Billy Idol - Billy Idol

It may be debatable when the punk and new wave subculture of the late '70s and early '80s first broke through to the mainstream, but this album remains a perennial contender. Indeed, the cover shot alone perfectly encapsulates the clichés--the sultry pout, black leather vest, tattoos, and spiked bleached hair--of an entire era. After leaving the popular British punk outfit Generation X (represented here by their ubiquitous, if belated American breakthrough hit, "Dancing with Myself"), Idol was shrewd and/or lucky enough to pump up his image just in time for the rise of MTV, infuse his music with guitarist Steve Stevens's metal flash, and hook up with Kiss's former manager--though not necessarily in that order. Former Gen X producer Keith Forsey further burnished Idol's trademark snarl with accessible pop flourishes and yielded two sizable hits, "White Wedding" and "Hot in the City." While "Love Calling" weds some catchy vocal hooks with a Burundi beat to good effect, much of the rest comes off as flaccid, rushed filler. Though 24-bit mastering enhances the sound greatly, the album's brief 10 tracks could have benefited greatly from the inclusion of an original-release track ("Congo Man" was replaced by "Dancing with Myself" shortly after the album's initial '82 release) and several contemporary EP songs that are strangely MIA here. --Jerry McCulley Amazon.com

Goodie

Possibly the very Billy Idol album that summarises Billy's contribution to rock'nd roll music. Get this one, and you won't need to buy any other Idol's album. September 1, 2008

Classic Solo Debut

Simple and to the point. This is classic 80's glam punk and no one nailed it like Idol and Steve Stevens. Great full debut and followed this up with an all time great of Rebel Yell.... August 17, 2008

BRING BACK CONGO MAN!!

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. March 12, 2008

Dated, but awesome, totally awesome

In 1981, after making a name for himself fronting the British punk band Generation X, Billy Idol relocated to New York City to make it on his own. While Generation X never broke though the mainstream to achieve massive success, and while the band was generally snubbed by many punk purists as being overtly commercial, Billy Idol was born to be a star. His charisma, photogenic good looks, and ultra-cocky persona were destined to make him an icon in the flashy, glitzy 80s. After three albums with Generation X, "Generation X," (1978) "Valley of the Dolls," (1979) and "Kiss Me Deadly" (1981) Idol unleashed his solo debut, the self-titled "Billy Idol" (1982).

For his new band, Idol hooked up with guitar virtuoso Steve Stevens, bassist Phil Feit, and drummer Steve Missal. While the album title says "Billy Idol," it should be emphasized that the greatness of Idol's early solo works rests on the fact that Idol had a killer, killer guitar player with Stevens and an excellent producer and collaborator with Keith Forsey.

There are a lot of Shredders and guitar virtuosos out there, but Stevens is one of the best and certainly most underrated. His playing is flashy, but also has soul, and is always fully captivating. The Idol/Stevens/Forsey combo produced some of the best, most memorable singles of the decade.

While Idol's sophomore classic "Rebel Yell" (1983) is his best album, the self-titled debut is almost as good. "Billy Idol" possesses the same radio-friendly pop-punk elements as Generation X, but Idol's solo debut is a far superior offering. For one thing, the songs are better written, with tighter, catchier hooks and unbelievable guitar work. "Billy Idol," with its ferocious riffs, strong melodies, cool synths, and stellar guitar work is equal parts punk, pop, and hard-rock. "Billy Idol" is probably Idol's most organic album, as the synths aren't a focal point and the album is generally more of a meat-and-potatoes affair compared to the more ambitious follow-ups.

While "Billy Idol" is generally given good reviews, it's still an underrated album. A common claim by both fans and critics is that the album has a few strong singles and a lot of filler. I would strongly refute this claim. While some songs are better than others, the entire album is quite strong. A lot of Idol's most memorable work can be found on this release.

"Billy Idol" opens up strong with the hard-rocking "Come On, Come On." Idol's sneering; cocky delivery over the brutal assault of Steve Stevens makes this one of the album's strongest tracks. The MTV staple and 80s classic "White Wedding" follows next. Its eerie background sighs, tension filled verse, and contrasting dark imagery and pop-sensibility make "White Wedding" a triumph. The album takes a left turn with the popish, stylish, seductive ode to New York City with "Hot in the City." "Dead on Arrival" is a good-but-not-great middle of the road rocker. "Nobodies Business" is perhaps Idol's most underrated song. Its infectious sing-along harmonies, light-as-a-feather but strong melodies and crunching solos make it pure ear-candy. The off-beat "Love Calling" is another strong, underrated song. With its jungle beats, what sounds like Asian back-up singers, and horns, "Love Calling" comes out of left field, but it works. While its lyrics are completely nonsensical ("if you wanna rub-a-dub-dub-dub') and Idol's overtly sexual overtones are beyond dated and cheesy, it only adds to its charm. "Hole in the Wall" is a solid, memorable, somewhat dark atmospheric rocker. "Shooting Stars," a tale of innocence lost to drugs and indulgence, is both sympathetic and cautionary. The album's most relaxed, calmest moment comes with "It's so Cruel," a song of longing that also manages to be cocky (leave it to Idol). "Billy Idol" closes with the Generation X staple, the up-beat, catchy ode to masturbation "Dancing with myself."

If cool is defined as timeless, and hip as trendy, "Billy Idol," much like Miami Vice, is equal parts cool and hip. This album is dated, very dated, and while Idol's persona is cheesy and Idol is a relic of a bygone era, he's still cool as sh.t. Dated as it may be "Billy Idol" is very well-written, with killer hooks and grooves, and outstanding guitar work. If you are a fan of punk, new-wave, hard-rock, pop, or anything 80s, this album is sure to please.
February 8, 2006

Great solo debut

This album was idols first and probably hardest sounding album besides his new one. I put this as my second favorite Idol cd. July 17, 2005

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