygroundDevil's Playground (album)
-Chart performance:-Personnel:*Billy Idol — vocals*Steve Stevens — guitar*Stephen McGrath — bass*Derek Sherinian — keyboards*Brian Tichy — percussion, drums*Julian Beeston — drum programming...
, which came out in March 2005, was Idol's first new studio album in nearly 12 years. It reached #46 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. The album included a cover of "Plastic Jesus
Plastic Jesus
"Plastic Jesus" is an American folk song written by Ed Rush and George Cromarty in 1957. They recorded it as a humorous ad spoof in 1962 as The Goldcoast Singers on World Pacific Records' Here They Are! The Goldcoast Singers ....
". Idol played a handful of dates on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
and also appeared at the UK's Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
, the Voodoo Music Experience
Voodoo Experience
Voodoo Experience, also commonly referred to as Voodoo or Voodoo Fest, is a multi-day music and arts festival held in City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana. It was first held on Halloween weekend in 1999. It has since moved between the weekend before Halloween and Halloween weekend throughout the years...
in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and Rock am Ring
Rock am Ring
The Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually in Germany....
. In 2006, as his only UK live date, he appeared headlining the Sunday night of GuilFest
GuilFest
GuilFest, formerly the Guildford Festival of Folk and Blues is a music festival held in Stoke Park, Guildford, England each July. The festival, like the larger Glastonbury Festival, features a range of genres including rock, folk, blues, and in recent years pop...
. That same year he made an appearance on Viva La Bam
Viva La Bam
Viva La Bam is an American reality television series that stars Bam Margera and his friends and family. The show was a spin-off from MTV's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast had appeared...
where he helped Bam Margera
Bam Margera
Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera is an American professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, actor and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew...
succeed in "creating" a sunroof for his $250,000 Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production...
and performed live for April Margera
April Margera
April Margera is an American reality television personality, best known for her appearances on MTV's Viva La Bam, Jackass, the CKY videos, Minghags: The Movie and Bam's Unholy Union....
for her birthday. In 2006, Idol guested on his keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
's solo album Blood of the Snake
Blood of the Snake
Blood of the Snake is the fifth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. It has contributions from Billy Idol, Zakk Wylde, Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash, John Petrucci of Dream Theater, in addition to previous collaborators Simon Phillips, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony Franklin, Steve Lukather and...
, covering the 1970 Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...
hit "In the Summertime". A video was made featuring Idol and guitarist Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
. In November 2006, Idol released a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
album called Happy Holidays.
In 2008, "Rebel Yell" appeared as a playable track on the video game, Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
, and "White Wedding" on Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
. The Rock Band 2 platform later gaining "Mony Mony" and "Rebel Yell" as downloadable tracks. On 24 June 2008, Idol released a new greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album, The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself. The compilation featured two previously unreleased tracks, "John Wayne" and "New Future Weapon". A third track, "Fractured", was available for download on iTunes. He embarked on a worldwide tour, co-headlining with Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
.
In July 2009, Idol performed at the Congress Theater, Chicago for the US TV series Soundstage
Soundstage (TV program)
Soundstage is an American live concert television series produced by WTTW Chicago and HD Ready. The original series aired for 13 seasons between 1974 and 1985; a new series of seasons began in 2003, with the latest running through summer 2009, each presented in high definition with surround...
. This performance was recorded and was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
as In Super Overdrive Live, on 17 November 2009.
Recent events
On 16 February 2010, Idol was announced as one of the acts to play the Download FestivalDownload Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
in Donington Park. He stated, "With all of these great heavyweight and cool bands playing Download this year, I'm going to have to come armed with my punk rock attitude, Steve Stevens, and all of my classic songs plus a couple of way out covers. Should be fun!" In March 2010, Idol added Camp Freddy
Camp Freddy
Camp Freddy is a group of established musicians who play rock and roll covers at various shows around America. The band is composed of core members Dave Navarro , Billy Morrison , Matt Sorum , Donovan Leitch, Jr. and Chris Chaney...
guitarist, Billy Morrison and drummer Jeremy Colson to his touring line-up.
Live band
Billy Idol's current band consists of:- Steve StevensSteve StevensSteve Stevens is an American guitarist and songwriter.He is best known for playing for other artists and less known for his critically acclaimed solo efforts , collaborations Steve Stevens (born as Steven Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter.He...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
(1981–1986, 2001–present) - Stephen McGrath - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (2001–present) - Derek SherinianDerek SherinianDerek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
- keyboards (2002–present) - Billy MorrisonBilly MorrisonBilly Morrison is an English guitarist, singer and actor who performs with the Los Angeles-based cover band Camp Freddy. Morrison is also a member of Billy Idol's current touring band, and has previously fronted the hard rock act Circus Diablo...
- rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocals (2010–present) - Jeremy Colson - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion (2010–present)
Former members
- Gregg Gerson - drums, percussion (1981–1983)
- Steve Missal - drums, percussion (1981)
- Phil Feit - bass guitar (1981–1983)
- Thommy PriceThommy PriceThommy Price is a rock musician from Brooklyn, New York. He's played drums in numerous bands, including Billy Idol, Blue Öyster Cult, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and is an in-demand session drummer.-History:...
- drums, percussion (1983–1988) - Steve Webster - bass guitar (1983–1985)
- Judi Dozier - keyboards (1982–1985)
- Kenny AaronsonKenny AaronsonKenny Aaronson is an American bass guitar player.- Early life and career :He started playing drums at the age of eleven, following in his older brother's footsteps. Kenny switched to electric bass at the age 14 after becoming enamored by the bass on Motown records and was strongly influenced by...
- bass guitar (1986–1988) - Mark Younger-Smith - lead guitar (1990–1996)
- Mark Schulman - drums, percussion (1993–2001)
- Brian TichyBrian TichyBrian Tichy is a drummer, guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the drummer with Whitesnake. Previously he was the drummer for Foreigner from 2009 until 2010, when he was replaced by Jason Sutter. Tichy began playing drums at age eight and started playing guitar at age 12...
- drums, percussion (2001–2009) - Tal Bergman - drums, percussion (1990–1993)
- Danny Sadownik - drums, percussion (1993)
- Zane Fix - bass guitar (1980s)
- Jennifer BlakemanJennifer BlakemanJennifer Blakeman is a musician and music industry executive. Blakeman was a keyboardist for multiple bands predominantly in the 90s, before starting a career in the Music Publishing industry.-Artist career:...
- keyboards (1993) - Julie Greaux - keyboards (1993)
Discography
- Don't Stop (EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
) (1981) - Billy IdolBilly Idol (album)Billy Idol is the full-length solo debut by Billy Idol . Preceded in June 1982 by the hit-single "Hot in the City", the album was released in July 1982. After the next single from the album, "White Wedding", entered the Top 40 a year later, Billy Idol was reissued with the addition of the earlier...
(1982) - Rebel YellRebel Yell (album)Rebel Yell is the second album by British punk rock artist Billy Idol, released in 1983. It was very successful with four singles on the U.S. Hot 100 charts, while the album reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album charts...
(1983) - Vital IdolVital IdolVital Idol is a compilation of remixed singles from Billy Idol's first three albums. Peaking at number 10 on the Billboard 200, the album was supported by a live single version of "Mony Mony"....
(CompilationCompilationCompilation may refer to:* In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler.* Compilation, in accountancy, the presentation of information in the form of financial statements that are the representation of management, without expressing any opinion or assurance...
) (1985) - Whiplash SmileWhiplash SmileWhiplash Smile is Billy Idol's third full-length album. Released in 1986, it was supported by the singles "To Be a Lover", "Sweet Sixteen", and "Don't Need a Gun"...
(1986) - Idol Songs: 11 of the BestIdol Songs: 11 of the BestIdol Songs: 11 of the Best is a compilation album by Billy Idol, released in 1988. It comprises all the singles released from his first three albums, Billy Idol, Rebel Yell and Whiplash Smile in non-chronological order. A limited edition version also contained a further four remixes...
(CompilationCompilationCompilation may refer to:* In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler.* Compilation, in accountancy, the presentation of information in the form of financial statements that are the representation of management, without expressing any opinion or assurance...
) (1988) - Charmed Life (1990)
- CyberpunkCyberpunk (album)Cyberpunk is a concept album by English rock musician Billy Idol, released in 1993 by Chrysalis Records. Inspired by his personal interest in technology and his first attempts to use computers in the creation of his music, Idol based the album on the cyberdelic subculture of the late 80s and early...
(1993) - Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (Billy Idol album)-Chart position and certification:...
(CompilationCompilationCompilation may refer to:* In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler.* Compilation, in accountancy, the presentation of information in the form of financial statements that are the representation of management, without expressing any opinion or assurance...
) (2001) - VH1 StorytellersVH1 Storytellers (Billy Idol album)VH1 Storytellers is a Semi-acoustic live album by Billy Idol, recorded at the VH1 Storytellers in 2001 and released in 2002. It was re-released in 2008 in Sight & Sound format which includes DVD of the performance, the CD contain a different order of the songs and add a bonus track...
(Live albumLive albumA live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
) (2002) - Devil's PlaygroundDevil's Playground (album)-Chart performance:-Personnel:*Billy Idol — vocals*Steve Stevens — guitar*Stephen McGrath — bass*Derek Sherinian — keyboards*Brian Tichy — percussion, drums*Julian Beeston — drum programming...
(2005) - Happy Holidays (2006)
- The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself (CompilationCompilationCompilation may refer to:* In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler.* Compilation, in accountancy, the presentation of information in the form of financial statements that are the representation of management, without expressing any opinion or assurance...
) (2008)
Grammys
|-| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Rebel Yell
Rebel Yell (song)
"Rebel Yell" is the first song on the Billy Idol album of the same name. When first released in 1984, it charted outside the UK Top 40, but a re-issue in 1985 reached #6. It did not fare as well in the US, only reaching #46...
"|| Best Male Rock Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to male recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the rock music genre...
||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"To Be A Lover
To Be a Lover
"To Be a Lover" is a song by Billy Idol from his 1986 album Whiplash Smile. It became Idol's second Top 10 hit in the US, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Charts:...
" || Best Male Rock Vocal Performance ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Cradle of Love
Cradle of Love
"Cradle of Love" is a rock song written by Billy Idol and David Werner for Idol's 1990 fourth studio album Charmed Life. The song is the album's sixth track, and was released as its first single. The song became one of Idol's biggest hits in the United States, where it reached #2 on the Billboard...
" || Best Male Rock Vocal Performance ||
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music AwardsMTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
is an annual awards ceremony established in 1984 by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Dancing With Myself
Dancing with Myself
"Dancing with Myself" is a song by the band Generation X. The song was first released as a single and a 12" in 1980 and, a few weeks after the single release, was included on the band's last album - 1981's Kiss Me Deadly...
" || Best Art Direction ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Dancing With Myself
Dancing with Myself
"Dancing with Myself" is a song by the band Generation X. The song was first released as a single and a 12" in 1980 and, a few weeks after the single release, was included on the band's last album - 1981's Kiss Me Deadly...
" || Best Special Effects ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Eyes Without a Face
Eyes Without a Face (song)
"Eyes Without a Face" is a song by Billy Idol, co-written with guitarist Steve Stevens from Idol's 1983 album Rebel Yell. The song is softer and more ballad-like than most of the album's other singles.-Song information:...
" || Best Cinematography ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Eyes Without a Face
Eyes Without a Face (song)
"Eyes Without a Face" is a song by Billy Idol, co-written with guitarist Steve Stevens from Idol's 1983 album Rebel Yell. The song is softer and more ballad-like than most of the album's other singles.-Song information:...
" || Best Editing ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| || "Cradle of Love
Cradle of Love
"Cradle of Love" is a rock song written by Billy Idol and David Werner for Idol's 1990 fourth studio album Charmed Life. The song is the album's sixth track, and was released as its first single. The song became one of Idol's biggest hits in the United States, where it reached #2 on the Billboard...
" || Best Video from a Film ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Cradle of Love
Cradle of Love
"Cradle of Love" is a rock song written by Billy Idol and David Werner for Idol's 1990 fourth studio album Charmed Life. The song is the album's sixth track, and was released as its first single. The song became one of Idol's biggest hits in the United States, where it reached #2 on the Billboard...
" || Best Male Video ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Cradle of Love
Cradle of Love
"Cradle of Love" is a rock song written by Billy Idol and David Werner for Idol's 1990 fourth studio album Charmed Life. The song is the album's sixth track, and was released as its first single. The song became one of Idol's biggest hits in the United States, where it reached #2 on the Billboard...
" || Best Special Effects ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Shock To The System
Shock to the System
Shock to the System may refer to, chronologically:* A Shock to the System , 1984 novel written by Simon Brett* A Shock to the System, 1990 film based on the novel, directed by Jan Egleson...
" || Best Special Effects ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ||"Shock To The System
Shock to the System
Shock to the System may refer to, chronologically:* A Shock to the System , 1984 novel written by Simon Brett* A Shock to the System, 1990 film based on the novel, directed by Jan Egleson...
" || Best Editing ||
|-
BRIT Awards
The BRIT AwardsBrit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
are the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
's annual pop music awards.
|-
| || Billy Idol || Best British Video ||
|-
See also
- Coral CastleCoral CastleCoral Castle is a stone structure created by the Latvian American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin north of the city of Homestead, Florida in Miami-Dade County at the intersection of South Dixie Highway and West 157th Avenue. The structure comprises numerous megalithic stones , each weighing several...
, a stone structure where Idol got his inspiration for his song "Sweet Sixteen". - Bromley ContingentBromley ContingentThe Bromley Contingent is a label invented by journalist Caroline Coon about a group of followers and fans of the Sex Pistols. They owed their name to Bromley, a suburb of London, in the county of Kent, where some of them lived. They helped popularize the fashion of the early UK punk movement...
External links
- Billy Idol MySpace page
- Interview @ Legends
- Billy Idol at Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...