Billy Idol - Sweet Sixteen (Chrysalis)

Bit too mild for me. My kind of mellow's a bit more romantic than Billy Idol. I like reggae or slow soul for relaxing to. I wouldn't buy this type of record though I expect lots of young girls will. I don't think he really knows what he's doing here. He used to be a rocker, didn't he? I wish him well, but it's just not my cuppa tea. (Neidet Salih, No 1, June 20, 1987)

What a sad tale this song tells. Sir Billiam is so bonkers about his 16 year old girlie that he builds a room for her to keep a rocking chair in (i.e. he envisages the relationship lasting quite some time), only to find that the ungrateful little vixen has scarpered with someone else. It's very weepsome, with a lolloping rhythm and a complete absence of the usual Idol rawk'n'roll screech-guitar; in fact, you can easily imagine a knicker-garlanded Tom Jones grimacing his way through a tortured version of "Sweet Sixteen" in cabaret. Could Billy Idol be the Tom Jones of the 21st century? It's not bloody impossible, as the great Welshman himself might say...  (Vici MacDonald, Smash Hits, June 3, 1987)

Billy Idol - Flesh For Fantasy (Chrysalis)

Billy's passionate devotion to 'rawkanroll' normally leaves me cold, but here the buzz-saw guitars, meaty drumming and snarled vocals all combine to produce a powerfully driving record with about 19 times more energy than anything else released this week. The tune's pretty good too, which isn't surprising seeing as it's lifted almost wholesale from Simple Minds' brilliant "Up On The Catwalk". (Vici MacDonald, Smash Hits, September 27, 1984)

Billy is the Idol of America's young nouveau punx. They pogo in droves to his full-throated rebel yell. But we Brits lost interest in that years ago. We preferred "Eyes Without A Face". The sighs without the pace. Wised-up, our Gen X-ile repeats the formula - prowling a steamy hotel room as the bass throbs through the floor and the guitar throws odd shapes against the wall. William, this is really something... (Martin Townsend, No 1, September 29, 1984)

Billy Idol's the sort of bad boy who runs home crying if you say boo, but I can't deny he's making some great records these days. "Flesh For Fantasy" is one of these despite the most outrageous Simple Minds rip off on the chorus. Big fat production and a big fat hit. Grrrr. (Andy Strickland, Record Mirror, September 22, 1984)

Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself (Chrysalis)

Some of us will remember this song as being one of Billy's punk pop band Gen. X's better moments. A surprisingly good song with hummable bits and a nice punky riff. Billy's solo version sticks pretty close to the original, through seems tamer somehow - but perhaps nostalgia is colouring my memory. Shame there's no Billy pic on the cover; his bleached-up good looks always make me smile. (Sunie, No 1, October 15, 1983)

Billy Idol - To Be A Lover (Chrysalis)

He's back, and the sneering top lip is as curled as ever despite the recent disgusting rumours that he's calmed down. "To Be A Lover" lies down in the green pastures between Elvis Presley and Sigue Sigue Sputnik, which just about says it all, but Billy retains just as much of his own brand of humour to remain aloof from the braying pack. The gospel flavour of the whole package is puzzling, but it's safe to assume that William hasn't found God. Not just yet. 3/5 (Andrew Panos, No 1, September 27, 1986)

Sporting a cheerfully rakish grin instead of that extraordinary twisted sneer, plain Mr Idol has now opted for a much more restrained style. This is an old soul song given a modern rockabilly treatment which mixes electronic rhythm bits with honky-tonk piano, chirpy girl singers and a wonderfully authentic old organ sound, while the cranky guitars of old don't get a look in till near the end and Billy opts for a curious mumbling vocal. Cleverly done, sprightly, but not particularly memorable. (Ian Cranna, Smash Hits, September 10, 1986)

Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face (Chrysalis)

I used to think Mr. Idol was a complete twit until his Rebel Yell LP came out last year and I fell for its blend of disco, rock 'n' roll and daft horror-movie imagery. This song is my favourite on the LP and it's warmer, more atmospheric, and more melodic than any of the blond bombshell's previous singles. Although he doesn't have a great voice and the words are utter drivel, somehow he sounds affectingly sincere. Single Of The Fortnight. (Neil Tennant, Smash Hits, June 7, 1984)

Note: I can totally hear Pet Shop Boys covering this song, actually.