There's a cool aggression to 1983's "Rebel Yell," Billy Idol's second album that is equal parts new-wave, metal, punk, and pop. Although his debut was a hit and remains a classic, it was "Rebel Yell" that is his masterpiece. The album reunited Billy with the hit-making team of producer, Keith Forsey and the atmospheric guitarwork of Stevie Stevens that can only be called rock & roll nirvana. The album reached #6 on Billboard's Top 200 propelled by four hit singles including, "Rebel Yell," the eloquently gorgeous "Eyes Without a Face" with the haunting female backup singing of Perri Lister, and "Flesh for Fantasy" all of which were hit music videos. With a permanently snarled upper lip and the perfect matinee-idol blond hair, Billy Idol made punk rock palatable for MTV and the masses.
Billy Idol’s second studio album, 1983’s Rebel Yell, is being reissued for its 40th Anniversary. The album features the singles ‘Eyes Without a Face’, ‘Flesh for Fantasy’, ‘Catch My Fall’ and ‘Rebel Yell’. There are two physical editions of this reissue, a 2CD set and a 2LP vinyl version. The former features 13 bonus tracks, including five that were on the 1999 expanded CD. The extra tracks include the rather good ‘Poolside Remix’ of Eyes Without A Face (a new remix was issued as a digital single in early 2021), the previously unreleased ‘Best Way Out of Here’ and a cover of ‘Love Don’t Live Hear Anymore’ (from the original sessions). Of the latter, Billy said “We found out Madonna was doing a version on her Like A Virgin album and we had a full compliment songs so we thought we’d leave it off the album”.
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who holds dual British and American citizenship. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as a member of Generation X. Subsequently, he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol a lead artist during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the United States. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle"…
2012 collection from the New Wave icon compiled by German Electronic duo Blank & Jones. Features remixes and album versions of his biggest hits including 'Dancing with Myself', 'Rebel Yell', 'White Wedding', 'Catch My Fall' and many others.
Along with Duran Duran, Billy Idol was one of the first young pop/rock artists to achieve massive success in the early '80s due to the advent of MTV. Mixing his bad-boy good looks with an appealing blend of pop hooks, punk attitude, and dance beats, Idol quickly rocketed to stardom before hard living briefly derailed his career and almost proved fatal.
BFI LIVE! is a 3-LP set featuring 16 tracks recorded live during the 2014-15 Kings & Queens of the Underground Tour!