Billy Idol: The Bad Boy who Redefined ’80s Rock

“Billy Idol: The Bad Boy who Redefined ’80s Rock”Well, y’all, everything about Billy Idol screamed Rock n Roll in capital letters and bold font. This dude didnt just play music, he lived it and his life was about as loud as his music. Always sported my favorite tee with Billy Idol in his quintessential snarl and leather jacket, that I still own, with much pride. There was an untamed authenticity and energy about Idol’s music that these contemporary pieces of stringy-voiced kids could only dream of. This guy was born to rebel and his music was a transcendent mix of punk, rock, and some decadent surrealism punctuated by his iconic sneer. His music, essentially spiked with audacity and punk defiance, still reverberates as the anthems of the non-conformist youth during the 80s and the early 90s.

Talking about the video games of that era and discussing Billy Idol without mentioning MTV would be pure injustice. Let me trace you back to good old times. Idol was the poster boy of the MTV era; his music videos were a complete package. So much so, they were like big-budget movies, filled with melodrama and defiant characters, with Idol usually playing the rebellious heartthrob. His MTV videos weren’t just shots of him singing in front of a camera. They had storylines! That’s right, there were plots, costumes, set designs – take the music video for ‘Dancing with Myself’ and ‘White Wedding’, for example. Creativity at its best, this was what music and pop culture were all about!

Now here I am, chilling in my good old hood reminiscing those golden days. Nostalgia hits like a freight train on a rapid course. Let’s face it, the music industry has become more about cookie-cutter pop stars with flashy wardrobes than about radical talents like Billy Idol, who redefined what it truly meant to be a rock star. Not only the music, the 80s lifestyle was something else, unapologetically honest with an edgy sense of style – quite like my taste in tees and hood. If Billy Idol were around today, he would burst out laughing at the mere suggestion of artists needing a dozen writers for one song. Billy Idol was a trendsetter, a force of nature who defined the 80s and continues to showcase that pure rock ‘n’ roll spirit. Bring back the raw energy, the rebellious streak, and the artistic integrity… that’s what the industry seems to be missing out on. At the end of the day, true talent never goes out of style, and Billy Idol, my friends, was and remains the epitome of true talent.

~ Sam ;))