He was born William Michael Albert but is famously known for his professional name Billy Idol. He was one of those singers who shook the punk-pop industry during their time and even years after his peak period. With his spiked blonde Mohawk, flashy clothes and trademark sneer; it was indeed hard not to notice him. The Rebel Yell crooner would always be remembered as the loud pugnacious performer who pioneered punk in his generation.
Anyone who knew him when he was much younger can bear witness that he has always been keen towards music and singing. While in high school, it gradually dawned on him that music wasn’t just a passion for him and that it might just end up defining his career. He eventually began his professional journey by joining a punk rock band in 1976 as a guitarist. Billy later left the group along with one of the band mates and started a new band that collapsed after about four years. His next career step was to begin a solo career which he did and it turned out to be his best decision ever.
Date of Birth: November 30, 1955
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Besides singing, Idol has appeared in movies like The Wedding Singer (1998) and a few others. Being in the music industry, it is not strange for the famed singer to be surrounded by tons of pretty girls. He has been rumored to have been with a number of girls but there has been just two confirmed relationships. The Dancing with Myself singer was never married but is a father to two grown up kids. Keep scrolling as we let you in on more family details about the world-famous music legend.
Billy Idol parents
Bill Broad (father)
Billy Idol’s mom and dad
Year of Birth: 1924
Date of Death: August 7, 2014 (aged 90)
Bill can indirectly be said to have been the source of his son’s inspiration. He worked as a salesman and this lower-middle class lifestyle frustrated Idol as he could not understand why his father could so easily settle for a life of mediocrity. It was while William was looking for a more fun career path that he stumbled on rock and roll and stayed with it ever since. Bill passed away at 90 from cancer complications.
Joan Broad (mother)
Date of Birth: February 24
She is the mother to the world famous singer but was quite the private one as not much can be said about her personal life.
Billy Idol siblings
Jane Broad (younger sister from same parents)
Jane is the only sibling to the Don’t Stop singer and it is said that the song White Wedding was written for her due to an early pregnancy.
Billy Idol ex-girlfriend
Perri Lister (former partner)
Duration of Relationship: 1980 – 1989 (9 years)
Date of Birth: April 10, 1959
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Lister is a multi talented performer with skills as a model, actress, dancer and singer. She starred in several music videos with Idol, Duran Duran, Def Leppard and even started her own girl group named Boomerang. Perri became a major influence on Idol’s music while they were together. Like Billy, she did not just have a crazy look but was also involved in substance abuse so they both did hard drugs together.
Even though he was never loyal to her, the Hot Gossip dancer remained his major partner for nine years and bore him a son. It seems like she could not take it any longer when she heard another lady was pregnant for her ex-lover as the year they split, he welcomed another child.
Linda Mathis (former partner)
Year of Birth: 1968
Duration of Relationship: 1988 – 1990 (2 years)
The Whiplash Smile singer started seeing 13-years younger Linda while he was with Perri. She was 20 when she became pregnant and then decided to move in with her mother to have her child. Her relationship with Idol was short-lived and they both went their separate ways while their child was still less than a year. William was finally convinced that he had to clean up his acts when he realized he had to be a responsible father to his daughter. The motor-bike accident he had in 1990 also fueled his drive to become a better person.
Billy Idol children
Willem Wolfe Broad (son with Perri Lister)
Date of Birth: June 15, 1988
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Willem is the first child and only son to the punk icon. Like his father, he has also grown to be a popular musician and is a member of a rock band called FIM. Broad has worked on a few projects with his father and seems to have inherited some crazy energy from Idol.
Bonnie Blue Broad (daughter with Linda Mathis)
Date of Birth: August 21, 1989
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Bonnie is the only daughter to the Eyes Without A Face star. Idol was scared that his kids might take after him and become hooked on drugs but was so relieved when he later realized that they had been put off, seeing what addiction did to him and decided never to get involved with drugs.
Keri Caye
May 1, 2019 at 9:18 pm
I have adored Billy since I met him on The Doors (backstage) sitting with his broken leg. I wished I could have said….”I adore you” but then I would have sound like an average fan. Of course we all adore him…But I liked him with or without his $$, title or fame. I just liked him. My car has his CD in it…every where I go..he’s with me.
James Starship
December 30, 2020 at 3:35 am
I saw him back in 1990 when he was recovering from the motorcycle accident and he was already ‘evolving’ toward the ‘Cyberpunk’ phase. And that album is not a ‘flop’ by any means. He didn’t get the stage name for nothing, his shows aew WILD.