Billy Idol defined the transition of punk rock into the polished, synth-heavy aesthetic of the 1980s. Born William Broad in Stanmore, Middlesex, in 1955, he was part of London's original punk scene, forming Generation X in 1976, one of the first bands to emerge from the movement. Generation X was more melodic and pop-oriented than their contemporaries in the Sex Pistols and the Clash, and Idol's blond spikes and sneering good looks gave the band a visual identity that anticipated the MTV era. He moved to New York City in 1981 and launched a solo career with guitarist Steve Stevens that married punk attitude to dance-oriented production. The self-titled debut album and its follow-up, Rebel Yell, produced a string of hits including "White Wedding," "Rebel Yell," and "Eyes Without a Face" that dominated MTV's early years. His snarling delivery and bleached-blond look became the definitive visual shorthand for 1980s pop-rock rebellion. He was one of the first artists to understand that MTV had changed the economics of popular music: the image was now as important as the sound, and Idol's lip-curling persona was tailor-made for the medium. A near-fatal motorcycle accident in 1990 interrupted his career, and by the time he recovered, grunge had shifted the culture away from everything he represented. He continued touring and recording, finding a devoted audience on the nostalgia circuit while occasionally releasing new material. His memoir Dancing with Myself, published in 2014, was surprisingly candid about addiction, excess, and the creative process.