Music Video of the Day: Rebel Yell by Billy Idol (1984, dir. Jeff Stein)


I have to admit that there was some strong competition for the music video to feature today. There was the CGI fun of Money For Nothing by Dire Straits, the Michael Bay directed song about masturbation, Ice Ice Baby, and Shania Twain’s remake of a Robert Palmer video staring at me in the same list. However, I decided to just go with something that is pure fun.

I remember when MTV oddly decided to celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2001 rather than their 25th 5 years later. They invited back a bunch of musicians who had been big on the network. It seemed that all of them had lost it. I remember TLC sounding awful. Then Billy Idol came onstage. He was amazing, and so was his guitarist Steve Stevens. They played the living hell out of this song. They didn’t need to, but they did anyways. I remember them sounding as good as in this music video except they did it live.

I have nothing to say except that director Jeff Stein certainly captured Billy and his crew perfectly. A well-filmed concert video is one done by someone who knows the musician’s style. Jeff Stein obviously did. The music video was produced by Kathy Doherty who doesn’t appear to have done anything else. Jeff Stein on the other hand is another director we’ll see again.

ENJOY!!!