“You could tell by the way he raged through Generation X’s “Ready Steady Go” in 1978, when punk was peaking. Billy Idol filled the performance with a blend of vehement put-down and celebratory joy. Once he split from the band and went solo, that rage, along with a sweet sneer and a lot of lust, still defined his public stance. His self-titled ’82 debut contained the pounding “White Wedding.” It’s wildly successful follow-up, cut at NYC’s Electric Lady Studios, blasted along on the power of numerous hits, including “Rebel Yell,” “Catch My Fall,” “Flesh for Fantasy,” and “Eyes Without a Face.” The singer is currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of this victory, and he came into our LA studio to knock out feisty versions of the title cut and “Eyes Without A Face.” In an exclusive Footnotes interview, he also explained how the latter vid was conceived and created (think graveyards and monsters). His old pal Steve Stevens was on guitar, of course. Together they put plenty of oomph in the former and bit of evil in the latter. Check the performances, and be aware that a deluxe 40th anny version of the album awaits you wherever vinyl is sold.”
