Billy Idol

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Billy Idol

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New Wave may have been on the way in and punk may have been receding (for a bit) when Billy Idol released this, his solo debut album, but both gained new ground because of this album's release.

Those may sound like strong words for a solo album from someone that many either revile or revere. But that is exactly the case.

Billy Idol announced his presence with a snarl. He was no longer a pretty boy stuck in a punk band (Generation X), nor was he a pretty boy playing synthesizers ala Duran Duran (who would come later). Billy Idol carved a niche for himself.

Today, many people consider his music to be hard rock rather than either punk or new wave. And while that is probably a fair assessment, Billy Idol never rested on his laurels and gave us the same type of music for too long.

On this album, as I said before, his solo debut, Billy gives us the chart topper - White Wedding - and a song from his former group (Generation X): Dancing with Myself. These are only two of the great songs on this album, but they are the most easily recognizable by those not familiar with his music.

This album no doubt gained even more popular play and attention due to Billy's snarling good looks and the fact that it was released just as MTV was debuting, allowing the world to experience the visual experience of White Wedding.

Not all of this albums songs are "hits", but none of them is bad. Often gritty, and frequently obnoxious, "Billy Idol" is a music "must have" for anyone serious about ground breaking music.

The original album's cover has Billy in an '80s Oriental shirt, and the last song was "Congo Man". Bring those elements back, and I shall grant this album 5 stars. Until then, I don't care how many times you remaster it, it's still being used as a tool to sell "Dancing with Myself", which stains the beautiful vibe of this album. Is there any guitar work on this planet that can match "Shooting Stars"? Billy, there ARE actually fans of "Congo Man" out here, and I'll even go so far to say it's "part 1" of "The Dead Next Door". I'm WAY beyond fed-up with the "attention shoppers" attitude of Billy's marketing dept., mostly because it puts us true fans in the back seat.