Generation X is a popular English punk rock band from the late 1970s. The group belongs to the golden era of punk culture. The name Generation X was borrowed from a book by Jane Deverson. In the narrative, the author talked about clashes between mods and rockers in the 1960s.
The history of the creation and composition of the Generation X group
At the origins of the group is a talented musician William Michael Albert Broad. He is better known to his fans under the pseudonym Billy Idol. He played the guitar and was fond of reading literature, but most importantly, the guy was an amazing dreamer. He had many bright ideas and plans.
Chelsea frontman Gene Oktober was in need of a guitarist and songwriter at the time. Competitive selection of applicants together with Gene was conducted by the producer Chelsea.
When Albert Broad came into the studio and played the guitar, everyone froze. Jin knew immediately that this was exactly what they were looking for. As an experiment, the British band recorded cover versions of The Beatles tracks: Get Back and All You Need Is Love.
Several successful performances clearly made the musicians understand that they simply have to play together. Thus, William with drummer John Toey (with the support of bassist Tony James) created a musical project. The guys began performing under the already well-known creative pseudonym Generation X.
Initially, the guys worked under the wing of an accountant for Acme Attractions, a trendy clothing boutique known in youth circles. The musicians of the new band now looked fashionable, even though their rehearsals took place in old cellars and garages.
Distribution of responsibilities of the Generation X group
Andrew Chezovsky saw in the guitarist certain inclinations of a leader. He advised him to work on his image, and also take a creative pseudonym and try himself as a vocalist. Thanks to a modest accountant, the whole world learned about the talented Billy Idol, who still has the status of a cult musician.
Instrumental parts went to Bob Andrews. Until the 1970s, the guy played in the band Paradox. After the formation of the composition, exhausting musical "training" began. The guys were kind to the rehearsals, honing their numbers from start to finish.
Billy Idol, who grew up on the work of The Beatles, took up writing melodies and lyrics. Those works that came out of Billy's "pen" later became classics of punk rock. Thanks to this, the albums of the 1970s received a prestigious status - an alternative exclusive.
As in any musical group, the composition of the Generation X group changed like gloves. The musicians were replaced for various reasons, including personal ones. Ian Hunter, as well as other celebrities, collaborated with Billy Idol at one time. A performance with guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook is a hot topic for discussion and colorful headlines.
Music by Generation X
The first performance of Generation X took place in 1976. The musicians performed at the impromptu site of the school of design and arts. The band members presented to the audience not only original songs that had not yet been heard anywhere, but also several cover versions. The band's performance caused a lot of positive emotions among music lovers.
At this time, Chezovsky set about opening a new club, the Roxy. As a result, Generation X became the first band to perform on the stage of the new institution. The work of the young team was liked by many reputable producers.
John Ingham (an influential entrepreneur from England) and Stuart Joseph (promoter) offered the team to cooperate on very favorable terms for newcomers. The compositions of frontman and guitarist Billy Idol aroused professional interest among the presented personalities.
Businessmen tried with all their might to push Billy "into the people." They achieved that the independent label Chiswick Records signed a contract with the musician. During the recording of the debut album, the names of the band members very often "flashed" in the press.
Debut album presentation
The demo session took place in February 1977. The album with the track You Generation was released in the same year. The compositions Listen, Too Personal, Kiss Me Deadly were filled with political themes. In their works, the musicians criticized those who admired the British power of that time.
The debut album was liked not only by music lovers, but also by music critics. The tracks of Kleenex and Rady Steady Go still remain relevant among fans of heavy music. The authorities were the only listeners who were not enthusiastic about the work done by the musicians.
During performances, bottles were thrown into the crowd and onto the stage. This forced the musicians to temporarily suspend their concerts. Such a meeting of ill-wishers did not stop the group from public performances. Soon the musicians went on a tour that took place far beyond the borders of their native country.
After the tour, there were some line-up changes. The fact is that the producer and frontman were not satisfied with the drummer. Firstly, he did not want to change the image, and secondly, he was too different from the rest of the participants. He was soon replaced by Mark (Laffoli) Luff.
Recording a new album
To record a new album, the musicians settled in Fulham Road. The results of work on the second studio album caused indignation among the press and music critics. They literally "shot" the new creation of the group.
At that time, Billy Idol appeared on television. The fact is that he was invited to the Top of the Pops program. Such a move allowed the group to gain new fans. That is why the next Valley of the Dolls album, from a commercial point of view, can be called successful.
The songs that were included in the presented disc went beyond the alternative. The verses of the compositions combined the best traditions of the lyrics. The track writers were heavily criticized for betraying punk rock, but that didn't stop the compilation from selling well.
At that time, the British went to look for support on the side. Dance music fans liked the musical compositions of the King Rocker and Fridays Angels bands.
In the 1980s, the atmosphere within the team began to heat up. Bad “habits” added fuel to the fire. The fact is that the musicians used drugs and alcohol. The composition of the team changed to please the frontman of the group. This situation led to the termination of the contract without explanation.
The musicians tried very hard to help the punk rock band. Hoping to interest the public, the band members presented a new single, Dancing with Myself. But even this song could not save Generation X from failure. The work of London punks, who mixed new wave and underground, reminded rock "fans" of "fake".
Breakup of Generation X
Billy Idol increasingly found himself thinking that the group should be disbanded. He dreamed of a solo career. With the support of the producers, the musician moved overseas. The composition Dancing with Myself was preserved in the updated individual program and was included in the list of the best tracks of the rating programs.
The rest of the musicians first tried to perform without Billy. But they soon realized that they could not exist on their own. Members of the Generation X group have officially announced that their offspring ceases activities. Years after the collapse, the musicians gathered again to play on the stage of the popular Roxy club. This event took place in 2018. So the musicians decided to show respect for the fans who have not forgotten the work of Generation X.
Interestingly, Sweet Revenge was the last album in the band's discography. The tracks were released in the 1990s. The interest of heavy music fans in the work of punk rock bands of the 1970s led to the release of records of imperishable rock hits.
