His real name is William Broad. The name Idol is based on a report card he received that said, "William is an idle student." He was going to use the name "Billy Idle," but decided an an alternate spelling of the surname so it wouldn't conflict with the Monty Python cast member Eric Idle.
Before going solo in 1981, he was leader of the Punk band Generation X.
He suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident in 1990. That's why you see him only from the waist up in the "Cradle Of Love" video.
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