Blondie...

Legendary New Yorker band formed in the late 70s, set to release another new LP, Pollinator, in May. They had several #1s in the UK, and singer Debbie Harry set many a bedroom wall alight. Here are a few of their best efforts:

Sunday Girl

Call Me

Rip Her to Shreds (live)

Rapture

Fun

Blondie - One Way or Another
Just over an hour from 2006, as the New York New Wave hipsters briefly conquered the world on the back of Debbie Harry's sex appeal. It was fun to learn their big break came from Australia, where a DJ played the wrong side of a record and it went to #1   Their musical experimentation was impressive, but drugs brought it all down, and their band line-up problems seem to take the edge off their unlikely late-90's revival.

Blondie @ Glastonbury (2014)
From the Other Stage, the oldies crank out the familiarity, with a couple of surprises. However, Debbie Harry is nearly 70, and has looked past it for 25 years.

Blondie's New York and the Making of 'Parallel Lines'
Rather than a straightforward Classic Albums, this interviewed most of the band, and producer Mike Chapman, about their classic 1979 effort that turned them from an average band into global superstars. There was a lot of blah blah blah about Debbie being a feminist/fashion icon and the usual overdose of adulation for New York. But it was still interesting to hear about the songs.

Blondie - Live!
From their last Tour, in 1982, at some place in Toronto, They ran through an interesting mix of hits, and encored with a cover of "Start Me Up" and their big movie smash "Call Me". Hard to credit that after their massive hiatus, they returned well enough to still be a going concern today.

Discovering: Blondie
Debbie Harry retains her reputation as "most iconic woman" and inspiration for Madonna, Lady Gaga and anyone you care to name. Interestingly, it was a mix-up that got them a big break in Australia, and a cover version which brought them to attention in the UK, before they hit paydirt on their 3rd album, Parallel Lines. Though they experimented with different styles, heroin problems fed into the demise of the band, and a long hiatus until their resurrection in 1999. They continue to tour and record, though they haven't had a hit in years.

Blondie: Song By Song
One Way Or Another, Heart Of Glass, Call Me and Rapture. As well as Debbie, Chris and Clem, praise came from Joan Jett and various fans and journalists. Their changing musical styles were a tick box for them.

The Pollinator album entered the charts at #4

Video Killed The Radio Star: Blondie
Chrysalis Records' Peter Wagg gave insights into how they did a video for Detroit 442, Picture This being about Chris Stein, the disco sounds of Heart Of Glass, the Eat to the Beat video project, the New York tribute of Union City Blue, the ground-breaking antics of Rapture and so on.

My View: Clem Burke
Left-handed drummer for hire who spent the time between the end of Blondie's 1st phase by working with Eurythmics (eg Thorn In My Side), and getting to sit in for many other acts, making friends with Glen Matlock, Hugh Cornwell and many others, starting a project in connection with a university into the health stresses of drumming, and so on. He was glad when Blondie reunited, and he's always drumming for someone.

Larry King Now: Clem Burke
Larry replaced by former outrageous comic Tom Green (!) for this chat with Clem, who was plugging the above Sky Arts profile, among other projects. Green conducted the interview as though he'd never heard of rock n roll, or possibly interviewing, and yet he brought out a Blondie record and made Clem sign it. Clem bigged up the influence of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan & Ringo being a good drummer. He's co-headlining a tour with Elvis Costello from next month. He can play the spoons, and would like to play the guitar better. He's keen to hear about Billie Eilish. He felt the Notre Dame fire was shocking. He's on Twitter & not Facebook.

Debbie Harry was among the winners at the recent AIM Awards:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49576947

'Outstanding Contribution' in her case.

Debbie's also got her autobiography out now, I believe.

She's 75 today 

Isle of Wight Festival 2010: Blondie
They did a predictable set of hits, perhaps the most unusual being the relatively recent Maria, since the rest were from their heyday.

Debbie Harry and Chris Stein have sold the rights to their songs:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53664362

That means their income from 197 Blondie songs, including Heart of Glass and Rapture, now goes to the Hipgnosis Songs Fund.

They received an undisclosed lump sum.

Founded by music industry veteran Merck Mercuriadis, the fund allows investors to see an income from music royalties.

It has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since July 2018.

Before setting up the fund, which now controls about 13,000 songs, Mr Mercuriadis managed artists including Beyoncé, Elton John, Iron Maiden and Guns N' Roses.

The Old Grey Whistle Test: Blondie
From Glasgow, Bob Harris introduced a modest set held on New Years Eve I think he said, though whether 1978 or 1979, hard to tell. They finished on Sunday Girl anyway.

Berlin Live: Blondie
From 2017, when they were pushing the Pollinator album, though they did plenty of hits from their heyday too, from One Way or Another through to Dreaming.

Isle of Wight #23: Blondie
Notably, they got a lot of air-time, and carried the crowd through a solid old set, notable in part for the guest bass playing of Glen Matlock, who has his own solo stuff out these days. They did one (new?) track I didn't recognise, Doom Or Destiny, which made a change.

misery guts wrote:Blondie @ Glastonbury (2014)
From the Other Stage, the oldies crank out the familiarity, with a couple of surprises. However, Debbie Harry is nearly 70, and has looked past it for 25 years.

Glastonbury '23: Rick Astley / Blondie
The late-1980s legend was making his debut on the Pyramid stage on the Saturday, and included his cover of Highway to Hell, and also one of As It Was. As for Blondie, I feel my comment from 9 years ago still holds true, if not even moreso. This was their 3rd appearance, having also been on in 1999. Glen Matlock was helping out again, and they did one new/unfamiliar song Will Anything Happen? along the way. To give them their due, they are plausible as a going concern.

Blondie at the BBC
A lot of material to play with. Along the way there was an explanation that Matlock is on board to cover for Chris Stein, who isn't touring any more.

When Blondie Came to Britain
Chris was here, though, with Debbie, and Clem and perhaps all the other relevant band people were too. Their first UK gig was supporting Squeeze, and their first telly was in Manchester for Tony Wilson. Their first TOTP was with Denis. They all credit the UK with helping make their name, and they finished up with 5 #1 hits in 3 years, and then a 6th with comeback success Maria. Among a NY scene with the Ramones, Television and Talking Heads, Blondie were considered "least likely to succeed". Which seems ludicrous in hindsight.

Blondie at Glastonbury (1999)
In the wake of their return from hiatus, they belted out old hits and some new ones.

Radio 2 In Concert: Blondie
They came to the Lyceum in London in 1998, at the time of their big comeback. They had plenty of oldies to work through, but they also blended in newer/less familiar material too.