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Elly Roberts reviews
Superb Records/Bodog Music
- Released: December 2006
- Rating: 2/10
When recording a Crimbo CD every artist should think about damage limitation.
Obviously, William Michael Albert Broad, aka Billy Idol, hasntseriously considered this prospect. Between 1982 and 1994 the former Punk -Cyber Punk singer of Generation X had 17 singles entries in the UK alone,including smash hits White Wedding and Rebel Yell.
Hes also had six Top 50 albums, selling 20 million world-wide, but thiswont be a chart addition. Right now its nowhere to be seen. Trying toimagine Billy Idol in a Californian recording studio is way beyond myimagination. Idol has delved, and dared, to cover festive standards, whichbrings thoughts of barrel and scraping of to mind. This karaoke soundingCD beggars belief. Its production is way too thin; in addition, his ropeyvocals do little to give it credibility.
Of his efforts Billy said, “I wanted a selection that would please all,while still exploring the awe and mystery that Christmas”. Yeah, right.He continued, “These songs are a real challenge to sing as so many othersingers have interpreted them in their own style. It was fun to come upagainst all that and find that these songs sing themselves.”
Trying to find some redeeming qualities is difficult, but theres the odd,and I mean odd good bits like a rockabilly Winter Wonderland andRocknRoller Run Rudolph Run and thats about it.
His Silent Night makes me want to cry, not because of the festiveseason: out of sheer embarrassment.
Be prepared for a delayed and dreadful a cappella Auld Lang Syne.
OUCH A REAL XMAS TURKEY!
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Frosty The Snowman
2. Silver Bells
3. Happy Holiday
4. Merry Christmas Baby
5. White Christmas
6. Here Comes Santa Claus
7. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
8. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
9. Let It Snow
10. Winter Wonderland
11. Run Rudolph Run
12. Blue Christmas
13. Jingle Bell Rock
14. Christmas Love
15. Oh Christmas Tree
16. Silent Night
17. Auld Lang Syne
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.