(MusicPortal.com) (12/14/04)

Edited By Michael Bennett

NEW YORK, NY, USA - After taking himself out of the music business "to regenerate, get free of myself and make an album for the right reasons," BILLY IDOL has completed his first album featuring new songs in over 10 years, entitled "Devil's Playground."

The album is scheduled for release on March 22nd, and is the veteran British rocker's first effort for Sanctuary Records.

"Devil's Playground" features the single 'Scream,' a down and dirty love romp featuring the sinister signature guitar of Steve Stevens and Idol's rock and roll holla in the familiar vein of 'Rebel Yell.'

The song will be released to radio on January 3rd, with an impact date set for January 24th.

Widely credited as one of the critical artists responsible for the golden age of MTV, and an early disciple of the art of controversy on the small screen, Idol will attempt to reinvent the video art form by making one for 'Scream,' which will be completed early next year.

"Devil's Playground" is a journey through the musical mind, influences and taste of Billy Idol.

The trip begins with the visceral thrust of the album's opener, 'Super Overdrive,' followed by the punk anthem 'World Coming Down,' which borrows from his own history in The Bromley Contingent, the crew that included Siouxsie Sioux, Steve Severin, The Clash's Mick Jones and others who followed the Sex Pistols, as well as his own early groups, Chelsea and Generation X. In total, there are 13 tracks on the new album.

In the last few years, Idol and his band, which once again includes long-time guitarist Stevens, as well as new drummer Brian Tichy, bassist Stephen McGrath and keyboardist Derek Sherinian, have been revving up the engine by playing a few select gigs here and there across the country.

Idol had been thinking about doing a new album, but had not yet written the songs he wanted to record.

After a particularly raucous concert at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York last year, Idol was approached by Sanctuary Group Inc. USA CEO Merck Mercuriadis, who asked him if he was ready to record "a great Billy Idol album."

The conversation that followed motivated the artist to do something that he had contemplated never doing again: Idol signed a new major label record deal.

Already secure with 6 platinum and /or multi-platinum albums in "Billy Idol," "Rebel Yell," "Whiplash Smile," "Vital Idol," "Charmed Life" and "Greatest Hits," a #1 single with 'Mony Mony,' 7 Top 20 hits in the songs 'White Wedding,' 'Hot In The City,' 'Rebel Yell,' 'Eyes Without A Face,' 'Flesh For Fantasy,' 'To Be A Lover,' 'Cradle of Love,' 2 Grammy Nominations and the first dance remix album to go Top 10 ("Vital Idol"), Idol went into the studio last April with long-time producer Keith Forsey, from which sessions resulted in "Devil's Playground."

Poised for a big comeback, Billy Idol will commence a worldwide tour beginning in March.

Copyright 2004-2009 Internet Music Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

---

[Top]