While it may seem like rock ‘n’ roll has always been around, in actuality, it’s still a relatively new phenomenon. For the past 70 years, rock has evolved into numerous sub-genres and movements, and has spawned many bastard stepchildren, to the point that old becomes new again and cycles repeat. Throughout changing scenes and trends, Billy Idol has been a mainstay. Hell, even a cultural icon. And with the release of the 40th anniversary edition of his landmark record Rebel Yell, it’s high time we dig into the legacy a bit.
Released in November of 1983, Rebel Yell would propel the fairly new solo artist into the realm of superstardom, quickly making him a household name in the US. But backing up a bit, things were quite a bit different just a few years prior.
Initially pursuing a degree in English during his late teens, William Michael Albert Broad, would soon rechristen himself Billy Idol and join the ranks of the infamous Bromley Contingent, a group of early Sex Pistols fans and friends that would follow the group around from gig to gig. Idol would soon join early UK punks Chelsea as a guitar player before splitting along with bassist Tony James to form punk legends Generation X.
Rounded out by guitarist Derwood Andrews and drummer Mark Laff, the band would become one of the preeminent first-wave UK punk bands on the scene. Generation X stood out from the pack as they embraced hooky anthems and weren’t afraid to wear their influences — early rock ‘n’ roll and ‘60s British Invasion bands — and Idol was a natural as the frontman. The band also eschewed punk’s political tendencies in favor of a less intense, pop-fueled approach, and would eventually draw criticism from some of the more serious squads.
The band’s self-titled debut (1978) is a stone classic, featuring scrappy pop-punk nuggets in the form of “One Hundred Punks,” and “Ready Steady Go.” A critical and commercial success in the UK, the album also made headway in these parts. Second album, Valley of the Dolls (1979) was a bit of a departure from the rough-and-tumble onslaught of the conventional punk canon, with a more ambitious, mainstream rock sound. Produced by Mott The Hoople frontman Ian Hunter, the album was far from a commercial failure, but was unable to build on the momentum of the first album. In hindsight, it was ahead of its time, pre-empting the more polished new wave scene by a couple years.
At this point, the band began to splinter internally and with management, and Idol and James would soon be the last men standing. Apparently, the pair wanted to pursue a more danceable pop sound while Derwood was enthralled with the up-and-coming, post-punk sounds of Joy Division and the like. With scant interest from the label, the band sought new management, and found just that in the form of genius svengali Bill Aucoin, one of the masterminds behind KISS’s success.
While Aucoin took the reins, he harbored a secret yearning to break Idol as a solo act. The band would soon shorten its name to Gen X and issue one more official album, the rushed, but brilliant Kiss Me Deadly, featuring the single “Dancing With Myself.” The song would serve as a shining example of the possibilities of punk, showcasing the flexibility to infuse it with pop hooks and danceable beats. The album’s commercial performance would prove to be less than desirable and soon, Idol would split with what remained of the band and move to NYC with Aucoin clearing the path for the next phase.
One of the first items on Aucoin’s agenda was to recruit a partner in crime for his shiny new toy solo artist. Said partner would arrive in the form of future guitar phenom, songwriter and ace foil Steve Stevens. As the ‘80s scene would soon become rife with virtuoso guitar heroes, Aucoin’s quest to find one for Idol was a genius move, as it would add musical heft to the mix. Stevens had the chops and flash to compete with the heavy metal axe-slingers, but also had a futuristic style and animated image that would appeal to the post-punk set as well. His inclusion on Idol’s eponymous debut album would be crucial to the sound. But prior to that, to whet the appetites of the American audience, Idol’s label Chrysalis would release the EP, Don’t Stop (1981), which featured a remixed version of “Dancing With Myself” and the ‘60s cover “Mony Mony.” Idol’s eponymous debut (1982) would sell respectively and yield radio hits “Hot in the City” and “White Wedding,” which would prove to be a standout on the then-blossoming MTV. A masterful mix of goth, new wave and cow-punk, the song was the perfect introduction to Idol as a solo artist.
Rebel Yell would come next and soon be a major game-changer. In Idol’s autobiography, Dancing With Myself (Touchstone, 2014), and via interviews, the musician has stated that he had long been looking for a certain sound that fulfilled his more complex sonic ambitions while staying true to his punk roots. An interest in modern production techniques and electronic instrumentation juxtaposed with driving guitars and fist-pumping anthems was exactly what he’d been after and was finally realized with this album. Opening with an intricate — and now iconic — Steve Stevens riff, the title track is pop-punk, hard rock, and modern-goth all at once.
With a far bolder delivery than what he displayed during his Generation X days, Idol’s persona and sound is cybernetic merger of Elvis, Jim Morrison and Glen Danzig, all in-your-face, yet literate and even a bit idiosyncratic at times. Stevens’ guitar solo is also something of legend and still gets analyzed in guitar magazines and forums to this day. Utilizing a vintage-toy sound effect, the solo has a distinctive machine-gun sound at the end of each stanza. The single would become a smash on radio and MTV. “Daytime Drama” is mid-tempo and melancholy with a sound that is not really pop, nor punk, just strange. Either way, it adheres to the psyche with an epoxy-like effect. Further singles “Eyes Without a Face” and “Flesh for Fantasy” both feature synthy funk grooves akin to Prince, but with a slightly foreboding dystopian feel. “Blue Highway” and “Catch My Fall” both have a vintage rock ‘n’ roll feel that harken back to the 1950s.
Rebel Yell literally has something for everyone — punk, pop, hard rock, synth-pop and even shades of disco, and would go on to sell over two million copies in the US alone. With a nod to both the primal rock ‘n’ roll beat of the fifties and the modern Sci-Fi buzz that was all the rage in the early eighties with the likes of Blade Runner, it feels both modern and classic. The album’s signature punchy riffs set to a driving beat and embellished with Idol’s sneering croon and Stevens’ guitar histrionics, made for a one-of-a-kind listening experience. This new 40th Anniversary edition (Capitol/UMe Records) features the full album and revs it up further with crisp remastered sound and a bevy of bonus tracks including demos, 12-inch mixes and more. One standout is the demo version of “(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows,” which showcases its primordial punkier side in full view. This release comes in a deluxe gatefold vinyl package with two high-grade slabs of vinyl, as well as a double-CD package.
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