Billy Idol
 Billy
Idol was born William Michael Albert Broad on 30 November 1955 at
Stanmore, Middlesex, England.
While studying English Literature at Sussex University, Broad
became involved with the "Bromley contingent" followers
of The Sex Pistols.
Inspired by the energy of punk, he
formed his own group, Chelsea, in 1976.
The original outfit was short-lived and Billy Idol, as he was now
known, next founded Generation X.
This band lasted from 1976-81, after which Idol launched his
solo career in New York and recorded Don't Stop, which
featured a revival of Tommy
James & The Shondells' UK Number 1 Mony Mony.
Throughout the early 80s, Idol's career blossomed and his
acerbic vocal style and lively stage act brought a string of hits
including Hot In The City (US Number 23), Eyes Without A
Face (US number 4/UK Number 18), White Wedding (UK
number 6), Rebel Yell (UK Number 6 when reissued), and To
Be A Lover (US Number 6).
With his album sales increasing each year, Idol turned an old
hit to advantage by taking a live version of Mony Mony to
Number 1 in the USA in 1987.
Despite his legendary excessive
lifestyle, Idol appeared in several charity shows. In 1988, he
took part in Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit concert and the
following year guested in the charity performance of The
Who's Tommy in London.
After being auditioned for a part in Oliver Stone's The
Doors movie, Idol almost emulated its central character by
suffering an early death. A motorcycle crash in February 1990
seriously damaged his leg, but he recovered remarkably quickly and
the same May hit the Number 2 slot in America with Cradle Of
Love (taken from the Andrew Dice Clay movie The Adventures
Of Ford Fairlaine).
He soon found himself back in trouble though - this time with
the Los Angeles courts when, in 1992, he was put on probation for
two years and fined $2,700 for an assault on a "fan".
This all added fuel to the rebel image but by now Idol had become
far more successful than most of the punk founders with whom he
rubbed shoulders back in 1977.
His attempt to re-brand his image on 1993's Cyberpunk
was a notable commercial and critical failure, and the following
year Idol narrowly escaped death a second time when he overdosed.
He laid low until the end of the decade when he made a cameo
appearance in the Adam Sandler comedy The Wedding Singer.
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