[youtube id=”9OFpfTd0EIs”]Billy Idol’s “Eyes Without A Face” was the lone ballad on his 1983 rock opus Rebel Yell. Idol’s haunting delivery of lyrics about heartbreak and the emotional climax with Steve Stevens’ in-your-face guitar solo created an indelible moment in ’80s pop. The song made reference to the 1960 horror film Les yeux sans visage (Eyes Without A Face) from French director Georges Franju. The video was just as unforgettable with Idol singing in the dark, moving spastically in smoke and later being surrounded by fire in a pit. Director David Mallet’s work for “Eyes Without A Face” received two MTV Video Award nominations for Best Editing and Best Cinematography. Billy Idol was the first wave of artists to make MTV relevant and his videos were continuously played on the network. The English singer released his eighth album, Kings & Queens Of The Underground in 2014. He officially became an American citizen on November 14, 2018.Â
