"The opening riff of “White Wedding” is instantly recognizable—a skittering, syncopated guitar line quickly swallowed by pummeling drums. But the song itself is a bit of an enigma. Is it rock? Pop? New wave? Rockabilly punk? Like much of Billy Idol’s career, the song exists somewhere in between. Idol was a shape-shifter, blurring genre lines in pursuit of bigger hooks, bigger audiences and, eventually, pop stardom."
"Raised near London and running with the Sex Pistols’ inner circle, Idol arrived with genuine punk bona fides. But with the rise of MTV and the explosion of new wave, he refashioned himself as the bleach-blond, leather-clad rock crooner who sneered his way to the top of the charts. Join Chris Molanphy as he traces the rise, reinvention and Rock Hall canonization of an original MTV icon."
“White Wedding” features an instantly recognizable riff with skittering, syncopated guitar and pummeling drums, while the song’s genre identity remains ambiguous. The track sits between rock, pop, new wave, and rockabilly punk, reflecting a career defined by genre-blending. Billy Idol emerged from punk circles near London, including connections to the Sex Pistols, giving him authentic punk credibility. As MTV rose and new wave expanded, he reinvented his image as a bleach-blond, leather-clad rock crooner. This reinvention helped him pursue bigger hooks, larger audiences, and ultimately pop stardom, culminating in major recognition.
Read at Slate Magazine
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