• Artist                   :      GENERATION X (aka GEN X)
• Format                :      CD  ALBUM
• Year                     :      1991
• Label                 :     CHRYSALIS
• Genre                :     PUNK ROCK,  POP PUNK
• Made In              :     JAPAN                                                                                          

Although not as well as known as some of their peers (the Clash, the Sex Pistols, the Damned, etc.), first wave U.K. punk rockers Generation X burst onto the scene at the same time as the others. And while they enjoyed some moderate success in their homeland, Generation X would become better-known as the launching pad for their singer, Billy Idol, who would go on to achieve great commercial success come the '80s. Originally formed in 1976, Generation X (which was named after a book that focused on battles between the Mods and the Rockers during the '60s) was comprised of guitarist Bob Andrews, bassist Tony James, drummer Mark Laff, and fronted by Idol. The group was eventually signed up by Chrysalis Records, resulting in a self-titled debut album in 1978 (the U.S. and U.K. versions contained different track listings), as Generation X became one of the first punk bands to appear on the popular British TV music program Top of the Pops. Unlike other punk bands, Generation X wasn't afraid to turn a blind eye to the supposed "accepted" ideals by punk rockers as they covered a John Lennon song on their debut ("Gimme Some Truth") and even hooked up with veteran rocker Ian Hunter to handle the production chores for their sophomore effort, 1979's Valley of the Dolls. Perhaps as a result, however, the group's musical direction became cloudy (some wanting the group to remain true to their punk roots, while others feeling that they should pursue a heavier rock sound) and band members began to leave one by one, until Idol and James were the only remaining original members. Generation X managed to squeeze out one final album, 1981's Kiss Me Deadly (which contained the original version of a song that Idol would later cover as a solo artist and score a massive hit with, "Dancing With Myself"), before splitting up. After the group's breakup, James later turned up as a member of '80s glam-punkers Sigue Sigue Sputnik, while Idol relocated to New York and embarked on his aforementioned solo career. As Idol's solo success created interest in his first band, numerous Generation X best-of and rarity collections began to crop up, including 1985's Perfect Hits: 1975-1981, 1998's Sweet Revenge, and 2000's Original Debut, the latter of which was a reissue of the U.K. version of Generation X's self-titled debut.

REVIEW BY ALLMUSIC:

The Best of Generation X, Perfect Hits is a good if not perfect overview of the band's shaky career, assembled by Tony James and Billy Idol. On the down side, there's plenty of room on the disc for even more numbers that would have put everything one could want in one place -- the lack of "Running with the Boss Sound" in particular is a loss. Other cuts like "Valley of the Dolls" and "Night of the Cadillacs" may not have been as essential, but still should have been considered for inclusion. That flaw aside, Perfect Hits is still arguably the best way to get into the band, and for the casual listener will be more than sufficient. The whole thing starts off on an incongruous note with "Dancing with Myself," which later became one of Idol's initial solo smashes. While it was indeed originally a Generation X track (and a fantastic one at that), the recording itself was actually more like a punk jam session, with Terry Chimes on drums and Steve Jones and John McGeoch on guitars, among others. After that, it's down to business with the original lineup, kicking through their playfully entertaining cartoon punk with all the panache Idol and company can muster. If anything, the obvious debt Generation X owe to Mott the Hoople comes through the most, sometimes brilliantly -- mysteriously left off the earlier best-of, "Kiss Me Deadly" is a fantastic ballad-rocker worthy of Ian Hunter's wry lyrical pen. Other rarer numbers that make the cut include the unexpected remix of "Wild Youth," "Wild Dub," a BBC session take on "Day by Day," and the amped-up cover of John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth." Add to that such utterly necessary tracks as "Your Generation," "Ready, Steady, Go," and the tremendous "King Rocker," and the result is an almost spot-on treat.

A MUST HAVE FOR ANY FANS OF PUNK!!

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