It's a laugh, but all of Billy Idol's stuff is pretty darn good (at least through the 'Charmed Life' LP). His original punk band Generation X was the goods too.
All his hits were cut-above rockers: Dancing With Myself, White Wedding, Eyes Without A Face, Rebel Yell, Flesh For Fantasy, Catch My Fall, Cradle Of Love... and lesser-known songs like Shooting Stars and It's So Cruel are flat-out great too. Steve Stevens was an excellent guitarist.
Idol's catalogue is worthy of a re-appraisal nowadays. Hell, in today's lousy music scene, it sounds like Mozart.
"Idol's catalogue is worthy of a re-appraisal nowadays. Hell, in today's lousy music scene, it sounds like Mozart."
While I wouldn't go quite that far - some of today's music, as ever, is very good - I do think there's a lot of music from the 80s that hasn't gotten the respect that it deserves. There was a lot of interesting and innovative music done in the 80s, innovations that mostly aren't seen in today's music.
I always loved "The Dead Next Door".
When he wants to, he can do a hybrid Elvis/Jim Morrison kind of thing.
"Sweet Sixteen" is a tear-jerker, moreso because it's based on the guy who built the Coral Castle for his [wannabe] girlfriend.
I love Billy and I'm not ashamed to admit it....:)
[Long live the 80s!]