This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Vital Idol" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Vital Idol
Original 1985 cover
Remix album by
Billy Idol
ReleasedJune 1985
Genre
Length42:22
LabelChrysalis
ProducerKeith Forsey
Billy Idol chronology
Rebel Yell
(1983) 		Vital Idol
(1985) 		Whiplash Smile
(1986)
Alternative cover
1987 edition cover

Vital Idol is a remix album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released in June 1985 by Chrysalis Records.[2] It contains remixed songs from his first two albums and the Don't Stop EP. The album was reissued in the United States with one extra track in September 1987, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard 200.[3] The US release was supported by a non-album live single version of "Mony Mony".

The original release, sporting a photo from the "Dancing with Myself" video, was first issued in Europe in 1985. It peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart,[4] outperforming Idol's previous studio albums.[1] The US release was expanded to feature the "Mother of Mercy Mix" of "To Be a Lover" and reissued in 1987 with different cover art, featuring a photo still from the live video for "Mony Mony" on CD. The 1987 issue was 24-bit digitally remastered and released globally in 2002.

The album has been certified platinum by both the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Background

Most of the tracks are the original 12″ extended versions,[1] except "Catch My Fall", which features a new remix with some re-recorded instruments.[5] "What we would always do is we knew we had certain songs where we wanted to have some space to do remixes," guitarist Steve Stevens said in 2014. "So we'd leave 16 bars or 32 bars in the middle of the song no matter what the song was and then do an edit on it later and that left us room to experiment for a dance remix."[1]

The album's title was inspired by a 1974 single by reggae artist Horace Andy titled "Ital Vital".[5][6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Record Mirror[7]
Robert ChristgauB+ [8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[9]

In his review for AllMusic, Steve Huey wrote: "It doesn't really work as a hits collection, since it's missing key songs like 'Rebel Yell' and 'Eyes Without a Face,' and most of the dance remixes are repetitious and uninteresting compared to the originals."[2] In The Rolling Stone Album Guide, Mark Coleman called the album "both a cynical recycling ploy and the essential Billy Idol album".[10]

Track listing

Vital Idol (1985)[2]
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."White Wedding (Parts I & II)" (Shotgun Mix)Billy IdolBilly Idol, 19828:20
2."Dancing with Myself" (Uptown Mix)Idol, Tony JamesDon't Stop, 19815:57
3."Flesh for Fantasy" (Below the Belt Mix)Idol, Steve StevensRebel Yell, 19837:04
4."Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)IdolRebel Yell4:56
5."Mony Mony" (Downtown Mix)Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, Bobby BloomDon't Stop5:01
6."Love Calling" (Rub a Dub Dub Mix)Idol, Keith ForseyBilly Idol5:33
7."Hot in the City" (Exterminator Mix)IdolBilly Idol5:09
Total length:42:22
Vital Idol – US version (1987)
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."White Wedding (Parts I & II)" (Shotgun Mix)IdolBilly Idol8:20
2."Mony Mony" (Downtown Mix)James, Gentry, Cordell, BloomDon't Stop5:01
3."Hot in the City" (Exterminator Mix)IdolBilly Idol5:09
4."Dancing with Myself" (Uptown Mix)Idol, JamesDon't Stop5:57
5."Flesh for Fantasy" (Below the Belt Mix)Idol, StevensRebel Yell7:04
6."To Be a Lover" (Mother of Mercy Mix)William Bell, Booker T. JonesWhiplash Smile, 19866:49
7."Love Calling" (Rub a Dub Dub Mix)Idol, ForseyBilly Idol5:33
8."Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)IdolRebel Yell4:56
Total length:49:45
Vital Idol – Japan reissue (1987)
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."White Wedding (Parts I & II)" (Shotgun Mix)IdolBilly Idol8:20
2."Mony Mony" (Hung Like a Pony Mix)James, Gentry, Cordell, BloomDon't Stop7:00
3."Hot in the City" (Exterminator Mix)IdolBilly Idol5:10
4."Dancing with Myself" (Uptown Mix)Idol, JamesDon't Stop5:59
5."Flesh for Fantasy" (Below the Belt Mix)Idol, StevensRebel Yell7:04
6."To Be a Lover" (Mother of Mercy Mix)Bell, JonesWhiplash Smile6:48
7."Love Calling" (Rub a Dub Dub Mix)Idol, ForseyBilly Idol5:33
8."Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)IdolRebel Yell4:56
9."Shakin' All Over" (Live)Johnny Kidd"Mony Mony" (Live) single, 19874:39
10."Mony Mony" (Live)James, Gentry, Cordell, Bloom"Mony Mony" (Live) single4:06
Total length:58:30

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.[11]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Vital Idol
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[30] 4× Platinum 400,000^
France (SNEP)[31] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[32] Gold 250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[33] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[35] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Vital Idol: Revitalized

Vital Idol: Revitalized
Remix album by
Billy Idol
Released28 September 2018
Genre
Length42:43
LabelCapitol
Billy Idol chronology
Kings & Queens of the Underground
(2014) 		Vital Idol: Revitalized
(2018) 		The Roadside
(2021)

Vital Idol: Revitalized is a remix album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 28 September 2018. The album has been described as a "modern-day upgrade" of Vital Idol. The digital version features four additional remixes, including a new Billy Idol and Steve Stevens remix of "Mony Mony" and "Save Me Now" (Lost Dog Remix), reworked by Idol's son, Willem Wolfe with Brandon Rauch and Ed Bedrosian.[37]

Track listing

Vital Idol: Revitalized track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."White Wedding" (CRAY Remix)IdolBilly Idol3:28
2."Dancing with Myself" (RAC Remix)Idol, JamesDon't Stop3:33
3."Eyes Without a Face" (Tropkillaz Remix)Idol, StevensRebel Yell3:50
4."Rebel Yell" (The Crystal Method Remix)Idol, StevensRebel Yell5:23
5."(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows" (Moby Remix)Idol, StevensRebel Yell4:21
6."Flesh for Fantasy" (St Francis Hotel Remix)Idol, StevensRebel Yell3:37
7."Catch My Fall" (Juan Maclean Remix)IdolRebel Yell5:31
8."One Breath Away" (Paul Oakenfold Remix)Idol, Stevens, Billy MorrisonKings & Queens of the Underground, 20143:21
9."To Be a Lover" (DJDS Remix)Bell, JonesWhiplash Smile3:04
10."Don't Need a Gun" (Shiba San Remix)IdolWhiplash Smile3:26
11."Hot in the City" (Shotgun Mike Remix)IdolBilly Idol3:09
Total length:42:43
Digital version (bonus tracks)[38]
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
12."Mony Mony" (Idol/Stevens Remix)James, Gentry, Cordell, BloomDon't Stop5:41
13."One Breath Away" (Paul Oakenfold Remix – Extended Version)Idol, Stevens, MorrisonKings & Queens of the Underground4:58
14."(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows" (Moby Remix – Half Speed Version)Idol, StevensRebel Yell4:30
15."Save Me Now" (Lost Dog Remix)Idol, George William Lewis, Greg KurstinKings & Queens of the Underground4:42

Release history

Release history for Vital Idol: Revitalized
Region Date Format Label
Various 28 September 2018
Capitol
16 November 2018 LP

References

  1. ^ a b c d "30 Years Ago: Remixes Prove 'Vital' for Billy Idol". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Steve Huey. "Vital Idol - Billy Idol | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  3. ^ Greg Prato. "Billy Idol | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b Rachel Brodsky (11 October 2018). "Billy Idol On Remixing Vital Idol, Finding New Life In Old Songs, And Listening To Post Malone". Stereogum. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Ital Vital". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  7. ^ Strike, Andy (8 June 1985). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 19.
  8. ^ "CG: Billy Idol". Robert Christgau. 10 August 1993. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  9. ^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Billy Idol". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 402. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  10. ^ Coleman, Mark (1992). DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 341. ISBN 0679737294.
  11. ^ "Vital Idol (Europe, 2002)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Vital Idol (Japan, 1988)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  13. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 147. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 37. 16 September 1985. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  17. ^ a b "Charts.nz – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0901". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  21. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Billy Idol Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  24. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1985". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  25. ^ "Top 100 Albums (January 5–December 28, 1985)" (PDF). Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 11. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  26. ^ "Top 100 Albums of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. 26 December 1987. p. 9. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  27. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums for 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Top 100 Albums of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 13. ISSN 0033-7064 – via World Radio History.
  29. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  30. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  31. ^ "French album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in French). InfoDisc. Select BILLY IDOL and click OK. 
  32. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Billy Idol; 'Vital Idol')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  33. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  34. ^ "British album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  35. ^ "American album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  36. ^ "Billy Idol - "Vital Idol: Revitalized": Album Review". Beatselector Magazine. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  37. ^ "Billy Idol's 'Vital Idol' Is 'Revitalized'" (Press release). Los Angeles: Capitol Records/UMe. PR Newswire. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2021 – via Business Insider.
  38. ^ "iTunes - Music - Vital Idol: Revitalized by Billy Idol". iTunes Store.
Categories