Billy Idol Biography: Age, Height, Birthday, Career, Family, Personal Life, Net Worth

Billy Idol Biography: William Michael Albert Broad, better known as Billy Idol, was born in Stanmore, Middlesex, England, on November 30, 1955. As per astrological analysis, his sign is Sagittarius. A younger sister by the name of Jane and the firstborn child of Bill and Joan Broad, he is the younger sibling. Before transferring to Worthing High School for Boys, he was a student at Ravensbourne School for Boys. Similarly, he matriculated at Sussex University in 1975 to pursue an English degree. One year later, he withdrew because he had no academic goals.

1976 marked the beginning of Idol’s musical career when he joined the punk rock ensemble Siouxsie and the Banshees. During the 1970s, Idol ascended to prominence as the lead vocalist of Generation X, an offshoot of the London punk rock movement. In the end, he launched a solo career that brought him international attention, and he became the lead actor during the television-driven “Second British Invasion” of the United States. Additionally, a teacher’s assessment of Billy that labeled him as “idle” is where the name “Billy Idol” came from. When he began performing alone, a “bad boy” persona emerged. Rock music fans were happy with this portrayal.

Idol is currently single. His long-term romantic involvement, nonetheless, was with Perri Lister. The name of their infant is Willem Wolf Broad. The pair were forced to split up in 1989 due to a string of regrettable events. Perri maintains a close friendship with Idol, and the two continue to interact with their child. Furthermore, Bonnie Blue, an additional daughter of this performer, was born from a prior union with Linda Mathi.

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Billy Idol Birthday

The date of Billy Idol’s birth is November 30, 1955. As the lead vocalist, he ascended to prominence in the 1970s as a punk rock musician. His solo career brought Idol widespread acclaim on an international level. Since his instructor had previously labeled him “idle,” he began jesting by addressing himself as “Idol.” As a result of his parents’ support, he decided to attend Sussex University to major in English. He withdrew within a year to enlist in the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols.

Billy Idol Early Life

William Michael Albert Broad, who would become Billy Idol, was born in Stanmore, London, England, on November 30, 1955. At the age of two, Billy’s parents, Joan and Bill, relocated the family to Patchogue, New York. Idol’s younger sister, Jane, was born during the Broads’ four-year stay in Rockville Centre, New York. After leaving New York, the family moved to Dorking, Surrey, then Bromley, southern London. The family moved to Goring-by-Sea, and Billy attended Ravensbourne School for Boys before attending Worthing High School for Boys. Idol studied English at Sussex in 1975 but left after a year to join the Bromley Contingent, a Sex Pistols group. A teacher who wrote “Billy is Idle” on his report card inspired Billy Idol to change his name from “Idle” to “Idol” to prevent confusion with Monty Python’s Eric Idle.

Billy Idol Career

In 1976, Billy joined the retro-rock band Chelsea as their guitarist. A few weeks later, he left Chelsea and joined Chelsea bassist Tony James in forming Generation X. Generation X, which Idol led, appeared on “Top of the Pops” and released three albums with Chrysalis Records: “Kiss Me Deadly” (1981), “Valley of the Dolls” (1979), and “Generation X” (1978). In 1981, Billy relocated to New York City and commenced a solo artist collaboration with Bill Aucoin, the former manager of Kiss. Along with guitarist Steve Stevens, bassist Phil Feit, and percussionist Gregg Gerson, he co-produced the EP “Don’t Stop” in 1981.

Among its tracks were “Mony Mony” and “Dancing with Myself.” Billy Idol released his debut solo album, “Billy Idol,” on July 16, 1982. It received platinum in Canada and gold certification in the United States. The album even featured the number-four single “White Wedding” on the “Billboard” Top Tracks chart. The 1983 follow-up by Billy, titled “Rebel Yell,” peaked at #6 on the “Billboard” 200 chart and achieved 2�^ Platinum in the United States and 5x Platinum in Canada. “Eyes Without a Face” debuted in the top ten of the singles rankings in New Zealand, Germany, and the United States.

Idol’s third solo studio album, “Whiplash Smile,” was released in 1986. It achieved platinum certification in the United States, triple platinum certification in Canada, and gold certification in the United Kingdom and Finland. “Vital Idol,” a 1987 remix album that followed “Whiplash Smile,” featured his live rendition of “Mony Mony,” which peaked at number one on the “Billboard” Hot 100. In the late 1980s, Billy relocated to Los Angeles. At that time, director James Cameron considered him his foremost candidate for the character of T-1000 in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

But the part had to be replaced after Billy Idol had a serious motorbike accident in 1990. He issued the album “Charmed Life” later that year, which featured the number-one single “Cradle of Love” and a cover of “L.A. Woman” by The Doors. Following the publication of his experimental album “Cyberpunk” in 1993, Billy participated in a Generation X reunion performance. “White Wedding” was included on the 1998 soundtrack of the Barrymore film “The Wedding Singer,” in which he portrayed himself. Adam Sandler was the film’s director. He portrayed an alien named Odin in the animated film Heavy Metal 2000 in 2000 and appeared on “Billy Idol: Behind the Music” and “VH1 Storytellers” the following year.

“Devil’s Playground,” Idol’s first studio album in over a decade, was published in 2005. Additionally, the singer-songwriter performed on select dates of the Vans Warped Tour. “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Frosty the Snowman” were cover songs on his 2006 album “Happy Holidays,” which also included “Christmas Love” and “Happy Holiday.” 2008 saw the addition of “Rebel Yell” to the “Guitar Hero World Tour” and “White Wedding” to “Rock Band 2” (which also featured the addition of “Mony Mony” and “Rebel Yell”). Billy’s “Soundstage” 2009 performance was released on the “In Super Overdrive Live” DVD.

“Kings & Queens of the Underground,” his eighth studio album, was made available in 2014. In 2018, Idol and former Generation X bandmate Tony James performed at the Roxy in Hollywood alongside former Sex Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook. Billy Idol participated in a public service campaign titled “Billy Never Idles” in 2020. This campaign’s goal was to raise awareness of the harm that unnecessary engine idling causes to the environment. Idol delivered the following messages: “If you’re not driving, shut down that damn engine!” and “Don’t clog our lungs with your car fuel.” His appearance on the track “Night Crawling” from Miley Cyrus’s album “Plastic Hearts” also occurred in 2020.

Billy Idol Net Worth and Height

5 Facts About Billy Idol

A schoolteacher inspired the name.

As a consequence of a teacher referring to him as “idol,” he began to refer to himself as “Betty Idol.”

Billy Idol has withdrawn.

Idol graduated from Sussex University to concentrate on his music career.

Idol suffered temporary blindness.

After filming the music video for “Eyes Without a Face,” the bright lighting momentarily blinded Idol.

Boy Scout expulsion for kissing a female

He reportedly had intercourse with a female at a summer event, which led to his expulsion from the youth group.

His father didn’t support his musical pursuits.

Idol’s decision to leave school and seek a career shocked his father.