billy idol : eyes without a face classic or unbelievably amazing.

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whoa! ambushed by the unexpected! i mean honestly!

it's probably on 1 of these new fangles VICE CITY comps (sounds like it should be) but that's not where i've heard it, i just slskd it on a whim. also sounds like it was in MIAMI VICE/some JOHN HUGHES movie at some point. sorta recalls 'behaviour' era pet shop boys doesn't it?

so how come nothing else of his is this good? the rest of his stuff sounds joke-y, like he's taking the piss. this doesn't at all.

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I love this song!

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

i always thought this was one of the more ridiculous prime era idol traxx (HUGE classic obv). at the time it seemed like it was definitely his biggest hit, but you barely hear it now, in comparison to 'white wedding' or 'dancing with myself' or really almost any of his other hits at least. odd. his most prince like track probably (probably why it was the biggest hit at the time).

― jj dncr, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

a secret dj weapon this one

― LSTD (answer) (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

This has always been my fave Billy Idol song.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 21:48 (twenty-one years ago)

the bridge is totally killer

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

The video had a trio of big-assed blondes in black leather outfits keeping time with the handclaps in said bridge

― LSTD (answer) (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I always thought "To Be a Lover" was his best moment. But he took it to the bridge nicely on this one.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:04 (twenty-one years ago)

his most prince like track probably (probably why it was the biggest hit at the time).

It's like Prince only in that the lyrics are the work of a strenuously retarded libido.

Apart from that, it's a classic. And Prince couldn't rock this hard if his purple little life depended on it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:44 (twenty-one years ago)

haha - like you'd know about rock (or libidos)!

― jj dncr, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:46 (twenty-one years ago)

seriously do you ever do anything besides turn in strenously retarded andy rooney impersonations?

― jj dncr, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Apart from counting the minutes until your untimely demise? No.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

good job on 'person of the year' btw

― jj dncr, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:50 (twenty-one years ago)

You obviously don't understand the concept behind 'person of the year.'

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

...which isn't at all surprising.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

you obviously understand the concept behind 'lapdog puffpieces for republicans' though.

― jj dncr, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

which isn't at all surprising. reactionary aesthetics, reactionary politics: what's the diff? good money in it too, or good enough at least - right alex?

― jj dncr, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Have you ever actually read the magazine?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah i don't know where i got this idea that big corporate media has been bush's lapdog - crazy talk i know! if that 'american revolutionary' person of the year piece is supposed to count as probing or critical in the eyes of a timewarner lackey it explains alot about why bush can do what he wants and not have to worry about you guys calling him on it.

― jj dncr, Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Previous 'Persons of the Year' (tho' they were 'Men of the Year' at the time): Hitler, Stalin, Khomeni. 'Person of the Year', since you clearly don't get it, is NOT an award nor an accolade. It's merely a title given to the individual who had the largest global influence of the 365 days in question.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 December 2004 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

try reading yr own mag - pervious winners includes 'heroes' too, which bush is and has been decidedly painted as by you and yr coworkers. cf. rudy in 2001, newt in 1995. i can't wait to see what hagiography you work up for santorum in 08. good job "liberal" media.

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Moreover, I'm a lowly News Desk Editor. You seem to imagine that my opinions/political convictions have a great deal of influence at the magazine. I'm flattered, but this isn't the case. But given the concept behind 'Person of the Year," I do think the choice made perfect sense (though it of course heralded a flood of calls from dopey individuals like yourself who don't understand the idea). You call the magazine "Bush's lapdog," yet we're equally lambasted (if not more so) from the Right for being "Elite Liberals". Whatever.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:04 (twenty-one years ago)

cf. rudy in 2001

I'll give you this one. If the magazine had any balls, we'd have put Bin Laden on the cover as "Person of the Year".

Just out of curioustiy, JJ, what do you do for a living?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

::crickets:::

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

This all got sidetracked.

"Eyes Without a Face" -- supremely classic for the moment in the video when Billy mouths the echoed "facefaceface" part.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Hiya Ned. Don't blame me about the sidetracking, although my apologies for my initial comments -- I was thinking of "Flesh for Fantasy".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:10 (twenty-one years ago)

...and I'll even concede that it's vaguely Prince-like.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

again my qualm isn't that you chose bush 'person of the year', it's that you fall down at his (and pretty much any other gop fuxx) feet. i'm merely asking that you DO YOUR JOB (which, note, isn't to just echo white house pronunciations without daring to call a lie a lie cuz you wouldn't want to look 'biased' now wouldya?) and maybe expend one percent of the venom you expend on black musicians and messageboard posters on war criminals and religious bigots and their enablers in the corporate media (which includes you, eichmann excuse or not). raise one tenth the hell about the bushco puff pieces yr mothership regularly turns out that you regularly use to hold forth andy rooney style on such pressing matters as destiny's child singles you don't care for. PRIORITIZE. war criminals = worse than destiny's child. ACT LIKE YOU KNOW THIS.

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:12 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm a news desk editor at us news and world report.

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

les yeux sans visage!

― cºzen (Cozen), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah i was looking at the lyrics order and never realized those were the backing vocals - go figure!

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:14 (twenty-one years ago)

War criminals, killer tsunamis, racism = a more serious matter than discussing music on the internet.

Then I guess I should stop posting here.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:17 (twenty-one years ago)

PRIORITIZE. war criminals = worse than destiny's child. ACT LIKE YOU KNOW THIS.

For myself, I would gladly cease having to post my monthly series of "It's....in Iraq" on ILE, say. Perhaps I will never be given the chance to stop, and I will have to keep counting up the dead and snarling at the idiocies of this world. This said, I still happen to merrily believe that, say, the Darkness deserve massive and bloody beatings.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:21 (twenty-one years ago)

surely the dustbin of history is a more fitting (and more likely) punishment for pop acts we don't approve of, in which case RAGE, even strenuously retarded rage like ari in nyc's, counteracts our purpose, yes?

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I give to you an article from 1992 I've always enjoyed (which is why I transcribed it to share):

A peek into the past: Neil Tennant on the power of hate

While the references in many cases are dated, this specific point is potent:

That?s the thing about negative energy, about hatred. It can be positive. It throws into relief all the things you know you like. It tells you, by elimination, what you?re about. Sometimes you can only define yourself by what you hate.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

it was printed in SELECT that one (october 92 issue) and there was an ace shot of neil t with 'hate' written across it in A4 on the opposing page. reminded me of ian curtis who used to have a jacket with 'hate' written on the back.

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

'les yeaux sans visage' = an awesome move < /drunk>

― cºzen (Cozen), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Let's keep things in perspective here, shall we? Hateful JJ made a dismissive comment about Billy Idol, so I returned fire on Billy's behalf (fuck Prince!), and he got his little feelings hurt and decided to make things personal (taking potshots at the fact that I work at TIME Magazine...like it's my calling or something.) Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not nor ever have been a Bush supporter, so the point is moot. For the record, I don't think the magazine I work for is a tool of the Right, but if you want to think that, that's ultimately your choice. I can count the co-workers of mine there who voted for Bush on one hand.

War criminals, killer tsunamis, racism = a more serious matter than discussing music on the internet.

OTM.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't know ned, there's a real element of 'definining yrself by yr enemies' there that pretty much inescabably turns into crippling smugness. cf. dubya taking pride in who his enemies are (most disturbing thing about this is that he doesn't define his enemies as bin laden or zarqawi but moveon and michael moore - yeesh). dish best served cold, etc.

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:13 (twenty-one years ago)

where did i make a dismissive comment about billy idol? how strenuously retarded are you???

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:14 (twenty-one years ago)

i can count the number of timewarner hacks who've written something critical about bush on one finger - guess which one?

― jj dncer, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:15 (twenty-one years ago)

haha - and really alex who are YOU to accuse someone of being hateful? i mean seriously do you even post three posts a year where you aren't spewing venom?

― jj dncuh, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:18 (twenty-one years ago)

there's a real element of 'definining yrself by yr enemies' there that pretty much inescabably turns into crippling smugness

The same, though, as defining yourself by your friends and/or certain values -- both approaches can lead to a self-righteous state (but do not have to).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

where did i make a dismissive comment about billy idol? how strenuously retarded are you???

Well, by your estimation, the only reason "Eyes Without a Face" was a sizable hit was because that it was "Prince-like". Why not give Billy Idol a little of his own fuckin' credit, huh?

You interpret my opinions as hateful, yet we've never met. Nine-tenths of the comments I make are with tongue firmly in cheek and they are rarely meant as personal slights.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:27 (twenty-one years ago)

where did i say 'the only reason 'eyes without a face' was a sizable hit was because it was prince-like'? again i must ask, how strenuously retarded are you?

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:29 (twenty-one years ago)

his most prince like track probably (probably why it was the biggest hit at the time).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Have you always been this much of an utter jackass, or is this simply a recent development? I must confess to not normally paying attention to your posts.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:31 (twenty-one years ago)

...and if you're so gung-ho to go after Bush-supporters, why not direct your imperious venom accurately for a change and go after Roger Fidelity.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:35 (twenty-one years ago)

ned agreed that defining yrself by what/who you approve can be just as crippling, and even all-embracing positivity (with the all being embraced falling within a narrow range)(cf. local music boosterism at alt-weaklies) can lead to banalities beyond the scope of yr ari in nyc type spewings (which is to say pretty fucking banal). the problem with both is the lack of critical thinking and/or willingness to engage with the object of desire/derision. fandom prompts uncritical adoration, this is known and well understood, but hatas who might appear to be skeptical, after all they decry what presumably someone else promotes, are just as thick headed and miss, just as much or probably even more so than the adoring fan, the key element of skepticism, which is probing with the hope that one will gain insight ie. curiosity. hatred of this type is even more unlikely to yield insight than blind fandom and the two both suffer from the unwillingness to understand (ie. think 'too much' about something) and furthermore taking pride in this unwillingness, which is a cornerstone of smugness.

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:40 (twenty-one years ago)

So much typing. So little content.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I keep reading the thread title as "Billy Joel: Eyes Without a Face," which would have been horrifying.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:52 (twenty-one years ago)

How were yer holidays, Ned?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Yowsa!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:57 (twenty-one years ago)

alex is it yr contention that 'eyes without a face' isn't billy idol's most prince like hit or that when it charted top 40 radio wasn't riddled with prince like traxx? is it your position that a track that sounds fairly prince like released into a market very friendly to prince like traxx (cf. sheena easton, shalamar) and charting higher than other more typical 'billy idol'ish cuts but then subsequently declining in popularity (enough so that you can confuse it with another song) with the concurrent decline in the popularity of that prince sound that the success of the track had nothing to do with the, how you say, zeitgeist (which is just a fancy word for market here)? i mean if you want (since rebel yell did come out before purple rain ergo 'eyes without a face' did come out before 'the beautiful ones') we can say 'most gary numan but with a funky drum machine like track' instead but 'most prince like' seems quicker to the chase and more to the point yknow 'zeitgeist wise' which if you want to examine why 'eyes without a face' was his biggest hit at the time you might want to look at yknow, the time (note: not meaning morris day and the time)(who were pretty damn prince-like obv.). although since i gave myself an out by saying 'probably' (lesson o the day: moral certainty/obstinancy not an attractive trait - cf. ari in nyc, dubya) i'll say now that PROBABLY 'eyes without a face' was billy idol's biggest hit AT THE TIME cuz it was SLOWER and hence more ac and maybe am friendly AT THE TIME (was am radio still a factor with music in the early eighties? i know wabc went talk around then right?). o and it had the best video which, AT THE TIME, woulda definitely been a factor. probably.

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:58 (twenty-one years ago)

haha alex does that really count as 'so much typing' for a timewarner hack nowadays? i remember when journalists * cough * knew how to read in this country (of course now they just retype white house press briefs)(and put pretty paintings of dubya on the cover of their mags).

― jj dncr, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Uncle! I give, I give. I don't have time to wade through your masturbatory gobbledigook. Moreover, I already conceded that "Eyes Without a Face" could be considered Prince-like (like I mentioned upthread, I initially mistook the subject of this thread as "Flesh for Fantasy", which I wouldn't consider Prince-esque at all) My intial point way back when was to give Billy Idol the credit for the song in question (Prince gets enough handjobs here on ILM, why give him another?) This wasn't supposed to touch off World War fuckin' Three.

And as a final thought before I go pick my wife up at the airport, while it's true that I do indeed work as a tiny cog in the vast corporate Death Star that is Time Warner, I do not define myself by my job. I dearly love a lot of the folks I work with at TIME magazine, but if you've been reading ILX over the past year and a half, you might've noticed a thread or two wherein I lament the fact that I'm working where I'm working and that I'm actually trying to leave the magazine (although my reasons have nothing to do with the magazine's hotly debated political leanings). You never honestly answered my question about how you pay your rent and feed your family, so I can't grill you in kind.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 02:07 (twenty-one years ago)

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041229/ap_on_re_us/noodling_experiment

― Riot Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I just wanted to give a shoutout to cozen and agree that Les Yeaux Sans Visage is indeed a great MOVIE and I felt bad he/she was so drunk they weren't able to properly spell the word and the meaning was lost.

Other than that, you're all just a bunch of wet noodlers.

― Bimble..., Wednesday, 29 December 2004 05:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Readin' murder books tryin' to stay hip!

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 07:49 (twenty-one years ago)

ah, to be a teenager again ...

... both wr2 "eyes w/t a face" (a big hit when i was a teenager) and a certain poster's lefter-than-thou rhetoric (and who has, undoubtedly, never worked at a REAL job a day in his life, has no loans/mortgages/etc. to worry about, yadda yadda yadda).

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 08:31 (twenty-one years ago)

― Riot Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 09:53 (twenty-one years ago)

The ludicrous bridge about the "psychedelic bus" is unbelievably amazing for sure.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 19:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I showed the video to my 12th grade english class when each of us had to bring in an example of "comedy."

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

And Prince couldn't rock this hard if his purple little life depended on it.

Alex, COME ON.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Understand that I do not think you are a racist, but I have noticed that you are disproportionally dismissive of black musicians than you are of white musicians. Like, to the point where I'm surprised when you say something positive about black musicians.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 20:32 (twenty-one years ago)

He likes "Freek-A-Leek"!

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 20:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Every time my dad asks me if I've heard That New Song by Those Black Guys I'm going to say yes, and that its called "Freak-A-Leek."

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Billy Idol is motherfucking classic. Period.

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Scroll around ILX and you'll see I've said nice things about "Freak-a-Leek" (which does indeed kick butt), Gil Scott Heron, Parliament (I started a damn thread about Mothership Connection, thank you very much), Bad Brains, New Kingdom and even Sade. I didn't say I hated Prince, I just shudder at the amount of fawning undue praise he receives here (hell, I own a copy of Purlple Rain like every other person on the planet). I just don't think his music is necessarily the fuckin' Rosetta Stone.

Don't call me a racist, please.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

What part of "Understand I do not think you are a racist" was ambiguous in my last post?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 23:10 (twenty-one years ago)

just please don't invoke the term. i get enough shi asit is. Sorry, Dan.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 23:11 (twenty-one years ago)

This thread got no human grace.

― What's this place, Biblevania? (natepatrin), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 23:21 (twenty-one years ago)

A Peter Murphy cover of this would be amazing.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 29 December 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes it would make perfect sense!

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

It could also be well sung by Nick Cave, perhaps. Or any crooner with a taste for the darker side of life.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 30 December 2004 00:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Idol's doing Iggy Pop anyway

― LSTD (answer) (sexyDancer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 00:28 (twenty-one years ago)

this humble little thread has gone to
places i could never have imagined a thread
about a billy idol song could ever go in 24 hours.

sheesh!

― piscesboy, Thursday, 30 December 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

haha - I wandered around New York today looking for a used vinyl of Rebel Yell so I could play "Eyes Without A Face" (which blindsided me a year or two back) for my New Year's Eve gig.

without having seen this thread!
didn't find it (can always iPod it), but I did find Van Halen II, so whoever shows will "Dance The Night Away"

― Paul (scifisoul), Thursday, 30 December 2004 07:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i would think that rebel yell would DEFINITELY be in a return bin or two. that it isn't is telling about something, i suppose?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 30 December 2004 07:05 (twenty-one years ago)

and what the hell are THESE lyrics supposed to mean:

"i'm on a bus,
on a psychedelic trip,
between burning up books
and trying to stay hip"

does this belong in the same category as the contemporaneous lyrical hash that duran duran were slinging out? or is it actually supposed to MEAN something?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 30 December 2004 07:07 (twenty-one years ago)

didn't hit ALL the stores, but saw lots of other Idol stuff on LP/12" etc, so yup fans beat me to it

xpost

― Paul (scifisoul), Thursday, 30 December 2004 07:07 (twenty-one years ago)

this far in and nobody brings up Henry Booth Luce.

KIDDING!

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 30 December 2004 07:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh great. Only ILM could torture me with the tempting idea of Nick Cave doing covers of songs he'll likely never even touch. Gee, thanks.

Although I'm not sure what "tryin' to stay hip" would sound like out of his mouth...hmm. Maybe it's best if he leaves it alone after all.

I must say the truth is I too disagreed with Alex when he seemed to be saying that Prince couldn't rock. But then I just decided to suspend judgement because he said he was originally thinking of Flesh For Fantasy, and since I can't remember for the life of me what Flesh For Fantasy sounded like, I can't now pass judgement on how it rocketh or not rocketh in comparison to Prince. But originally, yes my thought was "wait a minute - anyone who has heard the Purple Rain album from beginning to end can't possibly make a claim that his [Prince's] rocking capabilities are in any way deficient, if that is indeed what Alex is saying." But again, I decided to suspend judgement.

That said, I do get a little tired of all the Prince craziness around here sometimes. But I think if we were to agree he is not above criticism, then I think we can all live and let live and maybe this thread will go back to being a Billy Idol-only affair. Peace.

― Bimble..., Thursday, 30 December 2004 08:05 (twenty-one years ago)

"White Wedding" > "Catch My Fall" > "Flesh For Fantasy" > "Eyes Without A Face" >>>>>>>>>>>>>> "Rebel Yell"

I'm not really enthralled with any of these tracks really, but I wouldn't turn them off if they came on the radio. shrug.

― donut christ (donut), Thursday, 30 December 2004 08:28 (twenty-one years ago)

LET US NOT FORGET

http://www.rockdetector.com/assets/img/covers/160008.jpg

Actually, never mind. let us forget. A lot.

― donut christ (donut), Thursday, 30 December 2004 08:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Strangely, I feel as if I've just taken a tab of acid.

― Bimble..., Thursday, 30 December 2004 08:38 (twenty-one years ago)

did cybrepunk have 2/3 of wilson phillips ?

― white lightning, Thursday, 30 December 2004 13:58 (twenty-one years ago)

does this song have anything to do with the georges franju movie of the same name?

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 30 December 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

In the bridge, Idol's describing what the couple is up to since the break up; She's stealing cars and whoring around in Las Vegas, while he's on tour trying to keep focus through boyish interests (murder books).

― LSTD (answer) (sexyDancer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

i guess not

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 30 December 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Noodlers hold their breath for long periods under water and sometimes come up with fistfuls of agitated snakes or snapping turtles instead of fish.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 30 December 2004 16:16 (twenty-one years ago)

When you hear the music you make a dip
Into someone else's pocket then make a slip.

Does this mean Billy Idol is a kleptomaniac?

― Bimble..., Thursday, 30 December 2004 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

perhaps the song was inspired by not one but two french movies:

http://theol0.uibk.ac.at/rgkw/film/bresson/bresson_pickpocket4.jpg

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 30 December 2004 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

When you hear the music you make a dip
Into someone else's pocket then make a slip.
Does this mean Billy Idol is a kleptomaniac?

He's accusing his lover of fooling around.

― LSTD (answer) (sexyDancer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

between burning up books

I believe the line is "Reading Murder Books," not between burnin' up books.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, OF COURSE Prince can rock, and plays guitar like a motherfucker, but I'd never say "the rocking" was Prince's strength (he's better at "the funking" and, invariably, "the fucking"). Billy Idol, meanwhile, was in both Chelsea (albeit briefly) and Generation X, who -- though a bit powderpuff next to their Brit-Punk peers, EXCELLED at "the rocking" (certainly more so than Prince, at least).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

does this song have anything to do with the georges franju movie of the same name?

I believe the line was inspired by the film title (also, the original French title of the movie is song by backup singers in the song)

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Thursday, 30 December 2004 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

in what world did generation x excel at the rocking?

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 30 December 2004 18:51 (twenty-one years ago)

mine! but prince rocked plenty hard (dis his rhythm section as far as pummel is concerned, but that guitar was scorching)

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 30 December 2004 19:01 (twenty-one years ago)

in what world did generation x excel at the rocking?

Prince has never rocked harder (or come within the same zip code as rocking as hard) as "Ready Steady Go", "Kleenex", "From the Heart" and/or "Day By Day" by Generation X.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Eh, the Billy Idol version of "Dancing With Myself" rocked better than all of those (better beats, see). Fave Gen X song remains "Kiss Me Deadly"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"let's go crazy" or "1999" or "When Doves Cry" or "Little Red Corvette" smokes anything Idol's ever shat out, sorry.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

"When Doves Cry" does not bring to mind balls-out rock.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Listen to it at very loud volume. Those drums will do your head in.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Nip/Tuck had a gruesome cosmetic surgery sequence set to 'Eyes Without A Face'. It was a stomach-churning visual pun.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i think "when doves cry" certainly rocks, if one could say that, say, "dream on" does.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I just checked the rockism meter and it's on amber.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess we're parsing our terms ("rock"), but I'd suggest that seeing Generation X in their prime was a great deal more of a ROCK experience than seeing Prince circa Purple Rain. While Prince could easily outplay Generation X in the talent and finesse department, Gen-X's blunt, yobbish, finesse-free attack just stands to rock a gread deal harder (note: this is not to say that it's better music but rather that it is simply a good deal rockier than Prince).

Gen-X's renditioni of "Dancing with Myself" is the same recording as Idol's, only with Steve Jones' (ex-Pistol/Professional) guitar excised from the mix.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

dude gen x has always been pop punk, like avril.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Hot In The City = unacknowledged classic

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:04 (twenty-one years ago)

WHO HERE IS ROCKING HARDER?

(A) http://www.folego.net/genx_live6.jpg or (B) http://www.msu.edu/user/reiferta/postcard/revolution.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:05 (twenty-one years ago)

dude gen x has always been pop punk, like avril.

Well, no, actually. Not just like Avril. Yes, Generation X is indeed pop-punk (much like their peers in the Buzzcocks). Avril is simply pop. There is nothing "punk" about her music.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I nominate 'Controversy' as a track that outrocks GenX.

When Billy Idol came to Australia at his peak in the 80's, he said on national TV, "I've had some pretty hot sex since I've been here."

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Clearly B because it takes more balls to dress like that.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Here, Prince is clearly engaged in the subtle art of "rocking"

http://www.prince3922.freeserve.co.uk/prince.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:08 (twenty-one years ago)

And, evidently, not wearing underwear.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:09 (twenty-one years ago)

hmmm... a righty. Prince might literally have more balls than Idol.

― LSTD (answer) (sexyDancer), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Prince is more of a thong man. It takes one mighty jockstrap to contain his balls.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 30 December 2004 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

just stands to rock a gread deal harder

I had something to say about Gen X but I can't remember what it was now. I used to have a friend that was completely crazy about them, played the albums over and over.

― Bimble..., Friday, 31 December 2004 03:17 (twenty-one years ago)

nine months pass...

None of this thread makes any sesne to me, but I re-state the original question -

recommend me some Billy Idol! Like "Dancing With Myself"!

― F.R.I.E.N.D. (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 October 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

Apart from its ties to Time Warner, the Republican party, "strenuous retardation", Ned's holiday seaons '04, US News & World Report, Prince, Book Burning, and Petey Pablo, I'd have to say "Eyes Without a Face" is a pretty awesome song! You should check it out!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 28 October 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

Prefer "To Be A Lover."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 28 October 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

the first two billy idol albums are great.

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 28 October 2005 19:45 (twenty years ago)

although eyes without a face is the best song on them. well catch my fall is pretty good too

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 28 October 2005 19:45 (twenty years ago)

Whatever happend to JJ Dancer?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 29 October 2005 01:49 (twenty years ago)

in what world did generation x excel at the rocking?
Prince has never rocked harder (or come within the same zip code as rocking as hard) as "Ready Steady Go", "Kleenex", "From the Heart" and/or "Day By Day" by Generation X.

-- Alex in NYC (vassife...), December 30th, 2004.
prince played 50's rock in "can't stop" from graffitti bridge .

― retroboy, Saturday, 29 October 2005 02:25 (twenty years ago)

...which is still soft as crushed velvet in comparison to the afore-mentioned GenX tracks.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 29 October 2005 03:09 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

I was just unexpectedly ambushed by this song - so good!

― Hurting 2, Saturday, 16 June 2007 16:35 (eighteen years ago)

Dud

― Tim Ellison, Saturday, 16 June 2007 16:51 (eighteen years ago)

Why?

― Hurting 2, Saturday, 16 June 2007 16:59 (eighteen years ago)

because he hates songs that are good

― Curt1s Stephens, Saturday, 16 June 2007 17:13 (eighteen years ago)

i don't know. i guess i always thought it was ok as a song. i never paid attention to the lyrics, but i'm reading them now and i kind of like 'em except for the verse about las vegas and the psychedelic bus which is a big wtf.

― Tim Ellison, Saturday, 16 June 2007 17:42 (eighteen years ago)

Who reads lyrics?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, 16 June 2007 18:53 (eighteen years ago)

I looked at them because I wondered if I'd missed anything in the song that I might have liked.

― Tim Ellison, Saturday, 16 June 2007 19:03 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, the psych bus trip part is the weakest part of the song.

Oh man, I love his slightly off-key croon on this song - so sinister.

― Hurting 2, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:04 (eighteen years ago)

Great video too
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SpmWIyjilQo

Does anyone still music videos like this? Did anyone ever make music videos like this?

― Hurting 2, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:20 (eighteen years ago)

I'LL TELL YOU WHO DID

BILLY FUCKING IDOL.

― KOOL-AID MAN, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:23 (eighteen years ago)

THAT'S RIGHT. BILLY FUCKING AMERICAN IDOL

― Hurting 2, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:26 (eighteen years ago)

xpost

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this song. A little cheesy, but not enough to distract from its finery.

― Bimble, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:26 (eighteen years ago)

bilbo2shire (2 days ago) Marked as spam
I tell people to listen to my music if they want to get to know me. Always be yourself. So many have been hurt trying to be what others want them to be. Especially in the past. Bilbo2shire
(Reply) (Spam)

youtube wisdom from bilbo2shire

― Curt1s Stephens, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:35 (eighteen years ago)

sfumato1002 (3 days ago) Marked as spam
Its about people who feel rejected in this world of lies. They have eyes but no face. They try to still try to fit in into this world the believe the lies always trying to fit in and stay hip to what others think it's cool. But really this world in nothing. It's all a big lie and we need to be ourselfs and belief in ourselfs no matter what other think or feel about us. We make our own world by our thoughts. Love yourself. Only when you love yourself you will be able to love others.

I know there's always room for interpretation, but I find it bizarre that people can so completely miss the point of a song.

― Hurting 2, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:41 (eighteen years ago)

didn't jbr have the username "reading murder books, trying to stay hip" once? classic for that alone

― gershy, Sunday, 17 June 2007 15:56 (eighteen years ago)

That's right, she did! I'd forgotten that. Ah, the good old days...

― Bimble, Sunday, 17 June 2007 21:40 (eighteen years ago)

Man, was "jj dncr" the biggest idiot to ever post here? Or merely among the biggest?

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Monday, 18 June 2007 07:29 (eighteen years ago)

three years pass...

Like how did Billy Idol come up with such a glittering woozy midtempo synth jam. Why can't this happen again?

― corey, Friday, 29 October 2010 07:26 (fifteen years ago)

despise this song tbh

― guess I'll just sing dream on again (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Friday, 29 October 2010 07:39 (fifteen years ago)

I don't know what to say to you then

― corey, Friday, 29 October 2010 07:41 (fifteen years ago)

This thread is *so* ILX.

― Stockhausen's Helicopter Quartet (Elvis Telecom), Friday, 29 October 2010 08:11 (fifteen years ago)

in a good way!

― corey, Friday, 29 October 2010 08:19 (fifteen years ago)

love this jam

― kind of folksy and very down-to-earth (crüt), Friday, 29 October 2010 08:20 (fifteen years ago)

a classic and unbelievably amazing.

― Tim F, Friday, 29 October 2010 09:49 (fifteen years ago)

listened to this on spotify recently and a cover came on after and i was like "oh this is nice"

it was SCOOTER. from a chill out album of scooter singing acoustic songs!

― I see what this is (Local Garda), Friday, 29 October 2010 11:21 (fifteen years ago)

this thread is amazing

― Kim, Friday, 29 October 2010 13:34 (fifteen years ago)

Prince gets enough handjobs here on ILM, why give him another?

Prince needs MORE handjobs from ILM!

― overrated steven tyler television gigs that I have no interest in viewing (KMS), Friday, 29 October 2010 13:56 (fifteen years ago)

love this song. always assumed it was about a guy cutting off models' faces to graft onto the skull of his disfigured daughter.

― naked human hands and a foam rubber head (contenderizer), Friday, 29 October 2010 15:31 (fifteen years ago)

this song rules. perfect for being on a bus, a psychedelic trip, reading murder books, or trying to stay hip

― underrated joe perry project albums i have sold (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 29 October 2010 15:33 (fifteen years ago)

*cough* if that's an invite, I took out the macho chugging and slightly screwed it for a recent mix you may have snickered at. Still like how it sounds, and what it cross-fades into.

― cee-oh-tee-tee, Friday, 29 October 2010 16:04 (fifteen years ago)

Love this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9am9COGN04

― sandra lee, gimme your alcohol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 29 October 2010 16:09 (fifteen years ago)

three months pass...

I really dislike the bridge in this song. I feel like the guitar solo and Billy's macho posturing during it really ruin and disrupt the sweet sexiness of the mood. I couldn't find another remix with this simple edit so I cut it out.

Here it is: Eyes Without A Solo

― Captain Ahab, Friday, 25 February 2011 05:43 (fifteen years ago)

kind of disconcerting how the end of the solo cuts in so suddenly, but yeah, that's definitely my least favorite part too.

― flow (chilli), Friday, 25 February 2011 06:43 (fifteen years ago)

this song stopped me in my tracks a few months ago, unbelievable!

― maybe i'm just gay (Tape Store), Friday, 25 February 2011 06:49 (fifteen years ago)

I played with it for a good while trying to cut the beginning verse into the post solo verse, but in the end I began to like the way the end of the solo cut in. I'll look at it again and see if I can make it a little smoother.

― Captain Ahab, Friday, 25 February 2011 07:10 (fifteen years ago)

maybe cut in at the 'say your prayers' bit? if possible. it's not too far out from the overall mood, would add just a slightly sinister note.

― ledge, Friday, 25 February 2011 10:22 (fifteen years ago)

wow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_okSlFkkUpE

― Kim, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:00 (fifteen years ago)

no real recollection of starting this at all. i know i liked it but i didn't know i liked it so much.

― piscesx, Saturday, 26 February 2011 12:08 (fifteen years ago)

three years pass...

So seems like Captain Ahab had the same idea- but it looks like it's been taken down.

Here's my version without the solo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU1Yolk9TXg

dl link in description.

― mom, Friday, 21 November 2014 03:04 (eleven years ago)

hi mom

― GYBE ALFOTHAD download from mediafire - Type: .rar Size: 53.25 MB (unregistered), Friday, 21 November 2014 03:08 (eleven years ago)

two years pass...

the lyrics in the sort of breakout part of this are fucking hilarious and terrible. they feel like they were written by someone's dad impersonating a rebellious figure. especially the way he sings "ooh, the gigolo pool".

When you hear the music you make a dip
Into someone else's pocket then make a slip.
Steal a car and go to Las Vegas oh, the gigolo pool.

Hanging out by the state line,
Turning holy water into wine
Drinkin' it down, oh
I'm on a bus on a psychedelic trip
Reading murder books tryin' to stay hip.

― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, 23 January 2017 23:26 (nine years ago)

i think id like to make an edit of this track where that bit doesn't happen

― Islamic State of Mind (jim in vancouver), Monday, 23 January 2017 23:33 (nine years ago)

ha, i didn't read the previous revive of this thread. a common complaint it seems

― Islamic State of Mind (jim in vancouver), Monday, 23 January 2017 23:35 (nine years ago)

i would also put the bpm down by 5 or so

― Islamic State of Mind (jim in vancouver), Monday, 23 January 2017 23:35 (nine years ago)

i always thought the lyric was "ooh, the gigolo crew" which is funnier and worse than "gigolo pool" which sounds like a venue or something. i like the idea of idol referring to himself and some cronies as "the gigolo crew".

― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, 23 January 2017 23:37 (nine years ago)

this is a boss tune and the breakdown and the rest are as luridly trashy as each other

killing yourself would be preferable to editing it into a lynch meets soft sad techno komkukt jam

― r|t|c, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 00:07 (nine years ago)

it's all trashy but the breakdown guitar sound is just unforgivable.

― Islamic State of Mind (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 00:10 (nine years ago)

the arguing at the beginning of this thread between press outlets about Dubya coverage is ... something

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 00:15 (nine years ago)

xp great riff, you're unforgivable

― r|t|c, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 00:18 (nine years ago)

Apart from that, it's a classic. And Prince couldn't rock this hard if his purple little life depended on it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, December 28, 2004

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 00:18 (nine years ago)

I'm on a bus on a psychedelic trip
Reading murder books tryin' to stay hip.

Can imagine Dylan flipping over these cue cards

― blonde redheads have more fun (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 02:49 (nine years ago)

I never heard this song growing up, only heard the italo disco version (sung in Italian!) that omits the middle section, and assumed it was an original until only a few years ago. Funny that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJIfAciHPo8

― Michael F Gill, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 03:43 (nine years ago)

I like the solo but yeah the bridge singing is pretty mood-breaking. Still a fantastic song

― Vinnie, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 05:40 (nine years ago)

i'm into the bridge. lyrics look ridic spelled out like that, but it's all about that cadence and the marriage of the groove with the buttrock riff. plus it has that cool, careening guitar feedback thing in there. i'll go the opposite way: i'll make an edit of just this part and rock all y'all!

― andrew m., Tuesday, 24 January 2017 14:58 (nine years ago)

say your pra-hayers

saay yo-our pra-haayyers

― andrew m., Tuesday, 24 January 2017 14:59 (nine years ago)

i'm always psyched to hear this song, such a finely distilled mood. I understand wanting to erase the middle eight but then you'd lose OOOH GIGOLO POOL which along with THE WOMAN IS WILD OOOOOO is one of the most useful 80s eruptions for almost any situation

― his eye is on despair-o (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 15:44 (nine years ago)

Mangzorz1 month ago
The break down is the best part of this song... "I'm on a bus on a psychedelic trip, reading murder books and trying to stay hip" Dude, my entire life, Billy...you truly get me.

― salthigh, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 17:03 (nine years ago)

the opening synths are incredible

― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 17:11 (nine years ago)

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