Dancing With Myself

Not for the faint of heart, but what a good, interesting read. It was always about the music and the creative expression for Billy Idol. Idol tells of his childhood and his presence at the birth of punk music and how he always tried to push the envelope of creativity with his music. He has lived hard, but very much on his own terms. Idol's love and respect for all types of music and artists shows through.

The book is well written and I appreciate that Idol maintains a positive spin at all times. This is not a bashing of other people in the music industry book. Idol paints a, perhaps, too rosy picture of events, but I like to think that's Idol trying to find the positive. I have found new reasons to be a Billy Idol fan.

I totally enjoyed reading this. I loved Billy Idol in high school and college (80s), and this was like a backstage pass to those concerts. I didn't love knowing how much drug use was a part of his life when he was recording the songs I love (Dancing With Myself, Mony Mony, White Wedding, Rebel Yell, etc...), but I know that's the story behind a lot of bands from that time (including my beloved Go-Gos!). But still, if you love/loved Billy Idol and you enjoy rock autobiographies, put this on your list.

Billy Idol's memoir is a candid recollection of his life as a bad boy rocker in the 80s and 90s. Unlike some other rock star memoirs, Billy Idol doesn't make excuses for his behavior. He admits fault for the hurt he caused to his longtime girlfriend Perri and his family because of his drug use and infidelity. Idol also discusses his musical influences, and how he went from William Broad to Billy Idol. (Hint: peroxide, leather, and the famous sneer.) A must read for any Idol fan.

Kathleen K. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

Plastic fantastic. Puke Piss Shit Spit and Blood how exciting, lets wreck another hotel room. Its not what Idol said, its what he didn't say. He acts like he single handedly did it all by his lonesome. The movement he took part in started in the 1950s. with Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. The beat generation hence beatniks, then Hippies, then punk rockers cyber etc. If you followed it back you would probably find it started at the age of Enlightenment, but I don't know that as a fact. Some rockers speak of it, like Young. "rock and roll can never die theres much more than meats the eye". And ask any AI how important this experiment in society is

Never a fan of his music either as a 'punk' or a mid 80's MTV star, always seemed too superficial for my liking, don't detect much 'soul' in anything he did or does, including his book.

The life of Billy Idol.