Don’t Stop by Billy Idol

Don't Stop, Billy Idol's debut EP, came out on Chrysalis in October 1981, and it's the sound of the former Gen X frontman figuring out how to become a solo star without losing his leer. Keith Forsey produced, and the recipe is simple: grab the best bits of the old band, add a cover that practically begs for a crowd to shout along, and turn it all up.

The centerpiece is "Dancing With Myself", which had flopped as a Gen X single in Britain in 1980. Rather than cut it again, Idol took the band's extended version from Kiss Me Deadly, remixed it and trimmed it down, snipping out a drum solo and a chorus along the way. What's left is pure adrenaline: a jittery, pogoing rave-up that never lets up. "Untouchables", another Gen X song from that same album, was recorded afresh.

Then there's "Mony Mony", Tommy James and the Shondells' UK chart-topper, which Idol turns into a grinding, hip-swiveling party anthem. It didn't stop there, either: a live version became a hit for him in 1987. Not bad for a short stopgap.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.