Charmed Life (Billy Idol Album)
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''Charmed Life'' is the fourth studio album by the English
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
musician
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...
, released on 30 April 1990 by
Chrysalis Records Chrysalis Records () is a British independent record label that was founded in 1968. The name is both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders' names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis. It started as the Ell ...
. Like its predecessor, ''
Whiplash Smile ''Whiplash Smile'' is the third studio album by English rock musician Billy Idol, released on 20 October 1986 by Chrysalis Records. After the success of his previous album, ''Rebel Yell'' (1983), Idol continued his collaboration with producer Ke ...
'' (1986), the album shows a more emotional side of Idol, but with a more organic and less technologically-dependent sound. It's primarily a
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
album, but experiments with other genres, such as
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
on “Endless Sleep” and electro-
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
on “Trouble With The Sweet Stuff.”


Background

Unlike Idol's previous three albums, ''Charmed Life'' did not feature guitarist
Steve Stevens Steve Stevens (born Steven Bruce Schneider; May 5, 1959) is an American guitarist. He is best known as Billy Idol's guitarist and songwriting collaborator, and for his lead guitar work on the theme to ''Top Gun'' – " Top Gun Anthem" – for ...
, and most of the guitar work was handled by Mark Younger-Smith instead. Idol told '' Sounds'' in 1990, "Meeting Mark Younger-Smith gave me a lynchpin, someone I could work with by forming a sound and an idea for this album." Idol finished sessions for the album on 5 February 1990. During the following morning, after picking up the final mixes from
Conway Studios Conway may refer to: Places United States * Conway, Arkansas * Conway County, Arkansas * Lake Conway, Arkansas * Conway, Florida * Conway, Iowa * Conway, Kansas * Conway, Louisiana * Conway, Massachusetts * Conway, Michigan * Conway To ...
, he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. "Love Unchained" was inspired by a friend of Idol's who died in a motorcycle accident.


Release

The lead single, " Cradle of Love", appeared on the soundtrack of ''
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane ''The Adventures of Ford Fairlane'' is a 1990 American mystery action comedy film directed by Renny Harlin and written by David Arnott, James Cappe, and Daniel Waters based on a story by Arnott and Cappe. The film stars comedian Andrew Dic ...
''. The song was famous for its video, which won the 1990
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
Video Music Award for "Best video from a film". The video directed by
David Fincher David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. Often described as one of the preeminent directors of his generation, David Fincher filmography, his films, of which most are psychological thrillers, have collectiv ...
, involved Betsy Lynn George as a teenager who knocks at her neighbour's door and asks to play a tape, before stripping to the music. The album's second single is a cover version of " L.A. Woman" by
The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...
. Its video was also directed by Fincher. The third single off the album was " Prodigal Blues". ''Charmed Life'' was certified Platinum by the RIAA and Silver by BPI in 1990.


Track listing


Personnel

* Billy Idol – vocals, acoustic guitar (3, 7), arrangements, horn arrangements (11) * Greg Mathieson – keyboards (1) *
John Philip Shenale John Philip Shenale (often mentioned as Phil Shenale) is a Canadian composer, arranger, musician and producer based in Los Angeles. Background Shenale was born in Canada in 1951. His family relocated to the United States in the late-1950s. ...
– programming (2), additional bass (2) *
Arthur Barrow Arthur Barrow (born February 28, 1952) is a multi-instrumental musician, best known for his stint as a bass guitar player for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Early life Barrow was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1952 and grew up in ...
– keyboards (3, 4, 6–9), programming (6, 11), additional bass (6), bass (8, 11) * Mark Younger-Smith – guitars, bass (2) * Jimmy Johnson – bass (1) *
Phil Soussan Philip Raphael Soussan (born 23 June 1961) is an English bass guitarist, songwriter and producer, known as a member of the rock bands Last in Line, Ozzy Osbourne, Vince Neil Band and Big Noize, as well as writing and producing for Dokken and Tot ...
– bass (3, 10), additional bass (11) * Vito – bass (4, 5, 6, 9) *
Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive, television presenter and musician, best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing b ...
– bass (7) *
Keith Forsey Keith Forsey (born 2 January 1948) is an English pop musician and record producer. Early life Forsey began his career as a percussionist in the mid-late 1960s as the drummer for The Spectrum and as the drummer in Udo Lindenberg's Panik Orche ...
– drums (1, 2, 3, 5–9), percussion (11), arrangements *
Mike Baird Michael Bruce Baird (born 1 April 1968) is an Australian investment banker and former politician who was the 44th Premier of New South Wales, the Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Mini ...
– drums (3, 4, 10, 11), programming (11), drum programming (11) * Alex Brown – backing vocals (3, 5) * Bunny Hull – backing vocals (3, 5) * Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals (3, 5) * The P.L.S. Singers – backing vocals (11) Handclaps on "The Right Way" * The "Rude Dudes" (John Diaz, Keith Forsey, Billy Idol, Art Natoli and Mark Younger-Smith)


Production

* Keith Forsey – producer * Tommy Vicari – mixing, engineer (1, 6, 8, 9) * Dave Concors – engineer (2–5, 7, 10, 11) * Kevin Becka – assistant engineer (1) * Bryan Carlstrom – assistant engineer (2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11) * Ken Paulakovich – second engineer (5) * Ian Minns – assistant engineer (6) * Craig Porteils – mix assistant (1, 6), assistant engineer (6) * Paul Wertheimer – mix assistant (2, 10) * Bryant Arnett – mix assistant (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11), assistant engineer (4, 6, 8, 9) *
Bernie Grundman Bernie Grundman (born 16 December 1943, Minneapolis) is an American audio engineer. He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chr ...
– mastering (1–5, 7–11) *
George Marino George Marino (April 15, 1947June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s. Biography Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He attended ...
– mastering (6) * AWest – art direction, cover design, cover illustration * Brass Ring Circus Studio – art direction * Billy Idol – cover design * Max Aguilera-Hellweg – photography * Art Natoli – personal assistant Studios * Recorded at Lighthouse Studios (Los Angeles, California);
Track Record Studios Track Record Studios is a recording studio, originally established around 1970 and located in North Hollywood, California. Many gold or platinum records were recorded or mixed at Track Record: The Offspring's '' Ignition'' and the follow-up '' S ...
and Oasis Recording Studios (North Hollywood, California );
Conway Studios Conway may refer to: Places United States * Conway, Arkansas * Conway County, Arkansas * Lake Conway, Arkansas * Conway, Florida * Conway, Iowa * Conway, Kansas * Conway, Louisiana * Conway, Massachusetts * Conway, Michigan * Conway To ...
(Hollywood, California). * Mixed at
Record Plant The Record Plant was a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and last operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it produced highly influential albums, including the New York ...
(Los Angeles, California) and Conway Studios * Tracks 1–5 & 7–11 mastered at
Bernie Grundman Mastering Bernie Grundman (born 16 December 1943, Minneapolis) is an American audio engineer. He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chri ...
(Hollywood, California). * Track 6 mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York).


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


See also

*
List of most expensive albums The following is a list of the most expensive albums made with a recorded sum of over $1 million, sorted by the most money spent in promotional campaigns and album covers. The recording process traditionally requires an investment in studio tim ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charmed Life (Album) Billy Idol albums 1990 albums Albums produced by Keith Forsey Chrysalis Records albums