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Blondie was the greatest pop band of
the New Wave Punk era. They were pop because you
can't really say they were new wave or punk, or
funk, or disco, or art for that matter. They did
everything that interested them -- including the
first rock/reggae and rock/disco. To some they were
new wave with their ironic words, cool haircuts and
Debbie in day glo Steven Sprouse fashions. To some
they were punks -- mocking rock dinosaurs and Debbie
the cover girl on Punk Magazine. Whatever they did,
it all came out sounding great and Blondie remains
one of the biggest hitmaking bands of our time.
The original Blondie was formed in 1974 by art
student/fallen away hippie guitarist Chris Stein and
ex-Max's Kansas City waitress and Playboy bunny,
vocalist Debbie Harry, drummer Clem Burke and
keyboard player Jimmy Destri joined in 1975. The
band played in New York downtown circuit -- CBGB's,
Max's Kansas City and the Mercer Arts Center. They
collected a big following and in 1976 they recorded
their first album "Blondie". It was
released in 1977 and was well received. After a
successful stint in L.A., the band toured in support
of Iggy Pop and David Bowie.
In the summer of 1977 they released their second
album, "Plastic Letters" and toured Europe
and Asia. In March of 1978 the single
"Denis" hit #1 in the UK. That summer the
band worked with producer Mike Chapman to hone their
radio sound and create the album "Parallel
Lines". The single "Picture This"
made #12 in the UK and the follow-up "Hanging
on the Telephone" hit #1. At the end of the
year Debbie made her first film, Union City.
In 1979 Blondie had their first #1 US hit with
"Heart of Glass" which also sold over a
million copies in the UK. The album sold over 20
million copies. The fourth single from
"Parallel Lines", "Sunday Girl,"
also hit #1 in the UK. In September 1979 the band's
fourth album "Eat to the Beat" was
released, along with the first ever album length
video. Before the year's end, Blondie had its fourth
UK #1 hit with "Dreaming."
In February 1980 they hit #1 in England again with
"Atomic." Two months later they hit #1 in
the U.S. a second time with "Call Me,"
from the film American Gigolo. Before the end of the
year, "Eat To The Beat" was certified
platinum and Debbie was on "The Muppet
Show."
The fifth Blondie album, "Autoamerican",
was released in January and the first single
"The Tide is High" made #1 in the UK. The
first reggae tinged hit, it was #1 in the U.S. by
March. Debbie appeared on the popular TV show
"Solid Gold," and soon the album was solid
platinum. In August, Debbie released her first solo
album, "Koo Koo", produced by Nile Rodgers
and Bernard Edwards of Chic and featuring a cover by
H.R. Giger, the Academy Award winning sci-fi artist
who created Alien creature.
By 1982 there was dissension in the band, but they
still managed to produce a final album "The
Hunter". The single "Island of Lost
Souls" was the band's last U.S. hit. In the
meantime, Chris was felled by a rare and often fatal
genetic disease, and the band fell apart. Debbie
spent the next several years nursing Chris back to
health.
Debbie went on to appear in numerous films and plays
and to create music in various contexts. In recent
years she has become the featured vocalist of the
Jazz Passengers. Jimmy left music for awhile to
become a family man and contractor. Chris produced
various bands in New York. Clem continued to record
and tour with top acts.
The new album, the seventh Blondie album of new
material, was produced by Craig Leon, who actually
worked on their first album with legendary producer
Richard Gottherer.
Blondie was considered one of the inventors of new
wave and/or punk, but the group always resisted
classification. At the height of punk anti-disco
sentiment, the group rocked the dance floors of the
world with the updated disco of "Heart of
Glass." Today, Blondie is as elusive,
uncategorizable and ironic as ever.
Hearing "No Exit" is truly surprising
because it's a perfect evolution of Blondie as we
knew it. It's as if the band continued to develop,
to tighten even, despite the fact that they weren't
together. The trademark elements are still there:
that perfect, propulsive beat; Debbie's unmistakable
voice, seductive, soulful yet ironic; atmospheric
keyboards, sometimes lush, sometimes eerie; and
brilliantly articulated guitar lines that never
approach cliché. And, of course, the thing that
stands out, especially today, is the band's ability
to create perfectly crafted pop songs -- catchy,
instantly memorable, yet full of subtleties that
continue to grow on you with repetition. It's just
as good as it ever was, but sweeter.
"Maria," is a sexy pop anthem in the
tradition of the great Blondie hits --dynamic but
sweet, sensual but with a streak of wicked wit,
unique but utterly contagious. "Night Wind
Sent" is a haunting, delicate love song, that's
all beauty. "Forgive and Forget" is a sort
of tom tom driven creation myth -- jungle drums meet
electronic rhythms to create an exotic rhapsodic,
moody dance music -- hypnotism with hooks.
Blondie was never a novelty act, but even their hits
showed a remarkable gift for transcending genres and
fusing different moods and styles. Now, as bona fide
adults and virtuoso players and writers, they've
developed some even more startling hybrids. "No
Exit" is a high powered monster mash, a
Transylvanian rap dozens-duel between Debbie and
Coolio that's the musical equivalent of Mystery
Science Theater 3000. "Screaming Skin" is
a wild vampire ska romp, sort of Bela Lugosi meets
Skatalites. Blondie shows off cool and kooky
chanteuse moves in "Boom Boom in the Zoom Zoom
Room."
It's a classic Blondie album, but even better in
ways. The band takes itself less seriously so the
songs are even wittier. And two of the good things
about getting older are that if you play your cards
right you can get smarter and you can get more
skilled. Blondie's holds a winning hand with
"No Exit".
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