Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Idol, Billy
Label: Chrysalis Records
Release: 1983
Length: 38:10
Rating: 5/5
Billy Idol, former frontman of the long-defunct British punks Generation X, became a music phenomenon of a special kind soon after the hugely successful start of his solo career with his 1982 debut. He was also one of the first stars of the brand-new MTV. Teaming up with guitar virtuoso Steve Stevens and producer Keith Forsey, Idol made three superb solo albums in the eighties, and they still mark the peak of his creative output. The most brilliant moment of his career was without a doubt “Rebel Yell” from 1983, where every single track was a class of its own, and all four hit singles stood out in particular. They’ve been a must in his live set ever since.
Unlike most of his punk peers, Billy never hid that his biggest heroes were The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. On “Rebel Yell” he showed a rare knack for fusing two musical worlds, pairing his rebellious vocal attitude with serious sonic sophistication. The album uses plenty of that typically eighties synth tech and synthetic effects, but Billy didn’t overdo it. Within his one-of-a-kind blend of hard rock, new wave and post-punk, he used just the right amount of synth texture, so he and guitar wizard Stevens always kept the production’s two mightiest forces front and center. Most of the arrangements were also sweetened with hypnotic, melodic choruses, which went a long way toward making them evergreens so fast.
The title track, still an unforgettable rebel anthem that unites fans of all kinds of genres, from new wavers to metalheads, was a monster hit from day one. In this killer tune, Stevens’ dynamic guitar lines weave beautifully with colorful synth textures, held together by Idol’s commanding, utterly distinctive vocal. It positively bursts with rebellious energy and aggressive punch, all peaking in a cocky chorus. Billy reportedly got the idea for the title of one of his biggest hits while hanging out with the Rolling Stones, who were just then toasting at the table with an American whiskey called ‘Rebel Yell’. “Daytime Drama,” with its almost danceable rhythmic pulse, is steeped in a somewhat calmer, romantic ambience, despite Stevens’ rather aggressive guitar lines.
Even today it’s hard to pick the high point of this excellent album, but the immortal ballad “Eyes Without a Face” deserves special recognition, as it sounds nothing like the rest of the material on “Rebel Yell.” It opens with ethereal synth arrangements, over which a distinctly nostalgic and romantic atmosphere soon takes shape. This was the second big “Rebel Yell” hit, and it came with an award-winning, strikingly vivid video. Filming it cost Idol an eye operation, because the sharp temperature swings fused his contact lenses to his eyes. One of the most vivid songs of Billy’s career carries an incredibly subtle vocal performance from this vocal chameleon. The peak is the nostalgic chorus, where female backing harmonies join Idol, courtesy of his then-sweetheart Perri Lister, while a superb Stevens guitar solo joins the symphonic curtains.
“Blue Highway” was another brilliant energy catalyst with an upbeat, atmospheric pulse, hard-rock guitar dynamics and a hypnotic chorus, though it was never picked as a single and never became a hit. That did happen, though, for the masterful “Flesh For Fantasy,” the next of the four “Rebel Yell” peaks, where Billy once again shows off an exceptional sense for melodic arranging, rhythmic fluidity and crafting mighty hooks. Especially during the chorus, it lifts the listener straight to the top of the rock Parnassus, and it fills you with untamed energy even when things aren’t going your way.
Idol’s next standard, “Catch My Fall,” was the last of the four hit singles. Billy and his bandmates, while the vocal rebel delivers a romantic lyric in his own inimitable way, once again pull off a fantastic chorus, with a joyful sax arrangement running through it in top style. “Crank Call” has razor-sharp guitar lines that battle it out with fluid synth textures, while Billy slowly builds up his trademark vocal aggression to a climax in a mighty chorus. “(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows” has a proto-punk rhythmic pulse where Idol’s vocal feels right at home with the rebellious approach, and then Stevens spins a short but daring guitar solo. “The Dead Next Door,” where various effects create a still-life, slightly mysterious mood and where you can also sense the influence of the legendary David Bowie, closes the album in an extremely calm, ambient way.
More than three decades on, “Rebel Yell” is still the brightest jewel in the crown of the eternal rebel, and one of the best albums of the 1980s. All four hits rank among the most notorious classics of the era, but they’re far from the only brilliant “Rebell Yell” moments, and thanks in part to Forsey’s superb production the album remains an undisputed masterpiece. Idol went on to make one more very successful record with Stevens and Forsey, “Whiplash Smile” (1986). After that, this hugely fruitful collaboration among the three was put on ice for almost twenty years, until Idol’s ‘comeback’ album “Devil’s Playground” (2005).
Lineup
Billy Idol – vocals, guitar
Steve Stevens – guitar, synthesizer, bass guitar
Sal Cuevas – bass guitar
Steve Webster – bass guitar
Judi Dozier – keyboards
Jack Waldman – keyboards
Thommy Price – drums
Gregg Gerson – drums
Mars Williams – saxophone
Perri Lister – backing vocals
Production
Keith Forsey
Track list
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 (3:57)
7. Crank Call (3:56)
8. (Do Not) Stand in the Shadow (3:10)
9. The Dead Next Door (3:45)
