Vital Idol

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Vital Idol
Vital Idol 1985.jpg
Original 1985 cover
Remix album by
Billy Idol
Released31 May 1985 [1]
Genre
Length42:22
Label Chrysalis
Producer Keith Forsey
Billy Idol chronology
Rebel Yell
(1983)		Vital Idol
(1985)		 Whiplash Smile
(1986)
Alternative cover
BillyIdolVitalIdol.jpg
1987 edition cover

Vital Idol is a remix album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 31 May 1985 by Chrysalis Records. [3] 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. [4] The US release was supported by a non-album live single version of "Mony Mony".

Contents

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, [5] outperforming Idol's previous studio albums. [2] 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, [2] except "Catch My Fall", which features a new remix with some re-recorded instruments. [6] "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." [2]

The album's title was inspired by a 1974 single by reggae artist Horace Andy titled "Ital Vital". [6] [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Robert Christgau B+ [9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]

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." [3] In The Rolling Stone Album Guide , Mark Coleman called the album "both a cynical recycling ploy and the essential Billy Idol album". [11]

Track listing

Vital Idol(1985) [3]
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."White Wedding (Parts I & II)" (Shotgun Mix) Billy Idol Billy Idol , 19828:20
2."Dancing with Myself" (Uptown Mix)Idol, Tony James Don't Stop , 19815:57
3."Flesh for Fantasy" (Below the Belt Mix)Idol, Steve Stevens Rebel Yell , 19837:04
4."Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)IdolRebel Yell4:56
5."Mony Mony" (Downtown Mix) Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, Bobby Bloom Don't Stop5:01
6."Love Calling" (Rub a Dub Dub Mix)Idol, Keith Forsey Billy 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. Jones Whiplash 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. [12]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Vital Idol
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [31] 4× Platinum400,000^
France (SNEP) [32] Gold100,000*
Germany (BVMI) [33] Gold250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [34] Gold7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI) [35] Platinum300,000^
United States (RIAA) [36] Platinum1,000,000^

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

Vital Idol: Revitalized

Vital Idol: Revitalized
Vital Idol Revitalized.jpg
Remix album by
Billy Idol
Released28 September 2018
Genre
Length42:43
Label Capitol
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. [38]

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 Morrison Kings & 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) [39]
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 Kurstin Kings & Queens of the Underground4:42

Release history

Release history for Vital Idol: Revitalized
RegionDateFormatLabel
Various28 September 2018 Capitol
16 November 2018 LP

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References

  1. ↑ "BPI".
  2. 1 2 3 4 "30 Years Ago: Remixes Prove 'Vital' for Billy Idol". Diffuser.fm . 9 September 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Steve Huey. "Vital Idol - Billy Idol | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  4. ↑ Greg Prato. "Billy Idol | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  6. 1 2 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.
  7. ↑ "Ital Vital". Discogs . Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  8. ↑ Strike, Andy (8 June 1985). "Albums". Record Mirror . p. 19.
  9. ↑ "CG: Billy Idol". Robert Christgau. 10 August 1993. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ Coleman, Mark (1992). DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 341. ISBN   0679737294.
  12. ↑ "Vital Idol (Europe, 2002)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  13. ↑ "Vital Idol (Japan, 1988)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  14. 1 2 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.
  15. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet . Vol. 2, no. 37. 16 September 1985. p. 18. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Charts.nz – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  19. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
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  27. ↑ "Top 100 Albums of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. 26 December 1987. p. 9. ISSN   0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
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  32. ↑ "French album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in French). InfoDisc.Select BILLY IDOL and click OK. 
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  34. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  35. ↑ "British album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  36. ↑ "American album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 16 December 2019.
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  38. ↑ "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.
  39. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Vital Idol: Revitalized by Billy Idol". iTunes Store.
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