Debbie Harry has said she “can’t see herself being on stage as Blondie” again, following the death of the band’s drummer Clem Burke.
The musician died in April following a “private battle with cancer”. He was 70 years old. Burke had been recruited by front woman Harry and guitarist Chris Stein shortly after Blondie formed in 1975.
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Paying tribute after his passing, the duo wrote: “Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie.” They added: “His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.”
During a new interview with Vanity Fair, Harry reflected on her career with the iconic NYC band while looking ahead to what’s next.
When asked what she was “most proud of”, the singer responded: “I think the things I get most teary-eyed about are the relationships, good fortune, and the luck I’ve had working with some wonderful, exotic, talented people. Great minds.
“My list is going to sound very short, but having worked with Chris and Clem for years – especially Chris, that’s extraordinary.”
She went on to liken “keeping a rock band together for 50 years” to “a marriage”, before touching on the changes to Blondie’s touring line-up. Stein no longer performs live with the group due to ongoing health issues.
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Harry continued: “It’s sad that with Clem’s passing and without having Chris on stage, I can’t see myself being on stage as Blondie, even though I am the face of Blondie. But I’m proud of the music, and I would still like to do music.”
She went on: “I ran into a wall: the tour ended, Clem died, and wow. What is this space I live in now? I’m curing – I’m doing a cure. And part of that is de-cluttering up my space, which is crowded with that life. I need to get some breath, get some air in there.
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“And I want to feel that little spark of creativity, surprise – those things. There’s a little tingle of that, and I hope that will be there for me.”
Before Burke’s death, Blondie were already scheduled to share a new album at some point in 2025. However, an exact release date is not yet known.
The forthcoming follow-up to 2017’s ‘Pollinator’ was helmed by Grammy-winning producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Phoebe Bridgers, The War On Drugs).
In 2022, it was revealed that Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock would be performing on Blondie’s next full-length LP. He has also been playing with the group at their recent live shows, including their set at Glastonbury 2023.
During an interview with NME late last year, Matlock gave an update on where the project was at when he recorded his parts. “It was sounding good. It was all kind of heavy, a bit atonal,” he explained.
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“Some of the other guys in the band are younger than me and they try and be a bit more modern. I just think you should get the song across. But I’ve not heard the finished thing with Debbie [Harry]’s vocals and stuff. It’s gonna be exciting listening to it.”
When asked when fans could expect to hear the album, he responded: “I think it’s gonna be early in the new year, but I don’t wanna say too much because I’m just the bass player in Blondie and I’m not 100 per cent sure.”
Harry told NME in 2021 that Blondie were “in the process of setting up a period of time to lay down some tracks” for another LP. “We’re already looking at 10-12 songs, but it feels too early to talk about it,” she said at the time.
