Description
This nearly two hour DVD is an edited compilation spanning footage (2001-2006) from both the USA and UK. This DVD Archive features documentaries, live performances and interviews many of which aired only one time so its a great find for any USA fan and completely rare to any collector outside the USA. Available here, only at MVR.
1. Behind The Music Behind The Music 04/15/01: VH1’s acclaimed documentary series Behind the Music presented a revealing portrait of Billy Idol, charting the extraordinary highs and perilous lows of one of rock’s most enduring icons. The episode follows Idol’s early life as William Michael Albert Broad in England before his emergence in the late-1970s London punk movement with Generation X, where his rebellious style and sneering charisma quickly made him a standout figure. After relocating to the United States, Idol reinvented himself as a solo artist, pairing with virtuoso guitarist Steve Stevens to craft a distinctive fusion of punk attitude, arena rock, and new-wave polish that defined the MTV era. Through archival footage and candid interviews, the documentary revisits the explosive success of hits like White Wedding, Rebel Yell, and Eyes Without a Face, while also confronting the darker side of fame—substance abuse, the excesses of the 1980s music scene, and the devastating 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly ended Idol’s career. Friends, collaborators, and family members—including his parents—reflect on the pressures of fame and the personal struggles that followed, ultimately revealing how Idol survived addiction, rediscovered his musical drive, and reclaimed his place as a resilient figure in rock history.
Cast / Interview Participants: Appearing in the episode are Billy Idol (founding member of Generation X), Steve Stevens (Idol’s longtime collaborator and guitarist from the Billy Idol Band), Perri Lister (former partner of Idol and performer associated with the Hot Gossip), Joan Broad, William Alfred Broad, Judith Belushi Pisano (representing the legacy of John Belushi and his band The Blues Brothers), Bob Pittman (co-founder of MTV), and Billy Morrison (later guitarist for Billy Idol and former member of The Cult). The episode is narrated by Jim Forbes, whose distinctive voice guided many installments of the VH1 series while recounting Idol’s dramatic rise, excess, near-tragedy, and ultimate survival. (45 Minutes ALL Commercials Edited Out)
2. Late Show with David Letterman 04/23/01: Performs Rebel Yell with Steve Stevens to promote Greatest Hits CD
3. MTV 20 “Testimony: 20 Years of Rock On MTV 2001 8/07/01: Billy appears as one of the defining artists of the network’s breakthrough decade in the 1980s. The segment revisits how Idol’s striking visual image—platinum spikes, leather attire, and his unmistakable curled-lip snarl—perfectly aligned with the visual revolution that MTV was creating. Archival clips from landmark videos such as White Wedding and Rebel Yell illustrate how Idol and his guitarist Steve Stevens helped pioneer the fusion of punk attitude with cinematic music video storytelling. The program highlights how Idol’s videos became staples of MTV rotation during the early and mid-1980s, helping establish him as one of the network’s most recognizable rock figures while expanding the audience for artists who embraced a bold visual identity. Through commentary and vintage footage, the segment places Idol among the performers who understood that the new medium of music television was not just about songs, but about image, performance, and personality—elements that transformed artists like Idol into global pop-culture icons during MTV’s formative years.
4. MTV 20 Live and Almost Legal 8/2001: Rebel Yell Live with Steve Stevens and Interview with Billy Idol
5. 25 Years of Punk 2002: Profile of Generation X with interview with Bily Idol
6. MTV 20 Live and Almost Legal 8/2001: Interview with Billy Idol
7. Degeneration punk 1979: Documentary with early footage of Generation X and interview from Billy Idol form the Punk Rock era.
8. Greatest Hits CD Commercial for the CD 9/2001
9. The Big Idea With Donny Deutch 3/2005: Interview with Billy Idol
10. The Tonight Show wth Jay Leno 3/24/05: Scream LIVE
11. Good Morning America 3/05: Interview, Scream and White Wedding Live
12. Fashion Rocks 09/09/05: Opening, Idol teaser then Billy Idol performs live with Lisa Marie Presley White Wedding
13. VH1 Classic’s The Devil Plays 11/04/05: Billy and Steve Stevens perform a acoustic set featuring the songs Rat Race, Eyes Without A Face, Rebel Yell, Scream and White Wedding
14. VH1’s Top 100 Songs of The 80’s 10/2006: White Wedding at #53. Includes interview with Billy Idol
Total Running Time 2 Hours
Anne Carroll (verified owner) –
I am obsessed with this beautiful wild collection. I will watch these over and over again! I’m so lucky to own these archives as part of my Billy Idol collection. Thank you MVR!