William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of the group

Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s a ...

. 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 The Second British Invasion consisted of music acts from the United Kingdom that became popular in the U.S. during the early-to-mid 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV. The term derives from the similar British Invasion of the U. ...

" in the United States. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle". Idol began his music career in late 1976 as a guitarist in the punk rock band

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

. However, he soon left the group. With his former bandmate Tony James, Idol formed Generation X. With Idol as lead singer, the band achieved success in the United Kingdom and released three studio albums on Chrysalis Records, then disbanded. In 1981, Idol moved to New York City to pursue his solo career in collaboration with guitarist

Steve Stevens Steve Stevens (born Steven Bruce Schneider; May 5, 1959) is an American guitarist. He is best known as Billy Idol's guitarist and songwriting collaborator, and for his lead guitar work on the theme to ''Top Gun'' – " Top Gun Anthem" – for ...

. His debut studio album, ''

Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...

'' (1982), was a commercial success. With music videos for singles "

Dancing with Myself "Dancing with Myself" is a song by the punk rock band Gen X, first commercially released in the United Kingdom in October 1980, where it reached number 62 on the singles chart. It was remixed and re-released by the band's singer/frontman Bi ...

" and "

White Wedding A white wedding is a traditional formal or semi-formal wedding originating in Great Britain. The term originates from the white colour of the wedding dress, which first became popular with Victorian era elites after Queen Victoria wore a whi ...

" Idol soon became a staple of then newly-established MTV. Idol's second studio album, ''

Rebel Yell The rebel yell was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Confederate soldiers used the yell when charging to intimidate the enemy and boost their own morale, although the yell had many other uses. No audio ...

'' (1983), was a major commercial success, featuring hit singles "

" and " Eyes Without a Face". The album was certified

double platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA) for shipment of two million copies in the US. In 1986, he released ''

Whiplash Smile ''Whiplash Smile'' is the third studio album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 20 October 1986 by Chrysalis Records. After his successful album ''Rebel Yell'' (1983), Idol continued his collaboration with producer Keith Forsey and ...

''. Having accumulated three UK top 10 singles ("Rebel Yell", "White Wedding" and " Mony Mony") Idol released a 1988 greatest hits album titled '' Idol Songs: 11 of the Best''; the album went platinum in the United Kingdom. Idol then released '' Charmed Life'' (1990) and the concept album ''

Cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of lowlife and high tech", featuring futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and c ...

'' (1993). Idol spent the second half of the 1990s focusing on his personal life out of the public eye. He made a musical comeback with the release of '' Devil's Playground'' (2005) and again with '' Kings & Queens of the Underground'' (2014).

Early life

Idol was born William Michael Albert Broad on 30 November 1955 in Stanmore, Middlesex, England. His parents were devout

Anglicans Anglicanism is a Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia ...

and attended church regularly. Billy is half Irish, his mother was born in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

and is an O'Sullivan. In 1958, when he was two years old, he moved with his parents to the US and settled in Patchogue, New York. They also lived in Rockville Centre, New York. His younger sister, Jane, was born during this time. The family returned to England four years later and settled in Dorking,

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

. In 1971, the family moved to

Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 87,889 as of 2011. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, c ...

in southeastern London, where Idol attended Ravensbourne School for Boys. His family later moved to the

Worthing Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Ho ...

suburb of

Goring-by-Sea Goring-by-Sea, commonly referred to simply as Goring, is a neighbourhood of Worthing and former civil parish, now in Worthing district in West Sussex, England. It lies west of West Worthing, about west of Worthing town centre. Historically in ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an ar ...

, where he attended Worthing High School for Boys. In October 1975, he attended the University of Sussex to pursue an English degree and lived on-campus (East Slope), but left after year one in 1976. He then joined the

Bromley Contingent The Bromley Contingent were a group of followers of the Sex Pistols. The name was coined by ''Melody Maker'' journalist Caroline Coon, after the town of Bromley where some of them lived. They helped popularise the fashion of the early UK punk move ...

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

fans, a loosely organized gang that travelled to see the band wherever they played.

Career

1976–1981: Generation X

The name "Billy Idol" was coined due to a chemistry teacher's description of Idol on his school report card as "idle". Idol has stated that the subject was one that he hated and in which he underachieved. In an interview on 21 November 1983, Idol said the name "Billy Idol" "was a bit of a goof, but part of the old English school of rock. It was a 'double thing', not just a poke at the superstar-like people... It was fun, you know?" In another interview for ''

BBC Breakfast ''BBC Breakfast'' is the BBC television Breakfast television, breakfast news programme. Produced by BBC News, the programme is broadcast on BBC One and the BBC News (TV channel), BBC News channel. The simulcast is presented live, originally from ...

'' in October 2014, he said that he wanted to use the name "Billy Idle", but thought the name would be unavailable due to its similarity to the name of

Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four ...

star

Eric Idle Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, musician and writer. Idle was a member of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band The Rutles, and is the writer of the music and lyrics for the Broadwa ...

and chose Billy Idol instead. In late 1976, he joined the newly-formed West London 1960s

retro-rock Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from history, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. In popular culture, the " nostalgia cycle" is typically for the two decades that begin 20–30 ...

band

as a guitarist. The act's singer/frontman

Gene October Gene October is a British singer and songwriter who was a formative figure in London's punk rock movement in the late 1970s. Music career In 1976, October was involved in the creation of The Roxy when he suggested to the management of Chagu ...

styled Idol's image, advising him to change his short sighted eye-glasses for contact lenses, and dye his hair blonde with a

crew cut A crew cut is a type of haircut in which the upright hair on the top of the head is cut relatively short, graduated in length from the longest hair that forms a short pomp ( pompadour) at the front hairline to the shortest at the back of the cro ...

for a retro-1950s rocker look. After a few weeks performing with ''Chelsea'', Idol and Tony James, the band's bass guitarist, quit the act and co-founded

, with Idol switching from guitarist to the role of singer/frontman. Generation X was one of the first punk bands to appear on the BBC Television music programme ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

''. Although a punk rock band, they were inspired by mid-1960s British pop, in sharp contrast to their more militant peers, with Idol stating; "We were saying the opposite to

the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...

and the Pistols. They were singing 'No

Elvis Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

', but we were honest about what we liked. The truth was we were all building our music on the Beatles and the Stones". In 1977, Idol sang "Your Generation" on the TV series ''

Marc Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system of ...

''. Generation X signed a

recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...

with Chrysalis Records, released three studio albums, performed in the 1980 film '' D.O.A.: A Rite of Passage'', and then disbanded.

1981–1985: Solo career and breakthrough

Idol moved to New York City in 1981 and became a solo artist, working with former

Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

manager Bill Aucoin. Idol's punk-like image worked well with the glam rock style of his new partner on guitar,

. Together they worked with bassist Phil Feit and drummer Gregg Gerson. Idol's solo career began with the Chrysalis Records EP titled '' Don't Stop'' in 1981, which included the Generation X song "

", originally recorded for their last album ''

Kiss Me Deadly ''Kiss Me Deadly'' is a 1955 American film noir produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, and Wesley Addy. It also features Maxine Cooper and Cloris Leachman appearing in the ...

'', and a cover of

Tommy James and the Shondells Tommy James and the Shondells are an American pop rock/psychedelic rock band, formed in Niles, Michigan, in 1964. They had two No. 1 singles in the U.S. – " Hanky Panky" (July 1966, their only RIAA Certified Gold record) and "Crimson and Clov ...

' song "

Mony Mony "Mony Mony" is a 1968 single by American pop rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 in the U.S. Written by Bobby Bloom, Ritchie Cordell, Bo Gentry and Tommy James, the song has appeared in ...

". Idol's debut solo album ''

'' was released in July 1982. Part of the MTV-driven "

" of the US in 1982, Idol became an MTV staple with "

" and "Dancing with Myself". The music video for "White Wedding" was filmed by the British director David Mallet, and played frequently on MTV. The motorcycle smashing through the church window stunt was carried out by John Wilson, a London motorcycle courier. In 1983, Idol's label released "Dancing with Myself" in the US in conjunction with a music video directed by

Tobe Hooper Willard Tobe Hooper (; January 25, 1943 – August 26, 2017) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work in the horror film, horror genre. The British Film Institute cited Hooper as one of the most influenti ...

, which played on MTV for six months. ''

'' (1983), Idol's second LP, was a major success and established Idol in the United States with hits such as "

", " Eyes Without a Face", and "

Flesh for Fantasy "Flesh for Fantasy" is a song by Billy Idol from his 1983 studio album ''Rebel Yell''. It became the album's third single. Background and writing The song was written by Billy Idol and Steve Stevens Steve Stevens (born Steven Bruce Schne ...

". "Eyes Without a Face" peaked at number four on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and "Rebel Yell" reached number six in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

1986–1992: ''Whiplash Smile'' and ''Charmed Life''

Idol released ''

'' in 1986, which sold well. The album included the hits "

To Be a Lover "To Be a Lover" is a song written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones originally as "I Forgot to Be Your Lover", but best known as a cover by Billy Idol on his 1986 album ''Whiplash Smile''. As the album's lead single, it became Idol's second to ...

", " Don't Need a Gun" and " Sweet Sixteen". Idol filmed a video for the song "Sweet Sixteen" in Florida's

Coral Castle Coral Castle is an oolite limestone structure created by the Latvian-American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin (1887–1951). It is located in Unincorporated area, unincorporated territory of Miami-Dade County, Florida, between the cities of Homeste ...

. A remix album was released in 1987, titled ''

Vital Idol ''Vital Idol'' is a remix album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released in June 1985 by Chrysalis Records. It contains remixed songs from his first two albums and the '' Don't Stop'' EP. The album was reissued in the United States with on ...

''. The album featured a live rendition of his cover of

Tommy James Tommy James (born Thomas Gregory Jackson; April 29, 1947), also known as Tommy Tadger, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, widely known as frontman of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, who were know ...

' "

". In 1987 the single topped the United States chart and reached number 7 in the UK. '' Charmed Life'' was released in 1990, and a video for the single " Cradle of Love" had to be shot. The song had been featured in the

Andrew Dice Clay Andrew Dice Clay (born Andrew Clay Silverstein; September 29, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He rose to prominence in the late 1980s with a brash, deliberately offensive persona known as "The Diceman". In 1990, he became the fi ...

film ''

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane ''The Adventures of Ford Fairlane'' is a 1990 American action comedy mystery film directed by Renny Harlin and written by David Arnott, James Cappe, and Daniel Waters based on a story by Arnott and Cappe. The film stars comedian Andrew Dice Cl ...

''. Because Idol was unable to walk, due to injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident, he was shot from the waist up. The video featured video footage of him singing in large frames throughout an apartment while Betsy Lynn George was trying to seduce a businessman. The video was placed in rotation on MTV. "Cradle of Love" earned Idol a third Grammy nomination for

Best Male Rock Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to male recording artists for works (songs or albums) containin ...

1993–2004: ''Cyberpunk'', decline, and resurgence

In 1993, Idol released ''

''. Regarded as experimental, it was recorded in a home studio using a

Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and ...

computer. Idol used Studiovision and

Pro Tools Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture (sound design, audio post-productio ...

to record the album. The album took ten months to make. The album did not perform well in the United States and the lead single " Shock to the System" did not chart in the Billboard Hot 100. By Comparison, the lead single from Idols previous album, Cradle of Love had peaked at No.2. In Europe the album fared slightly better, achieving moderate chart success and peaking within the UK top 20. Idol toured in Europe and played a Generation X reunion show in 1993. He recorded and released the single "

Speed In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quanti ...

" in 1994; the song was featured as first track in the homonymous movie soundtrack album. Idol appeared in a 1996 live version of

the Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

's ''

Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the two previous being the "mini-opera" song " A Quick One, While ...

''. Idol made a cameo appearance as himself in the 1998 film ''

The Wedding Singer ''The Wedding Singer'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, and Christine Taylor, and tells the ...

'' with

Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...

, in which Idol played a pivotal role in the plot. The film featured "White Wedding" on its soundtrack. In 2000, he was invited to be a guest vocalist on Tony Iommi's debut solo album. His contribution was on the song "Into the Night", which he co-wrote. That year, he voice acted the role of Odin, a mysterious alien character, in the adult animated science fiction film ''

Heavy Metal 2000 ''Heavy Metal 2000'' (also known as ''Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.²'' outside North America) is a 2000 Canadian adult animated science fiction film produced by Jacques Pettigrew and Michel Lemire, and directed by Michael Coldewey and Lemire. Starring t ...

'', also providing a song for the soundtrack. VH1 aired ''Billy Idol –

Behind the Music ''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...

'' on 16 April 2001. Idol and Stevens took part in a ''VH1 Storytellers'' show three days later. The reunited duo set out to play a series of acoustic/storytellers shows before recording the VH1 special. Another ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' CD was issued in 2001, with

Keith Forsey Keith Forsey (born 2 January 1948) is an English pop musician and record producer. Early life Forsey began his career as a percussionist in the mid-late 1960s as the drummer for The SpectrumCaptain Scarlet and the Mysterons - The Vault - Chris ...

and

Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United St ...

' "

Don't You (Forget About Me) "Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released as a single in 1985. It was written and composed by the producer Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, a guitarist and songwriter from the Nina Hagen band. Forsey ...

" appearing on the compilation. The LP includes a live acoustic version of "Rebel Yell", taken from a performance at Los Angeles station

KROQ KROQ-FM (106.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Pasadena, California, serving Greater Los Angeles. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an alternative rock format known as "The World Famous KROQ" (pronounced "kay-rock"). The stat ...

's 1993 Acoustic Christmas concert. The ''Greatest Hits'' album sold 1 million copies in the United States alone. In the

2002 NRL Grand Final The 2002 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2002 NRL season. It took place on Sunday, 6 October 2002, at Sydney's Telstra Stadium. 80,130 people saw the Sydney Roosters beat the New Zealand Warriors 30–8. T ...

in Sydney, Idol entered the playing field for the half-time entertainment on a

hovercraft A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious Craft (vehicle), craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces. Hovercraft use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the hull ...

to the intro of "White Wedding", of which he managed to sing only two words before a power failure ended the performance.

2005–2009: ''Devil's Playground''

'' Devil's Playground'', which came out in March 2005, was Idol's first new studio album in nearly 12 years. The album reached No. 46 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album included a cover of " Plastic Jesus". Idol played a handful of dates on the 2005

Vans Vans is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and related apparel, established in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams. From 1996 to 2019, the comp ...

Warped Tour The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring ...

and appeared at the

Download Festival Download Festival is a British-created rock festival created by Terrance Gough, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 201 ...

Donington Park Donington Park is a motorsport circuit located near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England. The circuit business is now owned by Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision organisation, and the surrounding Donington Park Estate, still owned b ...

, the

Voodoo Music Experience The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience (formerly The Voodoo Music Experience), commonly referred to as Voodoo or Voodoo Fest, is a multi-day music and arts festival held in City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Voodoo Experience has hosted more t ...

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, and

Rock am Ring The (German for "Rock at the Ring") and ("Rock in the Park") festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually. While ''Rock am Ring'' takes place at the Nürburgring race track, ''Rock im Park'' takes place at the Zeppelinfeld ...

. In 2008, "Rebel Yell" appeared as a playable track on the video game ''

Guitar Hero World Tour ''Guitar Hero World Tour'' (initially referred to as ''Guitar Hero IV'' or ''Guitar Hero IV: World Tour'') is a music rhythm video game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. It is the fourth main installment in the ''Guitar Hero'' ...

'' and "White Wedding" on '' Rock Band 2''. The ''Rock Band 2'' platform later gained "Mony Mony" and "Rebel Yell" as downloadable tracks. On 24 June 2008, Idol released the greatest hits album '' The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself''. He embarked on a worldwide tour, co-headlining with

Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), a ...

. In June 2006, Idol performed at the

Congress Theater The Congress Theater is a historic movie palace in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Fridstein and Company designed it in 1926 for the movie theater operator Lubliner and Trinz. It features ornate exterior and interior design work in a c ...

, Chicago for the United States television series ''

Soundstage A sound stage (also written soundstage) is a soundproof, large structure, building, or room with large doors and high ceilings, used for the production of theatrical film-making and television productions, usually located on a secured movie or ...

''. This performance was recorded and then released on DVD/Blu-ray as ''In Super Overdrive Live'', on 17 November 2009.

2010–present: ''Kings & Queens of the Underground''

On 16 February 2010, Idol was announced as one of the acts to play at the

in Donington Park, England. He stated "With all of these great heavyweight and cool bands playing Download this year, I'm going to have to come armed with my punk rock attitude, Steve Stevens, and all of my classic songs plus a couple of way out covers. Should be fun!" In March 2010, Idol added

Camp Freddy Camp Freddy was an American hard rock supergroup consisting of established musicians who played rock covers at various shows around the United States from 2002 through 2014. The band consisted of core members Matt Sorum on drums, Dave Navarr ...

guitarist Billy Morrison and drummer Jeremy Colson to his touring line-up. Billy Idol 2015 Winter Classic (16170009902)

In 2013, Idol appeared on the third episode of the

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

series ''How the Brits Rocked America''. Idol also lent his voice as Spikey Hair Bot to

Disney XD Disney XD is an American pay television channel owned by the Disney Branded Television and Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution units of The Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven years ...

's '' Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja'' episode "McSatchle" In October 2014, Idol released his eighth studio album '' Kings & Queens of the Underground''. While recording the album between 2010 and 2014, he worked with producer

Trevor Horn Trevor Charles Horn (born 15 July 1949) is an English music producer, label and recording studio owner, musician and composer. He is best known for his production work in the 1980s, and for being one half of the new wave band The Buggles (wit ...

, Horn's former Buggles and

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * YES (Your Extraordinary Saturday), a learning program from the Minnesota Institute for Talente ...

bandmate

Geoff Downes Geoffrey Downes (born 25 August 1952) is an English keyboardist who gained fame as a member of the new wave group The Buggles with Trevor Horn, the progressive rock band Yes, and the supergroup Asia. Born in Stockport, Downes moved to London ...

and

Greg Kurstin Gregory Allen Kurstin (born May 14, 1969) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and written and produced four songs t ...

. Idol's autobiography, ''Dancing with Myself'', was published on 7 October 2014 and became a

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

bestseller. On 30 October 2018, former Generation X members Idol and Tony James joined with

Steve Jones Steve or Steven Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Steve Jones (English presenter) (born 1945), English musician, disk jockey, television presenter, and voice-over artist *Steve Jones (musician) (born 1955), English rock and roll guita ...

and

Paul Cook Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene. Early life and career Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...

, former members of another first wave English punk rock band, the

, to perform a free gig at

the Roxy Roxy, Roxey, and Roxie may refer to: People * Roxy (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name Places in the United States * Roxie, Mississippi, a town * Roxie, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Music * Roxy ...

in Hollywood, Los Angeles, under the name Generation Sex, playing a combined set of the two former bands' material. In late February 2020, Idol starred in a public service campaign with the

New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police The New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police, also known as DEP Police, and formerly known as the Bureau of Water Supply Police and the Aqueduct Police, is a law enforcement agency in New York City whose duties are to protect ...

titled "Billy Never Idles", intended to fight the unnecessary idling of automobile engines in New York City, to reduce air pollution. Idol teamed with New York Mayor

Bill de Blasio Bill de Blasio (; born Warren Wilhelm Jr., May 8, 1961; later Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm) is an American politician who served as the 109th mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he held the office of New Yor ...

to open the campaign, which features Idol saying "If you're not driving, shut your damn engine off!" and other strong advice. He was a guest vocalist on the song "Night Crawling" from

Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...

' album ''

Plastic Hearts ''Plastic Hearts'' is the seventh studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was released on November 27, 2020, by RCA Records, and was her final album with the label; she signed with Columbia Records in early 2021. Marking a departure fro ...

'' released in November 2020. in 2016, Idol and Cyrus performed "Rebel Yell" at the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas. On 12 August 2021, Idol's music video "Bitter Taste", directed by Stephen Sebring, was uploaded to

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

. Idol announced his new EP ''

The Roadside ''The Roadside'' is an EP by English singer Billy Idol, his first release on George Harrison's Dark Horse Records. The EP is Idol's first release of new material since 2014's album '' Kings & Queens of the Underground''. It was produced by Butch W ...

'', which was released on 17 September. Another EP, ''The Cage'', was released on 23 September 2022. A video for the title track, also directed by Sebring, premiered on YouTube 17 August. In March 2022, Idol was diagnosed with

MRSA Methicillin-resistant ''Staphylococcus aureus'' (MRSA) is a group of Gram-positive bacteria that are genetically distinct from other strains of ''Staphylococcus aureus''. MRSA is responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. ...

which forced him to cancel a co-headlining tour with

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

. In September 2022, he embarked on the postponed Roadside Tour with

Killing Joke Killing Joke are an English rock music, rock band from Notting Hill, London, England, formed in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Ki ...

, and Toyah as his UK

opening act A opening act, also known as a warm-up act, support act, or supporting act, is an entertainment act (musical, comedic, or otherwise), that performs at a concert before the featured act, or "headliner". Rarely, an opening act may perform again a ...

s in October.

Live band

Idol's live band consists of: *Billy Idol – lead vocals (1981–present) *

– lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1981–1987, 1993, 1995, 1999–present) *Stephen McGrath – bass, backing vocals (2001–present) *

Billy Morrison Billy Morrison is a British guitarist and singer who plays guitar with Billy Idol and performs with the Los Angeles-based cover band Royal Machines. Morrison previously played with Camp Freddy and fronted the hard rock act Circus Diablo. He ...

– rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2010–present) *Erik Eldenius – drums (2012–present) *Paul Trudeau – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2014–present) Former members *Phil Feit – bass (1981–1983) *

Steve Missal Stephen Missal (born 1948) is an artist from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who specializes in figure drawing, painting, and fantasy themed art. Missal lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife and their two children. He teaches at the Art Institute ...

– drums (1981–1982) *Gregg Gerson – drums (1982–1983) *Judi Dozier – keyboards (1982–1985) * Steve Webster – bass (1983–1985) *

Thommy Price Thommy Price (born December 9, 1956) is an American musician. He has played drums in a number of bands, including Scandal, Billy Idol, Blue Öyster Cult, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and is an in-demand session drummer. History Price was a ...

– drums (1983–1987) *

Kenny Aaronson Kenny Aaronson (born April 14, 1952 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American bass guitar player. He has recorded or performed with several notable artists such as Bob Dylan, Rick Derringer, Billy Idol, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Foghat, Sammy ...

– bass (1986–1987) *Susie Davis – keyboards, backing vocals (1986–1987) *Mark Younger-Smith – lead and rhythm guitar (1988–1993) *

Phil Soussan Philip Raphael “Phil” Soussan (born 23 June 1961, London, England) is a British bass guitarist, songwriter and producer who has gained notoriety as a member of a host of famed rock and roll bands, including some who have been frontman, front ...

– bass (1988–1990) *Larry Seymour – bass (1990–1996) *Tal Bergman – drums (1990–1993) *

Bonnie Hayes Bonnie Hayes is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer, born in San Francisco, California, United States, and currently lives between Los Angeles and New York City. Her songs have been recorded by Cher, Bette Midler, Bonnie ...

– keyboards, backing vocals (1990–1991) * Jennifer Blakeman – keyboards (1993) *Julie Greaux – keyboards (1993) *Danny Sadownik – drums (1993) *

Mark Schulman Mark Schulman (born September 4, 1961 in Los Angeles, California) is an American musician and corporate speaker. He performed with Cher as her tour drummer on her D2K Tour. Schulman is also a session drummer as well as a music producer, audio en ...

– drums (1993–2001) *

Sasha Krivtsov Alexander Sasha Krivtsov, (born June 6, 1967) is a Russian bassist, best known as the bass player for the house band on the TV reality shows '' Rock Star: INXS'', '' Rock Star: Supernova'' and ''The Voice''. He has played with singer-songwriter Van ...

– bass (2000) *

Brian Tichy Brian Tichy (born August 18, 1968) is an American musician, best known as having been the drummer for Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Foreigner (band), Foreigner, Sass Jordan, and Ozzy Osbourne. He was the drummer of Whitesnake from 2010 to 2013. His s ...

– drums (2001–2009) *Jeremy Colson – drums (2010–2012) *

Derek Sherinian Derek Sherinian (born August 25, 1966) is an American keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, and Joe Bonamassa, among others. He was also a member of Dream Theater from 1994 to 1999, is the founder of Planet X and ...

– keyboards (2002–2014)

Timeline

Personal life

Idol has never married, but had a long-term relationship with English singer, dancer and former ''

Hot Gossip Hot Gossip (1974–86) were a British dance troupe who made television appearances and in 1978 backed Sarah Brightman on her single "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper". Formation Arlene Phillips moved to London to learn and teach developin ...

'' member

Perri Lister Perri Lister (born 10 April 1959) is an English former dancer, singer and actress. She was a dancer with the British dance troupe Hot Gossip which appeared regularly on ''The Kenny Everett Video Show'' in the late 1970s – early 1980s in the Unit ...

. They have a son, Willem Wolf Broad, who was born in Los Angeles in 1988..Hochman, Steve (1999). ''Popular Musicians: The Doobie Brothers-Paul McCartney''. Salem Press. p.512 Willem has been a member of the rock band FIM.''Amica'' magazine. Milan, Italy: RCS Mediagroup S.p.A. #1 January 2012 Lister and Idol separated in 1989. Idol also has a daughter, Bonnie Blue, from a relationship with Linda Mathis. On 6 February 1990 in Hollywood, Idol was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that nearly cost him a leg. He was hit by a car when he ran a stop sign while riding home from the studio one night, requiring a steel rod to be placed in his leg. Shortly prior to this, film director

Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...

had chosen Idol for the role of

Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredicta ...

's drinking pal Cat in his film ''

The Doors The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...

'', but the accident prevented him from participating in a major way and Idol's role was reduced to a small part. He had been

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...

's first choice for the role of the villainous

T-1000 The T-1000 is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. A shapeshifter, shapeshifting Android (robot), android Terminator (character concept), Terminator Assassination, assassin, the T-1000 ...

in '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day''; the role was recast as a result of the accident. Idol has struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction. His drug history includes heroin and cocaine. In his 2014 memoir, he stated that he had many experiences of passing out in nightclubs and waking up in hospitals. In 1994, Idol collapsed outside a Los Angeles nightclub due to an overdose of the drug

GHB ''gamma''-Hydroxybutyric acid (or γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), also known as 4-hydroxybutanoic acid) is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter and a depressant drug. It is a precursor to GABA, glutamate, and glycine in certain brain areas. ...

. After the incident, Idol decided that his children would never forgive him for dying of a drug overdose, and he ceased his drug use. In 2014, Idol stated that he had not taken hard drugs since 2003, but added that he smoked marijuana regularly and was an occasional drinker. In 2018, Idol became an American citizen during a ceremony in Los Angeles, while retaining his British citizenship. In 2020, his daughter Bonnie gave birth to his first grandchild, a daughter, Poppy Rebel, and in 2022, another granddaughter, Mary Jane.

Discography

Studio albums

*''

'' (1982) *''

'' (1983) *''

'' (1986) *'' Charmed Life'' (1990) *''

'' (1993) *'' Devil's Playground'' (2005) *''

Happy Holidays The Christmas season or the festive season (also known in some countries as the holiday season or the holidays) is an annually recurring period recognized in many Western and other countries that is generally considered to run from late November ...

'' (2006) *'' Kings & Queens of the Underground'' (2014)

Extended plays

*'' Don't Stop'' (1981) *''

'' (1982) *''

'' (2021) *''

The Cage The Cage may refer to: Sports * West Fourth Street Courts, also known as "The Cage", as of 1978, a public venue for amateur basketball in New York City * Al-Shorta Stadium, 1990-2014, former football stadium of Al-Shorta SC, nicknamed "The Cage ...

'' (2022)

Awards and nominations

ASCAP Pop Music Awards

!Ref. , - , 1991 , " Cradle of Love" , Most Performed Song , ,

Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards

!Ref. , - , 2005 , Himself , Comeback of the Year , ,

Grammy Awards

!Ref. , - ! scope="row" , , "

" , rowspan=3,

, , , - ! scope="row" , , "

" , , , - ! scope="row" , , " Cradle of Love" , ,

MTV Video Music Awards

The

MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...

is an annual awards ceremony established in 1984 by MTV. , - ! scope="row" , , "

" , , Best Direction , , , - ! scope="row" , , "Dancing with Myself" , , Best Art Direction , , , - ! scope="row" , , "Dancing with Myself" , , Best Special Effects , , , - ! scope="row" , , " Eyes Without a Face" , , Best Cinematography , , , - ! scope="row" , , "Eyes Without a Face" , , Best Editing , , , - ! scope="row" , , " Cradle of Love" , , Best Video from a Film , , , - ! scope="row" , , "Cradle of Love" , , Best Male Video , , , - ! scope="row" , , "Cradle of Love" , , Best Special Effects , , , - ! scope="row" , , " Shock to the System" , , Best Special Effects , , , - ! scope="row" , , "Shock to the System" , , Best Editing , ,

Brit Awards

The

Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...

are the

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...

's annual pop music awards. , - ! scope="row" , , Billy Idol – "Cradle of Love" , , Best British Video , ,

Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

!Ref. , - , 1988 , ''Tour'' , Most Creative Tour Package , ,

References

Reference bibliography

External links

* – official site * * *
Billy Idol
at ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' * interview @ Legends {{DEFAULTSORT:Idol, Billy 1955 births Living people 20th-century English male actors 20th-century English singers 21st-century English male actors 21st-century English singers Alumni of the University of Sussex Brit Award winners British expatriate male actors in the United States British hard rock musicians British post-punk musicians Bromley Contingent Chrysalis Records artists EMI Records artists English expatriates in the United States English male film actors English male singers English male singer-songwriters English new wave musicians English punk rock singers English rock singers Generation X (band) members Glam rock musicians Male actors from Kent Male actors from London Male new wave singers Musicians from Kent Musicians from London Naturalized citizens of the United States Neurotic Outsiders members People educated at Ravensbourne School, Bromley People educated at Worthing High School People from Bromley People from Dorking People from Goring-by-Sea People from Stanmore People with acquired American citizenship Sanctuary Records artists Singers from London Second British Invasion artists