Album: Kings & Queens of the Underground
Artist: Billy Idol
2014 BFI
CD: BFI0706

Billy Idol (William MA Broad): lead vocals (all), backing vocals (1, 7, 9)
Steve Stevens: lead guitar (1, 3-11), rhythm guitar (1, 3, 5-8, 10, 11), acoustic guitar (1, 6-8, 10), nylon string guitar (6, 7), guitar (2)
Billy Morrison: rhythm guitar (4, 9)
Trevor Horn: bass (1, 4-11), synths (6), keys (8, 11), drum programming (5), additional programming (7, 8), backing vocals (5, 6, 8, 11)
Ash Soan: drums (1, 4-10), percussion (1, 8)
Matt Chamberlin: drums (3)
Joel M Peters: drums (11)
Tim Weidner: percussion (4, 9, 11), drum programming (7)
Julian Hinton: orchestral arrangement and programming (4, 6, 8, 10)
Pete Murray: orchestral arrangement and programming (7)
Geoff Downes: Hammond (1, 4-8, 10), synths (1, 5, 8, 10), Rhodes (6-10), keys (6, 9)
Cameron Gower Poole: programming (1, 9, 11), drum programming (11), additional programming (4), keys (11), synths (7), additional keys (9), additional guitar (9)
Greg Kurstin: guitar (2), bass (2, 3), keys (2, 3), drums (2), programming (3)
Josh Campbell: programming (5), drum programming (1), additional programming (11), additional guitar (5, 11), bass (11), backing vocals (9)
Renate Sokolovska: flute (6)
Tracy Ackerman: backing vocals (6, 8)


Produced by Horn (1, 4-11), Greg Kurstin (2, 3), Keith Forsey (13, 14)
Recording engineers: Peters (1, 4-11), Gower Poole (1, 4-11), Weidner (1, 4-11), Kurstin (2, 3), Alex Pasco (2, 3), Brendan Dekora (3)
Lead vocals recorded by Gower Poole (1, 4, 5, 11), Weidner (6, 7, 10), Peters (8)
Recorded at SARM Studios, London (1, 4-10), SARM West Coast, Los Angeles (11)
Mix engineer: Weidner (1, 4-6, 8, 10, 11), Kurstin (2, 3), Gower Poole (7, 9)
Additional engineering: Julian Burg (2, 3)
Assistant engineer: Campbell (1, 4-11), Adam Harr (3)
Mastered by Chris Bellman
Art direction/design by Shepard Fairey and Studio Number One
Photography by Michael Muller
Management: Tony Dimitriades/Laurence Freedman
credits not available for tracks 12-14


Tracks:
1. "Bitter Pill" [Idol/Eric Bazilian/Glen M Goss] (3:58)
2. "Can't Break Me Down" [Idol/Kurstin/Daniel Nigro] (3:43)
3. "Save Me Now" [Idol/George William Lewis/Kurstin] (4:32)
4. "One Breath Away" [Idol/Stevens/Morrison] (4:10)
5. "Postcards from the Past" [Idol/Stevens/Morrison] (4:21)
6. "Kings & Queens of the Underground" [Idol/Stevens/Morrison] (4:54)
7. "Eyes Wide Shut" [Idol/Stevens/Morrison] (4:30)
8. "Ghosts in My Guitar" [Idol/Stevens] (4:48)
9. "Nothing to Fear" [Idol/Stevens/Morrison] (4:40)
10. "Love and Glory" [Idol/Stevens/Morrison] (4:29)
11. "Whiskey and Pills" [Idol/Brian Tichy] (3:43)
12. "Hollywood Promises" [Idol/Tichy] (4:11), iTunes and Japanese version bonus track
13. "Cradle of Love (Live from Vienna)" [Idol/David Werner] (4:42), Japanese version bonus track only
14. "Dancing with Myself (Live from Vienna)" [Idol/Tony James] (5:39), Japanese version bonus track only

All songs arranged by Idol/Stevens


Notes: The album was released 17 Oct 2014 in Germany and Australia, 20 Oct in the UK and 21 Oct in the US and Canada. Two singles were released. (2) came 15 Sep 2014 and made #15 on the US Adult Alternative Songs chart. The song's music video was directed by Jason Trucco and produced by Niv Gat and Dana Lustig. It was shot at Santa Clarita Studios in Valencia, California. (3) followed on 18 November 2014. The album made #8 in Germany, #10 in Switzerland, #17 in Austria, #24 in Denmark, #34 in the US (#4 in Independent, #5 in Top Alternative and #9 in Top Rock Albums), #35 in the UK (#4 in Independent albums), #37 in Finland, #45 in Italy, #69 in Czechia, #75 in the Netherlands, #81 in Australia, #102 in France, #109 in Flanders and #127 in Wallonia (Belgium).

We get two Yes members, plus the producer of Magnification, Tim Weidner. We see Horn's usual team for the time in action with Soan, Weidner, Hinton and Gower Poole. (HP, 31 Mar 22)

Return to Home Page