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What a plaintive song, edgar. That way of life may have vanished, but the nostalgia is still there, right?

Found this man while roaming aimlessly through the archives, and I feel that it reflects your song, Texas.

MICHAEL JOHNATHON
folksinger - tree hugger
"Take the inventiveness of Bob Dylan, the melodic voice of John Denver, add the showmanship of Garrison Keillor and that's Michael Johnathon." Bob Spear - Publisher, HEARTLAND REVIEW

Michael Johnathon is a folksinger, songwriter, gardener, painter, concert performer, author, and now playwright with a worldwide radio and TV audience approaching two million listeners each week. He began his career in New York, moved to the Mexican border in Laredo Texas and then started performing in the Appalachian mountains while living in Mousie, Kentucky.

Give me a day... when the sun is shining
Give me a day... when the rain don't fall
Give me a day... when the city is singing
And then I'll cry... a long, hard cry

Give me a night... noche en paz
Alone in the darkness... noche en paz
Give me a night... at my true love's side
Give me a night... when my children are dreamin'
And then I'll cry... a long, hard cry

Give me a dream... miechta
That I wanna keep dreamin'... miechta
Give me a dream... I can fly through the sky
Give me a dream... all the people are dreamin'
And then I'll cry... a long, hard cry

Give me a war... where the people keep living
Give me a war... where the innocent survive
Give me a war... where the leaders are learning
And then I'll cry... a long, hard cry

Give me a tear... la larme du monde
From the joys of laughter
Give me a tear... of a happy day
Give me a tear... la paix
Of the peace that we're after... la paix
And then I'll cry... a long, hard cry
And then I'll cry... a long, hard cry

Give me the dream... noche en paz... la larme du monde
Give me the dream... noche en paz... la paix
Give me the dream... noche en paz... la larme du monde

.

good evening !
GAILY THE TROUBADOUR will sing and play for you :

Good evening, hbg. You and I are thinking alike tonight, Canada. Yours is a lovely troubadour song about war and mine is a Spanish Cavalier.

Don't ask why I know this one, because I don't know the answer.

A Spanish cavalier stood in his retreat,
And on his guitar played a tune, dear.
The music so sweet would ofttimes repeat
The blessings of my country and you, dear.

Chorus: Say, darling, say, when I'm far away,
Sometimes you may think of me, dear.
Bright sunny days will soon fade away.
Remember what I say and be true, dear.

I'm off to war; to the war I must go
To fight for my country and you, dear,
But if I should fall, in vain I would call
The blessings of my country and you, dear.

(Chorus, with 'Remember what I say and be true, dear' substituted for second line.)

When the war is o'er, to you I'll return,
Again to my country and you, dear,
But if I be slain, you must seek me in vain;
Upon the battlefield you will find me.

(Chorus, as in second stanza)

Strange to me, folks, that cavalier treatment is a negative thing, while a singing cavalier is positive.

well , let's have the troubadour sing and the ballerina dance :

BALLERINA AT THE HANDRAIL by fernando botero



probably from a MARX BROTHERS MOVIE :wink:

Guess I had better say goodnight, all. I dread tomorrow, because I have a lot of "work business" that I must do.

How about a funny song; maybe I can make myself smile.

TOM LEHRER REVISITED
The Hunting Song
Almost every day during the hunting season you see at least one item in the newspapers about somebody who has shot somebody else, under the impression that he was a deer with a red hat, perhaps. Maybe a large flesh-colored squirrel. At any rate, it seems to me that this marks an encouraging new trend in the field of blood sports, and deserves a new type of hunting song which I present herewith.

I always will remember,
'Twas a year ago November,
I went out to hunt some deer
On a morning bright and clear.
I went and shot the maximum the game laws would allow:
Two game wardens, seven hunters, and a cow.

I was in no mood to trifle,
I took down my trusty rifle
And went out to stalk my prey.
What a haul I made that day!
I tied them to my fender, and I drove them home somehow:
Two game wardens, seven hunters, and a cow.

The law was very firm, it
Took away my permit,
The worst punishment I ever endured.
It turned out there was a reason,
Cows were out of season,
And one of the hunters wasn't insured.

People ask me how I do it,
And I say "There's nothin' to it,
You just stand there lookin' cute,
And when something moves, you shoot!"
And there's ten stuffed heads in my trophy room right now:
Two game wardens, seven hunters, and a pure-bred Guernsey cow.

Love it!

Goodnight.

From Letty with love

Oops, hbg. Just saw your ballerina. Thanks for the smile, buddy, and did you know that Nat Cole sang that song?

Time to retire and I think no one will have to sing me to sleep.

Walter Brennan
Dutchman's gold,)
(Oh, Dutchman's gold.)

Brennan:
In The Arizona desert
Stands a giant of earth and stone
Mighty superstition mountain
With it's mystery and it's gold.

A miner, out prospectin'
Found his fortune and his fame
Found the gold of superstition
Just plain Dutchman, was his name.

Chorus:
Oh, the Dutchman was a gambler
And a party was his fun
But he kept his precious secret
Never trusting anyone.

And in death, he still is laughing
For the grave his secret holds
And the mighty superstition
Keeps the Dutchman's yellow gold.

Yellow gold.

Brennan:
Mighty superstition mountain
Standing high and all alone
Once you told your precious secret
And you gave your soft, pure gold.

'Pache indians know the story
And in legend there is told
Many takes of the beginnin'
When you gave your yellow gold.

Now I'd like to dream and wonder
If someday you'll give again
The bounty of your treasure
To some lonely, strugglin' man.

And if you, in all your splender
May choose me to be the one
To find your precious treasure
Shinin' yella, in the sun.

Chorus:
Oh, the Dutch,an was a gambler
And a party was his fun
But he kept his precious secret
Never trusting anyone.

And in death, he still is laughing
For the grave his secret holds
And the mighty superstition
Keeps the Dutchman's yellow gold

Yellow gold.
Yellow gold.
Yellow gold.
Dutchman's gold

Good morning, WA2K listeners and contributors.

edgar, thanks for the "gold" song, and I just did some research and found that Walter Brennan was a main stay in The Real McCoys. I know there is a ballad out there somewhere about the Hatfields and McCoys, but, alas, I cannot locate it. Well, the next best thing, I suppose, is this song by Willie Nelson.

The only two things in life that make it worth living,
Is guitars tuned good and firm-feeling women.
I dont need my name in the marquee lights,
I got my song and I got you with me tonight.
Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love.
Lets go to Luckenbach, Texas,
With Waylon and Willie and the boys.
This successful life were living,
Got us feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys.
Between Hank Williams' pain songs,
An' Newberry's train songs,
An' "Blue Eyes Cryin' In The Rain",
Out in Luckenbach, Texas,
Aint nobody feeling no pain.
So baby lets sell your diamond ring,
Buy some boots and faded jeans and go away.
This coat and tie is choking me,
In your high society, you cry all day.
Weve been so busy keeping up with the Jones,
Four-car garage and were still building on.
Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love.
Lets go to Luckenbach, Texas,
With Waylon and Willie and the boys.
This successful life were living,
Got us feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys.
Between Hank Williams' pain songs,
An Newberry's train songs,
An' "Blue Eyes Cryin' In The Rain",
Out in Luckenbach, Texas,
Aint nobody feeling no pain.
Lets go to Luckenbach, Texas,
With Waylon and Willie and the boys.
This successful life were living's,
Got us feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys.
Between the Hank Williams' pain songs,
An Jerry Jeff's train songs,
An' "Blue Eyes Cryin' In The Rain",
Out in Luckenbach, Texas,
Aint nobody feeling no pain.

I liked edgar's song about Dutchman's gold, here is another one about a Dutchman.

The Dutchman (As sung by Steve Goodman)

The Dutchman's not the kind of man who keeps his thumb jammed in the dam
That holds his dreams in
But that's a secret that only Margaret knows

When Amsterdam is golden in the summer Margaret brings him breakfast
She believes him
He thinks the tulips bloom beneath the snow

He's mad as he could be
But Margaret only sees that sometimes
Sometimes she sees her unborn children in his eyes

Let us go to the banks of the ocean
Where the walls rise above the Zuiderzee
Long ago I used to be a young man
And dear Margaret remembers that for me

The Dutchman still wears wooden shoes, his cap and coat are patched with the love
That Margaret sewed there
Sometimes he thinks he's still in Rotterdam

And he watches the tugboats down canals, calls out to them when he thinks
He knows the captain
Till Margaret comes to take him home again

Through unforgiving streets
That trip him though she holds his arm
Sometimes he thinks he's alone and he calls her name

Let us go to the banks of the ocean ...

The wind has whirled the windmills round, she winds his muffler tighter
And they sit in the kitchen
Some tea with whisky keeps away the dew

And he sees her for a moment, calls her name, and she makes the bed up singing
Some old love song
A song Margaret learned when it was very new

He hums a line or two
They sing together in the dark
The Dutchman falls asleep and Margaret blows the candle out

Let us go to the banks of the ocean ...

One of my favorite Walter Brennan roles is opposite Gary Cooper, in which he plays Judge Roy Bean. The film is The Westerner.

This is one of the most unusual and delightful Westerns ever made. What sets it apart is the relative lack of action, the way that director William Wyler shifts most of the interest onto the relationship and interpersonal interplay between Cole Hardin (Gary Cooper, in one of his finest Western roles) and Judge Roy Bean (Walter Brennan). The way the two move from instant enemies, to unexpected friends, to uneasy opponents, to reluctant enemies, and finally back to sympathetic friends is masterfully portrayed. As fine as Cooper is, much of the credit lies with Brennan, who became the first person to win three acting Oscars by picking up his third Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Unlike his other Oscar wins, this role was essentially a lead role. Although many actors have portrayed Judge Roy Bean over the years, Brennan's is the definitive one, despite being the least historically accurate. If his version isn't the most faithful, it is the most compelling. He manages to be utterly absurd, dangerously unpredictable, and utterly likable at the same time.
The story essentially falls into two halves. The first involves Gary Cooper's accidental identification in Judge Bean's saloon as a horse thief, his trial and conviction, and clever manipulation of the Judge to gain a reprieve. The second half concerns Cooper's taking sides in a range war, siding with a lone female farmer against cattlemen. Both halves are brought together nicely in Cooper and Brennan's final struggle that ends the film.

Along with Walter Brennan and Gary Cooper, the real star of this film is Gregg Toland, whose cinematography rivets the viewer's attention on the screen from beginning to end. Toland, who died tragically young in 1948 at the age of 44, is universally regarded as one of the very greatest cinematographers of all time, and THE WESTERNER was one of his finest efforts in a very, very great streak of films over a relatively short period of time. In the period running from 1939-41, Toland was responsible for filming such extraordinary classics as WUTHERING HEIGHTS, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, THE WESTERNER, and CITIZEN KANE. Has any cinematographer ever had a two-year period matching this one? I saw THE WESTERNER years before I knew who Gregg Toland was, but I long retained the memory of several of the amazing shots Toland framed. He was a favorite of director William Wyler, who would employ him often during Toland's tragically short career.

Toland's photography manages to give this film an epic feel and scope, while the tensions in the relationship between Cooper and Brennan make it a highly intimate film. This is easily one of the most unique Westerns in the history of Holly, and one of the best.

Dutchy, welcome back. I love your song, buddy. When I was a wee thing, I was fascinated with wooden shoes and tulips. Remember the legend of the wealthy lady from the Zuiderzee? It was one of my favorites.

edgar, thank you for the mini lesson in moviecology. Hey, folks. I just coined a word.

How about a song by Fat Tulips, then.

My Secret Place

Passing time on a railway line
Trying not to fall from the tungsten tracks
Wishing that one day
That train won't pass me by
A desolate station long disused
The barren platform's overrun
With weeds that whisper
Staring me in the eye

As I sit on a broken bench
Blowing time from a dandelion
I hope no-one will find me
Discover my secret place
My secret place

Like the paint on the platform sign
My thoughts of you are crumbling
Tumbling to the dusty floor
Like I'm stumbling to discover more
What went wrong?
What went wrong with us?
Will I always be the only passenger on the platform?
Waiting for another train
That may never come along
Waiting for another train
That will probably
Never find my secret place

As I sit on a broken bench
And blow time from a dandelion
I hope someone will find me
Discover my secret place
My secret place.

morning all !
just a short song by a fellow who surely is a goner
(it's blustery her - a bit of snow - but this fellow sure feels the warmth of his sweet love )

Good afternoon, hbg. Had to do some financial stuff, but it's a burden I've had to bear. That's my "poor me" for the day.

Loved the lyrics to your song, Canada, and an inspiration from your lovely picture of the nightingale made me recall Jenny Lind, "The Swedish Nightingale".

Here's a tribute to her and P.T. Barnum from Gordon Lightfoot.

A Lesson in Love

Nothing is for certain, that's what the showman said
First you must open the curtain
And stand them on their heads
There can be no inhibitions, no prima donna ways
If you want to pass the audition
And times is tough these days

Remember when Mr. Barnum presented Jenny Lind
They named a candy after her, a circus after him
End of my story, the rest is history
She in all of her glory, he lived quietly
He needed her, she needed him, as sure as the sky above
In a way it was for them
A lesson in love, a lesson in love

You look like the moonglow that follows me home
Always makes me turn around, won't leave me alone
First to come are the midgets, a monkey and a kid
Followed by those two one-armed jugglers, the ego and the id

Songs of the season, apples of the sun
There is no rhyme or reason, just a time for each and every one
Hang on Mr. Barnum, hang on Jenny Lind
We will meet you in streets of gold where eternity begins
We will let it all hangout, go hand in glove
Life was meant to live and learn, a lesson in love, a lesson in love

Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. (born November 30, 1918 in New York, New York) is an American actor best known for his roles in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The F.B.I. and for several appearances as "Dandy Jim Buckley" on TV's Maverick.

Zimbalist is the son of violinist Efrem Zimbalist, Sr. (1889-1985) and operatic soprano Alma Gluck (1884-1938). Like his father before him he is also an accomplished violinist and a composer.

A 1940 graduate of Yale University, Zimbalist had a stage career as both actor and producer. He also appeared in leading and supporting roles in several feature films, including Harlow, Wait Until Dark, and Airport 1975.

Born Jewish, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. has had a close association with evangelical Christianity, having appeared on some Christian radio and television shows including "The 700 Club", Pat Boone's radio show[citation needed] and TBN. Zimbalist was an early practitioner and proponent of Transcendental Meditation, as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, prior to his conversion to Christianity.

His wife was Stephanie Spaulding Zimbalist, who died of lung cancer on February 4, 2007. She was 73 years old. [1]

Zimbalist is the father of actress Stephanie Zimbalist and of Efrem Zimbalist III. He had a recurring role on his daughter's 1980s mystery series, Remington Steele. In 1989, Zimbalist played the father of Zorro in the (then Christian Broadcasting Network's- aka CBN) Family Channel's remake "The New Zorro". Zimbalist relinquished the role after the program's first season, due to time being spent on location. Zimbalist had a small recurring role in the 1990s science fiction TV series Babylon 5 as William Edgars.

Zimbalist also provided the voice of the German-accented Dr. Octopus on the 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Alfred Pennyworth in Batman: The Animated Series. He has appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.[2]

Zimbalist has written an autobiography My Dinner of Herbs, published by Limelight Editions, New York.

Virginia Mayo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Birth name Virginia Clara Jones
Born November 30, 1920(1920-11-30)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died January 17, 2005 (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active 1939 - 1997
Spouse(s) Michael O'Shea (1947-1973)

Virginia Mayo (November 30, 1920 - January 17, 2005) was an American film actress.





Early life

Born Virginia Clara Jones in St. Louis, Missouri. Tutored by a series of dancing instructors engaged by her aunt, she appeared in the St. Louis Municipal Opera chorus and then appeared with six other girls at an act at the Jefferson Hotel. There she was recruited by vaudeville performer Andy Mayo to appear in his act (as ringmaster for two men in a horse suit), taking his surname as her stage name. She appeared in vaudeville for three years in the act, appearing with Eddie Cantor on Broadway in 1941's Banjo Eyes.


Hollywood

Mayo continued her career as a dancer, then signed a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and appeared in several of Goldwyn's movies. With Danny Kaye she made comedies including Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947).

In 1949's White Heat she took on the role of "Verna Jarrett," opposite James Cagney. Mayo later claimed in interviews that she was occasionally genuinely frightened by Cagney during the filming of the picture, because Cagney's acting was so realistic and natural.

She was cast against type in The Best Years of Our Lives, in which she gave a performance that garnered much acclaim.

Her film career continued through the 1950s and 1960s, frequently in B-movie westerns and adventure films. While she also appeared in musicals, Mayo's singing voice was always dubbed.

Mayo has a star on the Walk of Fame, for her work in television, at 1751 Vine Street.

In 1996 she received a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.


Personal life

In 1947, she married actor Michael O'Shea, who died in 1973. They had one child, Mary Catherine O'Shea (born in 1953). The O'Shea family lived for several decades in Thousand Oaks, California.

In the 1990s, Mayo donated her extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia to the Thousand Oaks Library. She died of natural causes in Los Angeles in 2005 at the age of 84.

Richard Crenna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Birth name Richard Donald Crenna
Born November 30, 1926(1926-11-30)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died January 17, 2003 (aged 76) (aged 76)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active 1940s-2000s
Spouse(s) Penni Sweeney (m. 1959 until his death in 2003)

Richard Donald Crenna (November 30, 1926 - January 17, 2003) was an American actor. He had a long career in films, appearing in such movies as The Sand Pebbles, Wait Until Dark, Body Heat, First Blood (and its following Rambo sequels), Hot Shots! Part Deux and The Flamingo Kid.





Biography

Early life

Crenna was born in Los Angeles, California to Italian immigrants from Tuscany, Italy.[1] His father was a pharmacist and his mother managed a hotel. He attended Belmont High School and the University of Southern California.[2]


Career

Crenna got his acting start on radio, appearing in My Favorite Husband, Boy Scout Jamboree, A Date With Judy, The Great Gildersleeve and Our Miss Brooks. He remained with the cast of the latter show when it transitioned to television. When Our Miss Brooks underwent a format change, writing out his character Walter Denton, he moved to another television program, The Real McCoys starring Walter Brennan. Crenna played the lead in a television series for one season in 1964's Slattery's People.

Crenna is also known as John Rambo's ex-Commanding Officer "Col. Trautman" in the Rambo trilogy.

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6714 Hollywood Blvd.


Personal life

Suffering from pancreatic cancer, Crenna died on January 17, 2003 of heart failure in Los Angeles, California at the age of 76. At the time of his death, he had a recurring role in the television series Judging Amy. On the show, his death was recognized by the death of the character he portrayed.

Crenna's son, Richard Anthony Crenna, is also an actor.

Billy Idol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Background information

Birth name William Michael Albert Broad
Born November 30, 1955 (1955-11-30) (age 52)
Origin Middlesex, England, UK
Genre(s) Hard rock, New Wave, Synthpop, Punk rock
Occupation(s) Musician, Actor
Instrument(s) Vocals
Guitar
Years active 1977 - present
Label(s) Chrysalis Records
Sanctuary Records
Associated
acts Generation X
Website BillyIdol.net

Billy Idol (born William Michael Albert Broad) is a British musician and singer.

With his spiked peroxide blonde hair, sneering visage and a voice capable of singing growling rock and roll and crooning ballads, Idol became a cultural icon during the 1980's. He first achieved fame as the lead singer of the first-wave UK punk band Generation X. When that band broke up, Idol moved to New York where he met guitarist Steve Stevens. The two of them set out to make punk music sexier, recording a series of hit singles. A series of stylish music videos made him one of the first stars of MTV. His success has waned since the 1990s, but Idol continues to make music.




Biography

Early life and career

William was the first child born to Bill and Joan Broad, shortly after the family moved to Long Island, New York. Two years later, Billy's sister Jane was born. The Broads returned to England after four years of living in the United States. They moved to Mickleham, Surrey before moving to Goring, Sussex.

The Broads were a religious family, and William joined the St. Mary's cub scouts, becoming a full scout. It has been said that William was kicked out of the scouts for making out with a young girl behind a hotdog stand.[citation needed]

Broad progressed well with his studies and his family moved to Bromley, Kent. His father was working as a salesman, and William worked for him as he was growing up.

In 1971, Broad transferred to Ravensbourne Grammar School. He failed to achieve the necessary requirements for a place at University. His parents were upset over his grades and eventually enrolled him in a school that was more relaxed. Broad was allowed to re-take his placement exams at the Orpington College of Further Education. He could grow his hair out, and wouldn't have to wear a school uniform. He soon secured himself a place at Sussex University and took classes in English and Philosophy in September 1975.

Punk rock erupted in England in the mid-1970s, and Broad immersed himself in the scene. He became part of a Sex Pistols fan club called the Bromley Contingent. The club had a lot of admiration for the shocking and boundary breaking band, and wherever the Pistols went, so too did the Contingents.

In 1975, Broad decided to start his own band called The Rockettes. He met another person that shared his musical dreams when he met Tony James. James was interested in starting a band too. Much to the dismay of his parents, Broad decided to drop out of school to focus on music.

In the summer of 1976, singer Gene October put an ad in the Melody Maker searching for "guys who liked the bands, Television and the Ramones." Broad joined Gene October, John Towe (drums) and Tony James (bass) forming the band Chelsea. Broad changed his name to "Billy Idol" and became the band's guitar player.

Broad chose the stage name "Billy Idol" after remembering a comment a teacher had written on a report card. The teacher wrote "William is idle."[1] It was a comment which would stay in Broad's mind for a long time. Broad decided to change the spelling to "Idol" due to the fame of actor and comedian Eric Idle of Monty Python. Broad admired performers like David Bowie (born David Robert Jones), Iggy Pop (born James Newell Osterberg, Jr), Marc Bolan (born Mark Feld), Johnny Rotten (born John Lydon) and Sid Vicious (born John Simon Ritchie) and since his heroes had all changed their names, it seemed like the logical thing to do when he started playing music of his own.

In 1976, Idol and Tony James formed a band with John Towe and started playing shows. The band was named after the 1965 book Generation X, which contained a series of interviews with teens in the Mod subculture.[2][3]

Idol decided the band needed to find a guitarist so he could concentrate on being the group's lead singer. Idol spotted a young guitarist named Bob "Derwood" Andrews from Fulham at a local youth club one night and asked him to join the group. John Towe was eventually kicked out of the band and the group replaced him with Mark Laff, who was playing with minimalist group Subway Sect.

The band became a big deal throughout London and eventually record companies started showing up at shows. Generation X was an image-conscious band. They were more about the image than they were about the music. Tony James stated in an interview that he would never allow a fat person in the group.[4]

Generation X signed to Chrysalis Records in 1977, and were rising to success when they crashed under the weight of it all. Punk music no longer stood for the things it once had, and even though Generation X took a lot of punk elements and added them into their sound and image, they were often seen as being too "commercial." Generation X was the first punk band to appear on the BBC's "Top of the Pops" program. The band was on the rise, touring in countries like Japan.

The band was going through many changes in personnel, and Idol and James realized that their manager Stewart Joseph was mishandling their money. They tried to find new management and Bill Aucoin's name kept popping up.[citation needed] Aucoin was working out of New York, and was also managing the rock band Kiss at the time.

Idol, James and new member Terry Chimes decided to carry on as a trio even though they needed a guitar player. Keith Forsey was brought in to help record and produce their third and final album. Steve Jones of Sex Pistols fame was brought in to play guitar on a few tracks. John McGeoch, guitarist from Magazine and Siouxie & The Banshees was also brought in to help finish the album.

In 1981, the band shortened their name to simply "Gen X" and released the single "Dancing With Myself" in the UK. It failed to become the big hit the band was waiting for. The band found new guitarist Steve Andrews and asked him to join the band. The new album was called Kiss Me Deadly. In 1980, the band embarked on a short but successful tour.

At this time, Idol was dating a dancer by the name of "Perri Lister" who became a major influence on his music. Perri was one of the original, "Blitz Kids" along with Steve Strange. She had also been a dancer with "Hot Gossip" on the Kenny Everett television program during the late 1970s in England. She had starred in several music videos with Duran Duran and Def Leppard, and even started her own girl group, called "Boomerang." Even though Idol was never totally loyal to Perri[citation needed], she would remain his girlfriend for close to nine years.


New York

Generation X couldn't hold itself together and the members soon parted ways. Producer Keith Forsey and Bill Aucoin took hold of Billy Idol's career and quickly moved him to New York in hopes of capturing an American audience.

The punk era had come and gone, and "New Wave" was taking over. Radio stations wouldn't play a punk album, let alone an album with a guy with white spiked hair on the cover. Record companies found a way around this by re-marketing their artists. Most music, even older punk acts were now marketed as "New Wave" so they would receive fair radio play.

A few of Idol's songs could be heard playing in the New York dance clubs. "Dancing With Myself" had been remixed, and Idol heard the song being played at a club one night. The idea was to capitalize on the song's popularity by re-releasing it on his own.

Keith Forsey and Billy Idol produced the Don't Stop EP in 1980. The EP was re-released in 1983 containing an interview with MTV VJ Martha Quinn. Billy became quite popular in the New York area and was building a name for himself. Since radio wouldn't play a "punk" record, Idol's single "Mony Mony" was shipped to stations without his picture attached.

Idol was introduced to Steve Stevens by manager Bill Aucoin. Stevens was an up and coming guitarist who had been playing for a band called "The Fine Malibus" who were also being managed by Aucoin. Stevens had recorded an album with the band, and the album was due for release by Island Records, but the deal fell through and the album was shelved. Feeling that his career was going nowhere, Stevens told Aucoin that he was quitting the band. Aucoin talked Stevens into putting together a new band, and one name that kept popping up was "Billy Idol." Aucoin gave Stevens some of Idol's music and set up a meeting between the two. The pair hit it off, and started writing material for a full length album.

Idol's self titled LP was released in 1982. He was having a hard time getting played on the radio, and knew he needed another outlet. That outlet would be the recently created MTV network. Idol became a household name when his videos for "White Wedding" and "Dancing with Myself" made their debut.

"White Wedding" sparked a bit of controversy over the wedding ring Idol places on Perri Lister's finger. The ring was intended to look sharp and cut Perri's finger as Idol slid it on. MTV edited that portion of the video out.

In 1983, "Dancing With Myself" was released in the U.S. in an effort to introduce Idol to American audiences not yet as familiar with him. The music video was directed by Tobe Hooper, produced by Jeffrey Abelson, and conceptualized by Keith Williams. It was played in heavy rotation on MTV for six months. The "Dancing With Myself" video sparked a whole new era of feature film directors that would try their hand at directing music videos.

Billy was featured in several MTV commercials saying, "I Want My MTV" which was MTV's main slogan in the early eighties. Most cable stations didn't include MTV when the network first got its start. People in rural parts of America didn't have the network available to them. These people were told to call to their cable providers telling them, "I Want My MTV."
"White Wedding" was rumored to be a "nasty put down" by Idol and then-girlfriend Perri Lister, directed at Idol's sister for thinking that getting married was the answer to getting pregnant. In the 2001 recording of VH1 Storytellers Idol refutes that, saying his sister's wedding was simply inspiration for the song, which quickly took on its own form. Years after the video, Idol's sister is still married with three children.
"White Wedding" is also a nickname for cocaine.
The video for "Hot in the City" was banned by MTV for its use of imagery. The video featured Lister tied to a cross.
Idol appeared on MTV's New Years Eve special in 1983. He played "Dancing With Myself."
It was about this time that Idol got his famous "Octobarina" tattoo on his left arm. Octobriana is a Russian heroine, "The spirit of the October Revolution." Octobriana's mission was to fight for the Russian People, against the oppressive Soviet Government and all sorts of outlandish threats. The tattoo can be seen throughout the "Dancing With Myself" video.

Rebel Yell

Idol's second LP, Rebel Yell (1984) was a blockbuster success, and established his superstar status in the United States and in Canada with hits like "Eyes Without a Face", "Flesh For Fantasy", and the title cut; Idol also became very popular in Europe thanks to this album and its singles, particularly in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and later in his native UK.

Idol got the idea for "Rebel Yell" while he was at a party with the Rolling Stones. He saw one of the guys drinking some Kentucky straight burboun whisky called "Rebel Yell" and thought it would be a great title for an album.

The band recorded the album at the Record Plant in New York City. Idol, along with Stevens, bassist Steve Webster and producer Keith Forsey started laying down tracks but realized they needed to bring in a drummer. Thommy Price of the group "Scandal" was playing in an adjacent studio. Forsey had Price drum on the "Rebel Yell" album.

Perri Lister sings backup on "Eyes Without a Face."

Steve Stevens also credits himself for coming up with the title and lyrics to "Blue Highway."
Perri can be also be seen in the video for "Rebel Yell." The song "Rebel Yell" has been used in several movies and TV shows. The song appears in the first episode of Knight Rider called "Dead of Knight" (1984). The song was also used in Sixteen Candles, The Wraith (1986), and Big (1988).
It was also during this period that Idol met Robin David Ludwig (The Hammer), the designer and creator of the famous Billy Idol jewelery collection. Most of the crucifixes Idol wears were designed by "Robin the Hammer." The two of them are still close friends to this day.
Sesame Street parodied "Rebel Yell" with a punk Muppet singing "Rebel L."
David Lee Roth has a Billy Idol lookalike in his video for "Just a Gigolo." In the video Roth parodies the "Dancing With Myself" video and pushes Idol into the reactors.
Idol appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine issue number 440 in January 1985.

Whiplash Smile

Idol released Whiplash Smile in 1986, which put him back on the charts. The album included the hits "Don't Need A Gun" the country-flavored "Sweet Sixteen" and the William Bell and Booker T. Jones's Stax-era cover of "To Be a Lover."

A remix album was released in 1987 called Vital Idol. The album had already been available in the UK two years prior to the US release. The album featured a live cover of Tommy James' "Mony Mony". The single did well topping the US charts in 1987.

Idol has said in many interviews that "Mony Mony" was the song he lost his virginity to. During Idol's live shows the crowd will usually chant "Hey mother ******, get laid get fucked" between each verse. Idol can be seen mouthing these words in the live video for "Mony Mony".

Steve Stevens parted ways with Idol after Whiplash Smile. He claims that Idol's music was getting too synthesized and sequenced.[citation needed] Stevens also thought that Idol was getting tense about all of the attention he was getting as a guitar player. Stevens was offered a record deal through Warner Brothers that he couldn't refuse, so he decided it was time to split up with Idol.

Idol ran into trouble when he was busted by undercover police in New York City for carrying crack cocaine. A model by the name of Grace Hattersley had been with him, and this created a bit of turmoil in Idol's life. Hattersley held a press conference saying that she was involved with Billy Idol. Lister took the news quite badly, and decided to hold a press conference of her own, telling the world that she was, and had always been Idol's girlfriend.

Lister and Idol wanted to get "clean" and start a new life. Idol had been addicted to heroin and cocaine, and the two decided it would be best to move from New York to LA. Idol got involved in the Hollywood nightlife, and Lister realized that Idol would never remain loyal.

Idol was involved in a relationship with Linda Mathis (born and raised in Pasadena, CA). Though there was a thirteen-year age difference, and they began seeing each other regularly. At the age of 19, Mathis became pregnant and chose to move in with her mother to have her child. It was a girl named Bonnie Blue Broad, born August 21 1989.

Weird Al Yankovic parodies "Mony Mony" with his song "Alimony," which appears on his album from 1988, Even Worse.

Charmed Life

When Idol and Lister moved to LA to start life over, Lister gave birth to their son, "Willem Wolfe Broad." Idol was still seeing other women, and even obtained a second house for his affairs. Lister eventually left Idol in favor of a normal life.

In 1989, following his breakup with Lister, Idol found his way to Thailand. Idol claimed that he could get any drug he wanted over there, and had many women at his disposal. Newspapers said that Idol left his suites at three deluxe hotels in Thailand in shambles during his visit, with damage estimated at more than $20,000. Idol first checked in at the Oriental Hotel in central Bangkok, where carpets and a television set were among the ruined items. He paid $3,200 in damages before moving on to another hotel. Idol was eventually ejected from Bangkok with the help of the army after refusing to vacate a hotel penthouse where a three-week drug-and-sex spree had racked up a bill of about $250,000. It was reported that an important dignitary wanted the room and Idol refused to give it up.

Idol had been working on a new album for close to two years. In February of 1990, Idol was driving back to the studio to hear the final album, and was involved is a serious motorcycle accident. He had run a stop sign and collided with an oncoming vehicle. The accident almost cost Idol his leg. The doctor that first saw Idol was upset that someone had brought him down to look at a "bum". It was explained to the doctor that the patient was Billy Idol. Idol's leg was cracked in three places and he was suffering from a few broken ribs. His doctors managed to pull him through and save his leg through a lengthy operation and skin grafting.

The new album, Charmed Life was due for release and a video for the single "Cradle of Love" had to be shot. The song had been featured in the Andrew Dice Clay film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane and, "Cradle of Love" was set to be the title song for the movie.

Since Billy was unable to walk, director David Fincher decided to film Idol from the waist up. The video would feature footage of Idol singing in large frames throughout an apartment while the very young and beautiful model Betsy Lynn George was trying to seduce a modest and mild mannered businessman. The video was a huge hit and was placed in heavy rotation on MTV. Idol and George recreated the opening of the video for the 1991 American Music Awards.

Idol had always been a huge Doors fan, and he was asked to take part in the new movie, The Doors, directed by Oliver Stone. Idol was barely able to walk, therefore his part in the movie was trimmed down to a mere cameo, playing the role of "Cat", a friend of Jim Morrison's.

Against his doctors' orders, Idol decided to tour behind the Charmed Life album. Billy could be seen walking with a cane onstage. He got his personal jewellery maker, "Robin the Hammer" to customize a silver gauntlet for him. The gauntlet has "La Vie Enchantee" etched in the wrist. Robin also designed a large cross/knife necklace that can be seen in the "Cradle of Love" video.

Idol's stage show was quite elaborate, there was a new band featuring, Mark Younger-Smith as the new guitarist. A massive fist was designed to hang over the crowd. The words "Rude Dude" were written across the fingers. During the show the fist would rotate and flip off the audience. The hand can be seen in the video for "Prodigal Blues."

Idol's concert at Wembley stadium in December of 1990 was professionally filmed, but remains unreleased. Several bootleg copies exist from Japanese sources.
In 1991 Idol protested against motorcycle helmet laws in L.A.
Idol was charged with assault after allegedly punching a woman in the face. In 1992, he pleaded guilty and paid a fine.
Former Police frontman Sting parodied Billy during a skit on Saturday Night Live which aired in January of 1991. The skit featured Sting playing "Billy Idol" in the "Sinatra Group." Phil Hartman was playing Sinatra.

Cyberpunk

In 1993, Idol released Cyberpunk, which fell on deaf ears. Music had changed in 1993, and a lot of the bands that were popular in the eighties were now being pushed to the wayside in favor of the new "Seattle" movement. Cyberpunk is considered to be ahead of its time by many people, and very experimental for that period. The album reportedly took 10 months to record.

Idol claims that punk rock journalists Legs McNeil interviewed him while he was in the hospital being treated for his leg. He called Idol a "Cyberpunk" because of the muscle stimulator on his leg. He said it looked like man merging with machine. The critics slammed the album for many reasons, one being the over-commercialization of the word "Cyberpunk."

The album was recorded in a home studio using a Macintosh computer, which was a fairly new concept for the time. Idol recorded the album with Mark Younger-Smith and producer Robin Hancock. Special editions of the album were issued with a floppy disc, which contained a screen saver.

Idol shot a concept video for "Shock to the System." The video would feature Idol being attacked by several police for trying to videotape them beating up someone on the street. The idea of this goes back to the LA riots. Idol would then turn into a cyborg that scared away the police. A video EP was released to retail stores.

Idol had a lot of grand ideas for Cyberpunk and the short tour that followed. He changed his look during this period, growing a set of dreadlocks, and had a lot of ideas about using "Blendo" video footage during his show. Colorful footage and images would be edited live on a computer to fit the music.

In 1994 Idol collapsed outside an LA nightclub due to an overdose on a drug called GHB. GHB happened to be a legal drug at the time which was mainly used by weight-lifters. The drug would slow your system down, putting your body into a relaxed comatose like state. Drugs like this are often used to alter the effects of other drugs such as cocaine which speed the system up. Idol admitted to being hooked on a lot of heavier drugs at that time.

After the incident, Idol realized that his children would never forgive him for dying of a drug overdose, and he began to focus more on fatherhood. Idol has never admitted that he is totally off drugs, just that he has his habit under control. He claims to have first smoked marijuana at the age of 12, and also says he took acid at the age of thirteen.

The album pays tribute to Lou Reed with Idol's cover of "Heroin."
The Tour was called "The No Religion Tour."

The Late 90's/Early 2000's

Idol didn't want to release an album during this period because he was having a lot of problems with his record label. It was decided that he would wind up owing the record company money if he produced anything. EMI hired producer, Glenn Ballard to work with him on a new project, but Idol battled the label over creative differences and the album was put on hold.

In 1994 Idol and Steve Stevens contributed a song called "Speed" to the soundtrack of the hit movie Speed starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Even though Idol and Stevens worked together on this track, a reunion was not in the works.

In 1996 Idol appeared in a live version of the Who's Quadrophenia, playing the part of "The Ace Face/Cousin Kevin." Idol also started getting involved in cross country motorcycle rides, some of which involved riding for charity.

Idol returned to the popular eye in 1998, when he played himself in The Wedding Singer, an Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore 80s romantic comedy, where "White Wedding" was used as the title track.

In 2001 Idol reunited with guitarist Steve Stevens to write and record a new album. Idol and Stevens started touring, which generated a lot of attention. It wasn't long until VH1 got involved.

Another Greatest Hits CD was issued in 2001. Keith Forsey's "Don't You (Forget About Me)" appears on the compilation. Although Forsey originally wrote it 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.

The Greatest Hits album also includes a live acoustic version of "Rebel Yell" which is taken from a performance at L.A. station KROQ's 1993 Acoustic Christmas concert. EMI expected the Greatest Hits album to sell around 100,000 copies, but it has sold more than 940,000 so far, according to SoundScan.[citation needed]

Vh1 aired Billy Idol - Behind the Music on April 15th, 2001. The Behind the Music series was very popular at the time, and each band or artist that was featured on that program usually gained a resurgence of interest after the show had aired. Billy Idol and Steve Stevens were no exception.

On April 19th, 2001, Idol and Stevens took part in a VH1 Storytellers show. The reunited duo set out to play a series of acoustic/storytellers shows prior to recording the Vh1 special. The acoustic tour was a big success, and Idol eventually started adding new material into the show. The TV show was broadcast sometime later. A DVD and CD were issued.


"The Great Gonzo" of the Muppets sang "Dancing With Myself" in the third season (1997-1998) of the short lived Muppets Tonight TV show that aired on the Disney Channel. Dennis Quaid was hosting.
Fans noticed that the character "Spike (Buffyverse)" on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" television series played by actor "James Marsters resembles Billy Idol. In the television show, Spike is referred to as "William the Bloody." The show makes reference to the comparisons claiming that Idol stole his look from Spike.
In 2000, Idol was invited to be one of the guest vocalists on Tony Iommi's album. He contributed vocals on the song "Into The Night", which he also co-wrote.
Idol lent his voice to the mysterious alien character "Odin" in the animated fantasy film Heavy Metal 2000.
On August 1st, 2001 Idol and Stevens were asked to take part in MTV's twentieth birthday bash. They played "Rebel Yell."
Idol starred in an IKEA commercial rapping to a song called "Start it Up." IKEA's sales pitch during the commercial was "Try Something Different."
Idol played the 2002 National Rugby League Grand final, when a power problem resulted in no one being able to hear him singing.
"White Wedding" appeared on popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on fictional Classic Rock radio station, K-DST.
Girl group The Donnas covered "Dancing With Myself" for the Mean Girls soundtrack (2004).
Todd McFarlane had a Billy Idol action figure listed on his website for release, but the figure never materialized. Todd is famous for creating the comic book character "Spawn." He also has a successful toy company.

The Devil's Playground

Devil's Playground, was released on 22 March 2005. It was Idol's first new album in nearly twelve years. It was after a concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom that Sanctuary Records approached Idol about making new music in his older style. Idol claims that seeing people like Slash making hit records again gave him hope that there was life after death.

The album was recorded with the entire band playing in one room, rather that each person recording their part separately. Idol's drummer, Brian Tichy, collaborated with Idol and Stevens and co-wrote some of the tracks on the album. The first single and video to be released was "Scream."

Idol had been playing a batch of new songs in concert that never made the final release of the album. These songs include "Monster", "Stranger in My Skin", "Walk the Line", "In the Killbox", "Beautiful Life" and "Big World" (written for his daughter).
Idol appeared on an episode of Viva La Bam, Bam Margera's MTV show. In the episode, Bam's mom is taken to Atlantic City to see Idol perform. Idol and Bam are seen riding around in Bam's Lamborghini. On a stop, Margera asks Billy Idol to convert his Lamborghini to a targa using an angle grinder, which Idol consequently does. Bam Margera appears in the video for "Plastic Jesus."
Idol played a handful of dates on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour and also made an appearance the UK's Download Festival at Donington Park. He headlined the Sunday night of GuilFest in 2006. This was his only UK date.
After Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans a television special was aired to raise money for the vicitms. Randy Newman had written a song called "Louisiana." Idol covered the song sometime later during a show in Baltimore, Maryland. The song was released as a free download on his website.
On August 8, 2005 Idol played "White Wedding" with Lisa Marie Presley at the 2005 Fashion Rocks show. CBS aired the special on Friday, September 9th 2005, but critics slammed Presley's performance, saying she couldn't sing. Presley wore a white wedding dress, Idol was in a silver suit.
In 2006, Idol was asked to sing on Derek Sherinian's solo album Blood of the Snake, covering the 1970 Mungo Jerry hit "In the Summertime". Sherinian is Idol's current keyboard player. Guitarist Slash also plays on the track. A video was created for the song, and features Idol, Slash and Sherinian.
Idol was recorded by a fan singing the Gnarls Barkley song "Crazy" acapella in concert. Idol added the song as a free download on his official website, and later added it to his official MySpace page.
In November 2006, Idol released a Christmas album called Billy Idol: Happy Holidays. The album was intended to be sold through Idol's website, but a distribution deal was set up through Best Buy. A limited number of albums were autographed and sold through Billy's website.
On July 28th, 2006 Idol and Stevens played Chicago planning to record and release a live concert DVD. The show was shot in HD and was shown on the HD network. The DVD was scheduled to be released, but to this day remains shelved.