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Idol moved to New York City in 1981 and became a solo artist, working with ex-Kiss manager Bill Aucoin. Idol's punk-ish image worked well with the glam rock style of his new partner on guitar, Steve Stevens.[1] 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 "Dancing with Myself", originally recorded for their last album Kiss Me Deadly, and a cover of Tommy James & the Shondells' song "Mony Mony". Idol's debut solo album, Billy Idol, was released in July 1982.[2]

Part of the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States, that year Idol became an MTV staple with "White Wedding" and "Dancing with Myself".[3] In 1983, in an effort to introduce Idol to American audiences not yet as familiar with him as those in the UK, Idol's label released "Dancing with Myself" in the United States in conjunction with a music video directed by Tobe Hooper, which played on MTV for six months.

Rebel Yell and superstar years

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Steve Stevens and Billy Idol in 2003

Idol's second LP, Rebel Yell (1983) was a major success[4] and established Idol in the United States with hits such as "Rebel Yell," "Eyes Without a Face," "Flesh For Fantasy". Tracks from the album featured in the 1988 Hollywood comedy film Big,[5] which starred Tom Hanks. "Eyes Without a Face" peaked at number four on the United States Billboard Hot 100, and "Rebel Yell" reached number six in the UK Singles Chart.[6][7] This album and its singles saw Idol become popular in other countries such as Germany, Italy, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Whiplash Smile

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Idol released Whiplash Smile in 1986, which sold well.[4] Billy Idol's self-penned autobiography, Dancing With Myself[8] was released on October 7, 2014.

References

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  1. ^ "Vernon Reid – Guitar World interview (part 3) Cult of Personality". The Biography Channel. 15 February 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  2. ^ William Ruhlmann. "Billy Idol - Billy Idol | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference KnightRidder was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "Billy Idol Music News & Info". Billboard. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Big (1998) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books
  7. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London, England: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 266. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. ^ "Billy Idol to Release First New Album in Nearly a Decade". The Hollywood Reporter. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
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