Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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Consumer Guide Album

Billy Idol: Cyberpunk [Chrysalis, 1993]
If Idol's interest in William Gibson's uncopyrightable neologism was originally piqued by the dollar signs that appear in front of his eyes whenever he encounters the magic rune p-u-n-k, well, the fate of any good idea is that sooner or later it touches people with no deep connection to it--like punk itself and the former William Broad, for instance. Not that Idol would think of offending this new generation he's read about. So "Adam in Chains," which after a long spoken intro devolves into what a vulgarian might take for his latest love-gone-bad rant, is in fact "a prayer for the tomorrow people and powerjunkies." And the deathless "Suck on my love meat" is intended as a critique, not a celebration. Sexist, our Billy? How cyber would that be? C-