William Michael Albert Broad ( born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as a member of Generation X. Subsequently; he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol one of the lead artists during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the United States. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle."