Those of us who have missed and remember White Wedding, Rebel Yell and Mony Mony can rejoice that disco-punk-rocker William Broad, alias Billy Idol, is finally releasing a thoroughly crafted full-length album.
The title track that names the entire album also opens the record's nine tracks, forming a long-awaited album with songs that create a timeline through Billy Idol's 69-year-old life.
Billy has chosen to categorize the album's melodies into a part I and a part II. Dream Into It provides a pleasant start while the second track, titled 77, is a tribute to the year when punk broke through, which was also the starting point for Billy Idol with his early band Generation X. The best song in part I is the energetic and confident John Wayne.
The arrangements are tasteful with guitar solos created by longtime collaborator Steve Stevens. Part II opens with an interesting collaboration with female rock front woman and I Love Rock 'n Roll icon Joan Jett in the aptly titled Wildside.
It's a cool album both musically with occasionally recurring delicious synth lines, which are sometimes beautiful and sometimes impactful. Steve contributes with effect pedals so that the songs at times flow and soar away, reaching more dimensions and thereby going deeper, even giving goosebumps.
Cool guitar solos
The musicians who contributed are Billy Idol as lead vocalist and backing vocalist, Steve Stevens on guitar and backing vocals, Tommy English on synth, guitar and backing vocals, Chris Chaney on bass and Josh Freese on drums. Some melodies feature guest musicians including Glen Sobel with drums on the song Dream Into It, Joe Janiak on keyboard in Dream Into It, I'm Your Hero and Still Dancing. Nick Long contributes guitar on the songs 77 and Wildside.
The entire paper sleeve breathes punk rock with elements of fresh synth lines and cool guitar solos. Cover photo is by David Raccuglia. Art Director design by Shepard Fairey and Studio Number One. The cool CD sleeve also protects the CD with an extra disc sleeve just like an LP record has, and the same shocking pink color recurs throughout the sleeve.
Hard and soft
The best track after listening through this work of art is John Wayne. The composition has that delicious, captivating Billy Idol energy and features another artist collaboration with vocals by Alison Mosshart.
It would feel motivating and liberating if Sweden Rock or Time To Rock (major Swedish rock festivals) would treat their audiences to this rock icon meeting in 2026.
Billy masters this art of moving between sensualism, eroticism, and then transitioning to distorted guitars and caveman roars, yet always in incredibly stylish chord and harmony progressions. There's balance between hard and soft, sensual and bombastic.
In summary, we can note what a success factor it became to cross the punky Generation X chromosomes with disco, rock, blues, soul, funk royal Bill(y) chromosomes.
A final tip for those who want to get to know William Broad, alias Billy Idol, is to read the autobiography: Dancing With Myself.
One can only conclude, Billy Idol – in the service of music!
Mikael Rasmussen alias Artist Razz
Dream Into It is Billy Idol's ninth album and was released on April 25, 2025 by Dark Horse Records.
