Billy Idol "Devil's Playground"

Devil's Playground is the sixth studio album by English rock vocalist Billy Idol, released on 22 March 2005. It is his first studio album in over a decade (the latest being 1993's Cyberpunk), and his first new studio songs since 2001 (Idol's cover of "Don't You (Forget About Me)" on Greatest Hits). The album also reunited Idol in the studio with guitarist Steve Stevens and producer Keith Forsey. All songs were written or co-written by Idol except "Plastic Jesus". The album was engineered and mixed by Brian Reeves at the Jungle Room in Los Angeles.

During the recording of the album, the crew of the TV show Bands Reunited ambushed the Jungle Room and tried to convince Billy to reunite with his old band Generation X for a one night performance, but Idol slammed the door on them, leading to an apology by the crew.

Idol and the band supported the album with a world tour of rock festival appearances in 2005 and 2006, including several performances on the Vans Warped Tour.

The song "Scream" was used in an episode of Viva La Bam, in which Idol also guest starred, where he and Bam Margera sing it as they go down the highway.

Devil's Playground was met with "mixed or average" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 52 based on 11 reviews.

In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "On this pair of hooky, catchy tunes named after girls, Devil's Playground points toward an interesting, fruitful direction for Idol – one that acknowledges his veteran status without sounding aged – that he hopefully may wind up taking next time out.".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Idol and Brian Tichy except as noted.

1. "Super Overdrive" 4:18
2. "World Comin' Down" 3:33
3. "Rat Race" Idol, Steve Stevens 4:17
4. "Sherri" Idol 3:17
5. "Plastic Jesus" Ed Rush, George Cromarty 4:53
6. "Scream" 4:42
7. "Yellin' at the Xmas Tree" 4:14
8. "Romeo's Waiting" Idol, Stevens 3:42
9. "Body Snatcher" 3:57
10. "Evil Eye" 4:32
11. "Lady Do or Die" 4:37
12. "Cherie" 3:47
13. "Summer Running" Idol, Stevens 4:30

Billy Idol "Whiplash Smile"

Whiplash Smile is the third studio album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 20 October 1986 by Chrysalis Records. After his successful album Rebel Yell (1983), Idol continued his collaboration with producer Keith Forsey and guitarist Steve Stevens while writing and producing songs for the album. The album utilizes Stevens' characteristic guitar work, dance beats, and synth-heavy production.

Whiplash Smile received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Commercially the album noted a success similar to his previous album, as it peaked at number six on the US Billboard 200. The album reached number eight in the United Kingdom, and also peaked inside the top ten in many other countries, such as Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and Switzerland. Whiplash Smile was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold more than two million copies worldwide.

Three singles were released from the album, with "To Be a Lover", "Don't Need a Gun" and "Sweet Sixteen" peaking into the top forty on the Billboard Hot 100. "Soul Standing By" was released as a single only in Australia and New Zealand.

Track listing

1. "Worlds Forgotten Boy" Billy Idol/Steve Stevens  5:40
2. "To Be a Lover" William Bel/lBooker T. Jones  3:51
3. "Soul Standing By"    Idol  4:35
4. "Sweet Sixteen" Idol  4:14
5. "Man for All Seasons" Idol/Stevens  4:38
6. "Don't Need a Gun" Idol  6:15
7. "Beyond Belief" Idol   4:00
8. "Fatal Charm"    Idol/Stevens/Keith Forsey  3:51
9. "All Summer Single" Idol  4:33
10. "One Night, One Chance" Idol/Stevens  3:52

Total length: 45:29

Keith Forsey – producer

Dave Concors – engineer

Neil Dorfsman – engineer

Dave Wittman – engineer

Debi Cornish – additional engineer

Moira Marquis – additional engineer

Bill Miranda – additional engineer

Steve Tjaden – additional engineer

Gary Langan – mixing at The Hit Factory (New York, NY)

Craig Vogel – mix assistant

George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)

Bobby Deluca – production coordinator

Jon Dworkow – production coordinator

Artie Smith – production coordinator

Billy Idol – art direction, illustration

Frank Olinsky (Manhattan Design) – art direction, illustration

Pat Gorman (Manhattan Design) – art direction, illustration

Albert Sanchez – front cover photography

Carolyn Greyshock – photography

Herb Ritts – photography

John Peden – photography

Gary Allen – wardrobe stylist

Freddy Demann – management

Brigid Waters – management

Billy Idol "Rebel Yell"

Rebel Yell is the second studio album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 10 November 1983 by Chrysalis Records. After the release of his 1982 eponymous debut album, Idol continued his collaboration with producer Keith Forsey and multi-instrumentalist Steve Stevens. The album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York. Initially recording without a drummer, utilizing only the electronic drum machines LinnDrum and Roland TR-808, Forsey and Stevens later decided to hire Thommy Price to play drums on some of the songs. Musically, Rebel Yell is a new wave album with strong pop rock and hard rock influences. The cover sleeve and images were shot by Brian Griffin. Idol got the idea of the album's title after attending a party with the Rolling Stones and drinking Rebel Yell bourbon.

The album reunited the hit-making team of Idol, Steve Stevens and Keith Forsey after their success with Idol's 1982 solo debut, Billy Idol. Idol got the idea to name the album "Rebel Yell" after attending a party with the Rolling Stones. He explained on VH1 Storytellers that people were drinking Rebel Yell bourbon and he thought that would be a great title for an album. The title track was recorded in only three days at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.

Working with Forsey were guitarist Steve Stevens, bassist Phil Feit and later Steve Webster, drummer Gregg Gerson, and keyboardists Judi Dozier and Jack Waldman. Drummer Thommy Price was brought in towards the end of the recording sessions.

Idol was battling Chrysalis Records over creative control, and decided to steal the master tapes; he eventually returned to the studio victorious. Forsey then informed him that he had taken the wrong tapes.

All of the singles, but particularly "Rebel Yell", "Eyes Without a Face" and "Flesh for Fantasy", would eventually have successful music videos on MTV. Idol's longtime girlfriend Perri Lister can be seen in the front row during the "Rebel Yell" video.

Upon its release, Rebel Yell received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success. In the United States, it peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and also peaked into the top ten in other countries, such as Canada, Germany, and New Zealand. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it double platinum for shipment of two million copies across the United States. Four singles were released from the album. The accompanying music videos for all singles received heavy airplay on television channel MTV.

In 1999, EMI Music reissued the album as part of their "Expanded" series. The new version of the album included previously unreleased bonus tracks and expanded liner notes. In 2010, audiophile label Audio Fidelity reissued a 24-karat CD remastered in HDCD by Steve Hoffman.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Idol and Steve Stevens, except where noted.

1. "Rebel Yell" 4:45
2. "Daytime Drama" 4:02
3. "Eyes Without a Face" 4:58
4. "Blue Highway" 5:05
5. "Flesh for Fantasy" 4:37
6. "Catch My Fall" Idol 3:42
7. "Crank Call" 3:56
8. "(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows" 3:10
9. "The Dead Next Door" 3:45

Total length: 38:00

Keith Forsey – producer

Michael Frondelli – engineer, mixing

Dave Wittman – engineer, mixing

Gary Hellman – engineer

Steve Rinkoff – engineer

Pete Thea – engineer

George Marino – mastering

Brian Griffin – photography

Michael MacNeil – cover design

Stephanie Tudor – production co-ordination

Bob Norberg – mastering (1999 expanded edition)

Kevin Flaherty – compilation (1999 expanded edition)

Steve Stevens "Atomic Playboys"

Atomic Playboys is the first studio album by guitarist Steve Stevens, released in 1989 through Warner Bros. Records; a remastered edition containing two bonus tracks was reissued on August 5, 2013 through Rock Candy Records. The album reached No. 119 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The cover art was done by surrealist artist H.R. Giger, who designed the Xenomorph creature in the Alien film series.

Atomic Playboys was also the name of Stevens' band at the time, which was only meant to be a one-album effort upon him being signed to Warner Bros. In a 2001 interview, when asked about the possibly of reforming the group, Stevens replied: "Absolutely not. That group was a very expensive hobby".

Track listing

1. "Atomic Playboys" Steve Stevens 5:47
2. "Power of Suggestion" Stevens 4:37
3. "Action" (The Sweet cover) Andy Scott, Mick Tucker, Brian Connolly, Steve Priest 4:44
4. "Desperate Heart" Stevens, Perry McCarty, Beau Hill, Fiona 4:33
5. "Soul on Ice" Stevens 3:57
6. "Crackdown" Stevens 5:44
7. "Pet the Hot Kitty" Stevens, McCarty, Hill 4:03
8. "Evening Eye" Stevens, McCarty 3:56
9. "Woman of 1,000 Years" Stevens 4:21
10. "Run Across Desert Sands" (instrumental) Stevens 3:52
11. "Slipping into Fiction" Stevens 4:43

Total length: 50:17

Billy Idol "Idol Songs: 11 Of The Beast"

Idol Songs: 11 of the Best is a compilation album by English rock vocalist Billy Idol, released in 1988. It comprises all the singles released from his first three albums, Billy Idol, Rebel Yell and Whiplash Smile, plus the live version of "Mony Mony" and re-recorded Generation X song "Dancing with Myself", both of which appeared on Idol's debut EP Don't Stop. A limited edition version also contained a further four remixes. The album reached number 2 in the UK. The album has been certified by BPI platinum. It was reissued with a different title and cover artwork in 2003 as The Essential.

All songs written and composed by Billy Idol except where noted.

1. "Rebel Yell" (Idol, Steve Stevens)– 4:48
2. "Hot in the City" – 3:38
3. "White Wedding" – 3:34
4. "Eyes Without a Face" (Idol, Stevens) – 4:10
5. "Catch My Fall" – 3:43
6. "Mony Mony" (live) (Bobby Bloom, Ritchie Cordell, Bo Gentry, Tommy James) – 4:09
7. "To Be a Lover" (William Bell, Booker T. Jones) – 3:52
8. "Sweet Sixteen" – 4:15
9. "Flesh for Fantasy" (Idol, Stevens) – 3:49
10. "Don't Need a Gun" – 4:28
11. "Dancing with Myself" (single version) (Idol, Tony James) – 3:20

Limited Edition bonus track version (DBILCD1)

1. "Don't Need a Gun" (Melt Down Mix) – 7:08
2. "Mony Mony" (Hung Like a Pony Mix) – 7:02
3. "Eyes Without a Face" (Extended Version) – 4:58
4. "To Be a Lover" (Mother of Mercy Mix) – 6:49

Note: "Don't Need a Gun" (Melt Down Mix) was unavailable elsewhere on CD and remained exclusive to the limited edition version. The "Mony Mony" (Hung Like a Pony Mix) was also available on the Japanese issue of the "Vital Idol" compilation. These two tracks are easily available since 2012 on the So80s compilation.

Billy Idol "Greatest Hits"

Greatest Hits is a compilation of Billy Idol's most popular singles, released by Capitol Records in 2001. The album includes two additional tracks: a live recording of one of his most popular songs, "Rebel Yell" (this live version was recorded in 1993 and appeared as a b-side for the single "Speed" in 1994), plus a new version of Idol's longtime producer Keith Forsey's "Don't You (Forget About Me)". Although Forsey originally wrote the song with Idol in mind, Idol turned it down and eventually the song was given to Simple Minds who would go on to make it a worldwide hit in 1985. Greatest Hits was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2005.

Track listing

1. "Dancing with Myself" Billy Idol, Tony James 4:50
2. "Mony Mony" Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, Bobby Bloom 5:01
3. "Hot in the City" B. Idol 3:33
4. "White Wedding" B. Idol 4:12
5. "Rebel Yell" B. Idol, Steve Stevens 4:46
6. "Eyes Without a Face" B. Idol, S. Stevens 4:57
7. "Flesh for Fantasy" B. Idol, S. Stevens 4:37
8. "Catch My Fall" B. Idol 3:41
9. "To Be a Lover" William Bell, Booker T. Jones 3:52
10. "Don't Need a Gun" (single edit) B. Idol 5:23
11. "Sweet Sixteen" B. Idol 4:14
12. "Cradle of Love" B. Idol, David Werner 4:38
13. "L.A. Woman" (single edit) Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek 4:03
14. "Shock to the System" B. Idol, Mark Younger-Smith 3:36
15. "Rebel Yell" (live and acoustic) B. Idol, S. Stevens 5:35
16. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" Keith Forsey, Steve Schiff 4:52