Photo by Tour Bus Live
Today English rock singer Billy Idol turns 66, but is nowhere near slowing down. Just a couple of months ago the rocker released his latest EP The Roadside to continue his almost 50-year long music career. To celebrate the icon’s birthday, here are some fun facts you may have not known about the musician:
- Before his solo career began, he was a member of the punk rock band Generation X.
- His full name is William Michael Albert Broad. When one of his school teachers described Billy as idle, he took the nickname “Billy Idol.”
- He almost starred in Terminator 2 as the T-1000, but was unable to take the role when he was injured in a motorcycle accident.
- He was the first musician to include an email address in an album’s liner notes for the purpose of marketing.
- He played himself in Adam Sandler’s 1998 film The Wedding Singer.
- He was the voice of Odin in the animated movie Heavy Metal 2000.
- He is a vegetarian.
- The music video for Dancing With Myself was directed by Tobe Hopper who also directed the original 1974 horror film Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
- While in the making for the Eyes Without A Face music video, the heat from studio lights fused his contact lenses causing him to go temporarily blind.
- He was a member of the Bromley Contingent, a group of extremely devoted Sex Pistols fans.