The Very Best Of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself - Billy Idol Album Review

Billy Idol - Image: link

Album Review

Peroxide rocker's career spanning best of..with two new songs.

William Michael Albert Broad wasn't exactly rock'n'roll. So, Billy Idol was created. American born Broad moved to Surrey aged four, settling eventually in Goring Sussex. Later in life he attended Sussex University to study English and Philosophy in 1975. Punk erupted in the mid 70s, with Broad becoming a huge fan of the Sex Pistols. During 1975 he formed his first band The Rockettes, then came punksters Generation X who had a string of mid table successes with songs like Your Generation , Ready Steady Go and their biggest hit King Rocker peaking at 11 in January 1979. When the band broke up he headed to New York where he met guitarist Steve Stevens with whom he had a run of singles, in an attempt to make punk sexier, which he achieved with modest success, becoming one of the first stars of early MTV. It's a G-X song, their last, that's used as the starting point here - Dancing With Myself from 1980.

This beat heavy, and much popier sound, failed to give them a good send-off, peaking at 62 in the UK charts.

Two years later, 1982, his solo career began with a classic - Hot In The City. Gone was the penchant snarl, adopting a crooner's style, though his rasp does resurface as he yells "New York". Despite its lowly charting at 58, it remained a firm favourite at clubs and parties. It took a further two years for Rebel Yell to emerge. This was return to his punkier roots with a commercial edge, and again was a huge club record, but surprisingly faired less well at 62. Brilliant synth ballad Eyes Without A Face made it to the top 20, though its follow up Flesh For Fantasy, sounding much like Simple Minds, was a backward step at 54. The came his purple patch. A pulsating White Wedding, popular at, er, weddings, shot to 6 in 1985, with Rebel Yell re-issued hot its heels, matching White Wedding's position. Three singles over the next two years - the dire To Be A Lover, club orientated Don't Need A Gun and mellow Sweet Sixteen brought little success. A cover of Tommy James and The Shondells 1968 smash hit Mony, Mony in October 1987 zoomed into the top 10. The exhilarating party format remained the same, though brilliantly brought up to date. Capitalising on its success, a remix of Hot In The City in January 1988 made it to 13, thereafter his popularity waned with his last single, Speed, trickling in at 47. Of the news songs, Future Weapon is marginally the better, but unlikely to chart.

With up and coming gigs in North America and Europe, from June to September 2008, this nothing more than a pre-tour promotion album.

File under: Good collection. Not essential.

Elly Roberts