Gen X hits UK charts with "Dancing With Myself", a social distancing classic

Gen X : Dancing With Myself

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In October of 1980 Gen X released the UK#62 "Dancing With Myself". Former Rich Kids guitarist Steve New, former Sex Pistol Steve Jones and former Tom Robinson Band guitarist Danny Kustow all play guitar on the single which was remixed by Billy Idol after Gen X broke up. In 1981, the new Billy Idol single, heavy on vocals and percussion, became a hit on the US dance floor. A music video for that single earned heavy rotation on MTV for Idol's performance as an Omega Man character fighting off mutants on the roof of a skyscraper. From punk rocker, Idol became a

The song has taken on new meaning during these times of social distancing. 

 

Wasn't It Fabulous

Generation X : Ready Steady Go

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On March 17, 1978 punk rock's most unabashedly commercial band, Generation X, led by the peroxide bleached Billy Idol released their debut album. The cover shot is by Gered Mankowitz, who was also responsible for The Rolling Stones's Between The Buttons. Here was a punk band that actually admitted they loved The Beatles and The Stones.

Outside of the U.K. #47 single, "Ready Steady Go", and the six minute Bob "Derwood" Andrews guitar raver, "Youth Youth Youth", that closes the album I'm not hearing how this record wound up on the Village Voice's Pazz and Jop Critics Poll that year ( albeit at #29 out of 30 ). 

One more Generation X album would follow before Idol released an EP that predicted a solo career was next. It's title: Dancing With Myself. 

Robert Christgau gave the album a B+ grade, writing:

This band's notorious commitment to pop is evident mostly in surprising harmonies and song structures--musically, they're not trying to be cute. And although as singles "Your Generation," "Ready Steady Go," and "Wild Youth" never knocked my socks off, they're the nucleus of a tough, consistent, inventive album. Who said punk rock was dead?

Ain't No Time For Substitutes

Generation X : Your Generation

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On September 1, 1977 Jethro Tull and Blondie's newest label mate, Generation X , released their first major label single ,"Your Generation". Billy Idol spits out what I always thought was a response to The Who's "My Generation" with lines like "Your generation don't mean a thing to me". But forty years later Idol is joining Pete Townshend on a Quadrophenia tour so it occurs to me now that I misread the lyrics ( and found far too much meaning in the line "ain't no time for substitutes" and guitarist Derwood Andrews's guitar hiccups).

If this is a punk rock attempt at addressing the generation gap, it's less interesting to me. Peaked at U.K #34.