Fretplay.com Billy Idol CD reviews Billy Idol guitar tabs Billy Idol CD reviews Billy Idol tabs Vital Idol


Billy Idol - Vital Idol Audio CD

A fair review of the Billy Idol "Vital Idol" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Billy Idol reviews here, or go back to the Billy Idol tabs.

Billy Idol Band: Billy Idol
Title: Vital Idol
Rating:
Release Date:
Media: Audio CD

Tracks:

TRACK LISTING:
White Wedding - Parts I & II
2. 1. Mony Mony
3. Hot In The City
4. Dancing With Myself
5. Flesh For Fantasy
6. To Be A Lover
7. Love Calling
8. Catch My Fall.


holy misconceptions about this totally vital piece of Idol's catalog
That simply isn't the case. Many reviews here seem to think that this is a compliation of either a) greatest hits or b) remixes done at a later date. By the time this disc was released on CD it had already been released as an import vinyl LP 2 years earlier, which I original had, but which did not have "To Be A Lover" on it because the song hadn't been release yet. This compilation was a collection of Billy's 12" mixes. These are all 12" mixes that were released at the time of each song's popularity. Most of these mixes, in fact, were on the 12" single of Dancing with Myself in 1983! Other than that, the remix of Flesh for Fantasy is the remix from the original 12", which included the LP version as well since this version doesn't have all the vocals. "To Be A Lover", which was added to this collection in 1987 when it was re-released on CD, is the original vinyl 12" version. The reason songs such as "rebel yell" and "eyes without a face" are not included is because there were no 12" mixes released of these songs. If you want Billy's greatest hits, then by all means, get his greatest hits. If you want these unique 12" mixes that would otherwise be impossible to get in digital quality, forcing you to keep all your old 12" vinyl singles, then don't hesitate to get this disc.

And for hardcore fans who might shun this disc because they consider these versions 'inferior', just consider this. White Wedding was CALLED 'part 1' on Billy's LP, so obviously, he actually recorded a part 1 AND 2, which you have here. What's surprising about this however is that there are lyric verses on this version that are not used on the LP mix (makes sense since this is a longer version), BUT there is also a lyric verse on the LP mix that isn't on this long version!.


Not so vital, though with a few interesting remixes
Thing is, it was a bunch of remixes and in the case of "White Wedding," the concatenation of a Part II, namely more guitarwork, space age synths, and an additional verse to make it an eight minute plus number. Released in 1987 when Billy Idol reached #1 with a live version of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Mony Mony," Vital Idol became at that time, the closest thing to a best of until the much-needed Greatest Hits compilation. And face it-key numbers like "Rebel Yell" and "Eyes Without A Face" were missing, which given this collection, may be a relief, because they avoided being tampered with.

Unfortunately, the version of "Mony Mony" here isn't the live version that made it to the top. Rather, it's the Downtown Mix. And as if to capitalize on the success of that live version, "Hot In The City" was reissued, where it placed at #48, worse than its original #23 peak in 1982. The Exterminator Mix of this song isn't too bad.

Not much has changed with the Uptown Mix of the punk-disco of Idol's classic, "Dancing With Myself" though an extended bass, the clapping drum track, and reprises of instrumental bridge and last verse make it close to six minutes.

As for "Flesh For Fantasy," from the repeated snarling guitar and tweaked stretching of Idol going "flesh," I recognize the version used in the video for the same song, although there are a lot more added sounds and segments in this Below The Belt Mix, which clocking in at 7:04 makes it the second longest song.

"Superstars Return to Splendor with Rock and Roll Inferno" barks Idol before the harder guitar riffs set against the familiar drum machines opens the Mother of Mercy Mix of "To Be A Lover. " This mix doesn't tweak the original too much, so I don't mind it as much. The presence of some seductive female vocals in some instrumental parts give it an extra something.

Some poppy techno synths give "Catch My Fall" the Remix Fix an interesting treatment. The thudding opening basso-type synths ironically sound like the same synths that open Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now," the other artist who went to #1 covering a Tommy James song. Gee, maybe he could've done his own version as a joke. . .

With only eight songs, and its being eclipsed by the official domestic greatest hits, the bottom line on Vital Idol now can be summed up as, "Yeah, it's not bad, but why?".


TO CORREST THE FALSE
THIS IS FALSE, THE IT VERSION WAS A LIVE VERSION NOT FOUND ON THIS CD BUT ON 11 BEST OR THE ESSENTIAL. THIS CD IS COMMONLY REFERED TO AS THE CD WITH BILLY'S #1 SMASH HIT VERSION OF MONY MONY.


Vital Idol Rocks!
If you want the best output done by Billy Idol-this is the album for you.


You can see a complete list of all Billy Idol discography, or go back to the Billy Idol tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

Search guitar tabs

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
[ Search tabs | Guitar tabs | Bass tabs |
Easy guitar tabs | Guitar solo tabs |
Acoustic guitar tabs | Guitar chords |
How to read guitar tabs ]
Forum topics
Music forums
- Bands and artists - Songwriting and lyrics - Tablature talk - Promote your band
Instrument forums
- Guitar basics - Gear & accessories - Bass guitar
Community
- The pit - Site Feedback - Reviews
[ User survey | About us | Privacy statement ]