Billy Idol

So you think New Jersey, US is an unlikely launch pad for a music star? How about Bromley, UK, then?

William Michael Albert Broad, a.k.a. Billy Idol, was born 1955 in Stanmore, England, deriving his stage name Idol from a schoolteacher's description of him as 'idle'.
Billy went on to join the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans. He 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. But him and bandmate Tony James soon quit and co-founded Generation X, with Billy switching from guitarist to lead singer. Generation X signed to Chrysalis Records, released three albums and performed in the 1980 film, D.O.A., before disbanding.
The year after Billy moved to New York to start his solo career, which began with the EP titled Don't Stop. This included the Generation X song 'Dancing with Myself', originally recorded for their last album Kiss Me Deadly, and a cover of Tommy James & The Shondells' song 'Mony Mony'. In 1982 Idol instantly became an MTV staple with 'White Wedding'. In an effort to introduce himself to American audiences not yet as familiar with him as those in England, Billy's label re-released 'Dancing with Myself' in the US in conjunction with a music video (directed by Tobe Hooper, produced by Jeffrey Abelson, and conceptualised by Keith Williams) that played in heavy rotation on MTV for six months. That video sparked a new era of feature film directors trying their hand at music videos, which helped make Idol a household name.
My favourite Billy Idol tracks are 'Eyes Without A Face' and 'Flesh For Fantasy'.

Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself (1981 & 1983)
1981 - UK#62, US#102
1983 - NZ#9, AUS#42



Billy Idol - Mony Mony (1981)
1981 - US#1, CAN#1, NZ#2, UK#7, CH#13, DE#38, NL#89



Billy Idol - Hot In The City (1982 & 1988)
1982 - AT#5, NZ#5, AUS#18, CH#19, US#23, NL#40, UK#58
1988 - UK#13, CH#13, US#48



Billy Idol - White Wedding (1982 & 1985)
NZ#5, AUS#9, US#36



Billy Idol - Rebel Yell (1984 & 1985)
NZ#3, AUS#7, US#46, UK#64 in 1984 and UK#6 in 1985



Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face (1984)
NZ#4, US#4, DE#10, NL#13, IT#14, UK#18, CH#21, FR#50



Billy Idol - Flesh For Fantasy (1984)
NZ#5, DE#11, CH#20, AUS#28, US#29, IT#30, UK#54



Billy Idol - Catch My Fall (1985)
DE#11, NZ#42, US#50, AUS#61



Billy Idol - To Be A Lover (1986)
NZ#2, FIN#3, AUS#3, US#6, CH#7, SWE#8, IT#16, UK#22, DE#28



Billy Idol - Don't Need A Gun (1987)
FIN#8, AUS#22, UK#26, NZ#27, CH#29, DE#36, US#37



Billy Idol - Sweet Sixteen (1987)
DE#2, NZ#3, AUS#9, CH#12, FIN#16, UK#17, US#20, IT#30



Billy Idol - Cradle of Love (1990)
US#2, FIN#8, IT#8, AUS#10, CH#11, NZ#16, UK#34, DE#38