Billy Idol

Billy Idol (born William Michael Albert Broad on November 30, 1955 in Middlesex, England) is a British-born hard rock musician. Idol lived in Worthing before attending Sussex University for only a year before joining the Bromley Contingent of keen Sex Pistols fans. During this period, Idol decided to become a musician and formed a band called Generation X in 1976 (see 1976 in music).

Generation X signed to Chrysalis Records and released three albums before breaking up. Idol moved to New York City and began working as a solo artist and began working with Steve Stevens, soon becoming MTV staples with "White Wedding" and "Dancing with Myself". Idol's first LP, Rebel Yell (1984, 1984 in music) was a blockbuster success and established Idol's superstar status in the United States.

Idol didn't release a new album until 1987 (see 1987 in music); Whiplash Smile sold well, but failed to live up to expectations. Stevens soon left for a solo career and Idol continued. A cover of Tommy James' "Mony Mony" did well on MTV and Idol playing Cousin Kevin in a performance of Tommy. Just before the release of Charmed Life in 1990 (see 1990 in music), Idol was in a motorcycle accident in which he almost lost his leg. The album sold extremely well, but Idol decided to take a break and acted in The Doors, directed by Oliver Stone. The follow-up to Charmed Life was 1993's Cyberpunk (see 1993 in music), which was a flop, and Idol sank into drug addiction, nearly dying of an overdose in 1994.

Idol returned to the popular eye in 1998, when he played himself in The Wedding Singer, an Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore romantic comedy. Idol appeared on VH1 Storytellers and issued a Greatest Hits CD in 2001.

His newest album, Devil's Playground, is due out March 16, 2005, and is his first new studio album in nearly 12 years.