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Stage Name Stories: Billy Idol

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Born: William Michael Albert Broad

What's in a Name: A teacher once marked a report card for young Bill with the comment, "William is idle." After his career went multiplatinum in the 1980s, this textbook bad boy fell off the map, going 12 album-less years before a 2005 comeback. Once again, Billy was, in fact, idle.
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ROMANO

I'm an Idol fan too, but I don't understand why Greg thinks they are "way off", the article says he went 12 years without and album and from 1993 to 2005 is 12 years. He did fall out of sight for a while but he never left my playlist.

May 24 2009 at 8:39 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
christy

Not only is he a good singer but he's the only singer over the years that still looks hot wearing his leather pants !!

May 22 2009 at 7:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
drwoowoocl2001

He made a comeback?

November 30 2008 at 1:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Lauren

It's not spelled wrong.
Idol and Idle are both words.

May 07 2008 at 3:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Caro

Lol, he defenitely looks happy!

March 22 2008 at 3:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Ray

Look at his pic, I want some of what he is having!!!!!

March 01 2008 at 4:50 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
jim

He spelled IDLE wrong,go figure he only dyed the roots black too!

February 29 2008 at 11:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Questioningly

A hellofa better name than Billy Joel......

February 29 2008 at 10:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
KJB

yeah, Billy Idol is awesome and Charmed Life is one hell of an album and so is cyberpunk from '93, and the 2005 album is as good as anything too. Plus Idle is a combination of that above and the punk atitude which was rebellion against the same old rock that was being recycled over and over. Then he just spelled it Idol because he figured you might as well call yourself anything you want. It's cool he's on the list, thanks AOL.

February 29 2008 at 9:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Greg

Way off on Billy Idol...do your homework on his early 90's albums, including the Cradle of Love...who could forget that video!

February 29 2008 at 8:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

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