Blondie, Parallel Lives
Page 41
With Blondie back in action recently, it seemed appropriate to finally tell their story once and for all. When Dick Porter conceived this tome, I knew it was time to throw caution to the wind and finally realise the project that had been brewing for over 30 years. We’d worked together before, so I knew he was the only man for the job – that vital foil who would make sure all the bases were covered and blanks filled in. Not only would it be fun to relive experiences which now seem downright surreal, but the group – particularly Debbie, Chris and the mighty Clem Burke – would receive the balanced account they deserve. Without Dick’s sterling efforts and crucial wisdom, I’d probably still be stuck probing some old Bowery back alley in 1975.
So I have to thank Debbie and Chris for inviting me onto the Blondie roller coaster which, despite their relentless verbal abuse, provided some of the most amazing memories of my life. Hopefully, we’ve emerged with one of the great rock’n’roll stories and a riveting New York tale – although, as Debbie likes to say, “It’s still going on!” KRIS NEEDS, February 2012
Kris Needs and Dick Porter would like to thank the following, without whom writing the book you now hold would have been impossible:
Craig Leon, Blondie’s producer, for his crucial input; Marty Thau, the Red Star producer who was first to take Blondie seriously; Elda Stilletto, Debbie’s early bandmate; Chris Charlesworth, for his help and advice; Paul Woods, our editor; Clem Burke; Pete Frame; Victor Bockris; Jimmy Destri; Nigel Harrison; Frank Infante; Nile Rodgers; Roberta Bayley; Jayne County; John Peel; Andy Dunkley; David Barraclough; Alan Betrock; Annette Bullock; Eddie ‘Ant Man’ Duggan; Sheik Hassan; David Stopps; John Tobler; Mike O’Connor and Friars Aylesbury; Cypress Grove, for The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Project.
Bibliography
Books
Bangs, Lester Blondie, Omnibus Press (1980)
Beeber, Steven Lee The Heebie Jeebies At CBGB’s, Chicago Review Press (2006)
Bockris, Victor Making Tracks: The Rise Of Blondie, Elm Tree (1982)
_______________ Warhol: The Biography, Da Capo (2003)
Che, Cathay Deborah Harry: Platinum Blonde, André Deutsch (1999)
Colegrave, Stephen and Sullivan, Chris (editors) Punk, Cassell (2001)
Easlea, Daryl Everybody Dance: Chic & The Politics Of Dancing, Helter Skelter (2004)
Falk, Gaby (editor) H.R. Giger ARh+, Taschen (2001)
Fletcher, Tony All Hopped Up And Ready To Go, Omnibus Press (2010)
Frame, Pete The Complete Rock Family Trees, Omnibus Press (1993)
Grundy, Stuart and Tobler, John The Record Producers, St Martin’s Press (1982)
Hackett, Pat (editor) The Andy Warhol Diaries, Penguin (2010)
Heylin, Clinton From The Velvets To The Voidoids, Helter Skelter (1993)
Kasher, Steven Max’s Kansas City: Art, Glamour, Rock And Roll, Abrams Image (2010)
Kristal, Hilly CBGB & OMFUG, Harry N. Abrams (2005)
McNeil, Legs and McCain, Gillian Please Kill Me, Grove Press (1996)
Schruers, Fred Blondie, WH Allen (1980)
Valentine, Gary New York Rocker, Sidgwick and Jackson (2002)
Magazines and Newspapers (with authors of articles accredited)
The Age (25/12/98), Patrick Donovan
Attitude (06/2001), Will Stokes
Attitude (12/2002), Paul Flynn
Attitude (10/2003), Simon Gage
Attitude (10/2007), Simon Gage
Beat (23/12/98), Cameron Adams
Beat Instrumental (03/1980), Tony Horkins
Belfast Telegraph (09/08/07), Barry Egan
Billboard (18/03/06), Michael Paoletta
Blitz (12/1983), Simon Garfield
Boulevards (02/1981), Robert Camuto
Cheap Date (09/2000), Anita Pallenberg
Cosmopolitan (12/1978), Bart Mills
Creem (05/1977), Toby Goldstein
Creem (06/1979), Nick Tosches
Creem (02/1980), Dave DiMartino
Creem (12/1981), Chris Salewicz
Creem (08/1982), Toby Goldstein
Daily Express (2000), Barney Hoskyns
Daily Express (20/09/03), Marie Keating
Daily Mail (22/05/04), Alan Jackson
Daily Mail (08/07/11), Adrian Thrills
Daily Mail (11/07/11), Lina Das
Daily Mirror (07/11/03), Gavin Martin
Daily Telegraph (22/05/11), Roya Nikkhah
Dazed and Confused (12/1998), Rachel Newsome
Details (08/1997), Stephen Saban
Details (10/1993), Brantley Bardin
Discoveries (09/1999), Ralph Heibutzki
Diva (06/2004), Joanna Walters
Eastern Daily Press (22/09/07), Andy Welch
Elle (10/2003), Kate Finnegan
Film Review (02/1984), James Cameron-Wilson
Flaunt (05/2004), Jonathan Palmer
Forum (10/1980), unaccredited
GQ (10/2003), Michael Bracewell
Genre (10/1996), Peter McQuaid
The Guardian (23/01/99), Paul Burston
The Guardian (15/09/07), Emma Brockes
The Guardian (23/05/11), Caroline Sullivan
Heavy Metal (12/1981), Chris Stein
The Herald (09/07/11), Neil Cooper
High Times (06/1977), Neil Barlowe
High Times (11/1979), Liz Derringer
Hit Parader (06/1981), Roy Trakin
Hit Parader (12/1981), Roy Trakin
Hot Press (28/04/78), Bill Graham
i-D (12/2003), J.T. Leroy
Icon (09/2007), Stephen Unwin
In Los Angeles (31/05/05), Jackie Beat
The Independent (19/09/03), Nick Hasted
The Independent (13/07/06), David Sinclair
InterView (06/1979), Glenn O’Brien
InterView (03/2004), Tim Blanks
InterView (06/2006), Ana Matronic
International Musician (09/1981), Roy Trakin
The Irish Independent (29/11/02), John Meagher
Jack (10/2003), Michael Holden
Jewish Chronicle (30/06/11), Paul Lester
LAM (06/2004), Gareth Gorman
Lear’s (03/1994), Pamela Des Barres
Mail On Sunday (27/11/05), Rebecca Hardy
Mail On Sunday (05/12/10), Louise Gannon
Marie-Claire (06/2007), Janet Street-Porter
Mean (08/2007), Chloë Sevigny
Melody Maker (06/07/74), Chris Charlesworth Melody Maker (09/09/78), Harry Doherty
Melody Maker (03/03/79), Harry Doherty
Melody Maker (22/12/79), Davitt Sigerson
Melody Maker (05/06/82), Paul Simper
Mojo (02/1999), Barney Hoskyns
Mojo (03/2002), Jenny Bulley
Mojo (11/2002), Edward Helmore
Mojo (11/2003), Mark Paytress
Mojo (12/2005), David Fricke
Mojo (10/2007), Lucy O’Brien
Music Express (05/1990), Kerry Doole
The National (11/06/11), Michael Odell
New Music News (24/05/80), Victor Bockris
New Musical Express (09/04/77), Roy Carr
New Musical Express (04/02/78), Tony Parsons
New Musical Express (02/09/78), Paul Morley
New Musical Express (29/09/79), Roy Carr
New Musical Express (18/12/82), Cynthia Rose
New Musical Express (19/11/83), Cynthia Rose
New Musical Express (11/01/86), Cynthia Rose
New Musical Express (21/02/87), William Leith New York Rocker (05/1976), Craig Gholson
New York Rocker (09/1978), Diane Harvey
New York Rocker (09/1978), Harold Bronson
New York Rocker (06/1981), Andy Schwartz
New York Woman (06/1990), Lawrence O’Toole
Next (03/11/00), Robert Kent
Next (26/03/04), Rob Roth
Now (21/04/04), Jay Bowers
NY Talk (01/1987), Barbara O’Darr
The Observer (22/07/07), Tim Adams
Origivation (07/2010)
, Danny Alonso
Penthouse (02/1980), Debra Rae Cohen
People (08/05/90), unaccredited
Performing Songwriter (10/2007), Chris Neal
Photoplay (03/1984), Ken Ferguson
Post Plus (05/03/06), Bernard Bales
Preview (13/02/05), Peter Ross
Preview (13/02/05), Guy Blackman
Prevue (04/1983), Jim Steranko
Q (10/1990), Mat Snow
Q (08/1993), Tom Hibbert
Q (08/1996), Johnny Black
Real Groove (06/1998), Marty Duda
Record Mirror (09/09/78), Barry Cain
Record Mirror (18/11/78), Barry Cain
Record Mirror (28/04/79), Mark Cooper
Record Mirror (30/06/79), Ronnie Gurr
Record Mirror (02/02/80), Rosalind Russell
Record Mirror (22/08/81), Sunie
Record Mirror (08/12/83), Julian Simmonds
Record Mirror (08/11/86), Nancy Culp
Record Mirror (23/09/89), Chris Roberts
Rhythm (12/2003), Jon Cohan
Rock World (07/1993), Marcel Anders
Rolling Stone (28/06/79), Jamie James
Rolling Stone (29/04/04), Austin Scaggs
Scene (01/02/90), Judy Black
Smash Hits (09/03/80), Steve Clarke
Sound International (10/1980), Robin Mackie
Sound On Sound (06/2008), Richard Buskin
Sounds (16/04/77), Richard Cromelin
Sounds (04/02/78), Jane Suck
Sounds (08/07/78), Dave Fudger
Sounds (12/01/80), Garry Bushell
Spin (08/1986), Glenn O’Brien
Spiral Scratch (02/1990), unaccredited
Splash (02/1989), Thomas Beller
Steppin’ Out (12/09/07), Chauncé Hayden
The Stool Pigeon (20/06/11), John Doran
Sunday Herald (04/02/01), Jim Shelley
The Sunday Telegraph Magazine (06/08/78), George Feifer
The Sunday Times (21/09/03), Chrissie Iley
The Sunday Times (14/10/07), Tim Cooper
The Sunday Times Magazine (20/03/11), Lynn Barber
The Times (28/04/07), Stephen Dalton
The Times Magazine (17/06/95), Alan Jackson
Tokion (09/2003), Jeremy Jay Massacret
Trouser Press (11/1977), Ira Robbins
Trouser Press (06/1981), Scott Isler
Trouser Press (09/1982), Jim Green
TV Times (24/01/81), Anthea Disney
Uncut (08/2003); Chris Roberts
Us (07/05/1984); George Carpozi Jr.
Vanity Fair (07/1989), Gerri Hirshey
Venice (10/2007), Melanie Kirschbaum
Village Voice (26/06/08), Rob Trucks
The Weekend Australian (01/12/02), Phillip Norman
Who (24/01/05), Di Webster
You (11/07/93), Chrissie Iley
Internet
There are innumerable online fan sites and resources devoted to Blondie. The authors recommend the official Blondie website at www.blondie.net, Debbie’s pages at www.deborah-harry.com, Chris’ site at www.rednight.net, and also www.rip-her-to-shreds.com.
Selected Discography
BLONDIE
Singles
X-Offender/In The Sun Private Stock (US) 1976
In The Flesh/Man Overboard Private Stock (US) 1976
Rip Her To Shreds/In The Flesh/X-Offender Chrysalis (UK) 1977
Denis/Contact In Red Square/Kung Fu Girls Chrysalis (UK) 1978
(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear/
Poets Problem/Detroit 442 Chrysalis (UK) 1978
Picture This/Fade Away And Radiate Chrysalis (UK) 1978
I’m Gonna Love You Too/Just Go Away Chrysalis (US) 1978
Hanging On The Telephone/ Will Anything Happen? Chrysalis (UK) 1978
Heart Of Glass/Rifle Range Chrysalis (UK) 1979
Sunday Girl/I Know But I Don’t Know Chrysalis (UK) 1979
One Way Or Another/Just Go Away Chrysalis (US) 1979
Dreaming/Sound-A-Sleep Chrysalis (UK) 1979
Union City Blue/Living In The Real World Chrysalis (UK) 1979
The Hardest Part/Sound-A-Sleep Chrysalis (US) 1980
Atomic/Die Young, Stay Pretty Chrysalis (UK) 1980
Call Me/Call Me (Instrumental) Chrysalis (US) 1980
The Tide Is High/Suzy & Jeffrey Chrysalis (UK) 1980
Rapture/Walk Like Me Chrysalis (US) 1981
Island Of Lost Souls/Dragonfly Chrysalis (UK) 1982
War Child/Little Caesar Chrysalis (UK) 1982
Maria (Radio Edit)/Maria (Soul Solution Remix)/
Maria (Talvin Singh Remix) Beyond (UK) 1999
Nothing Is Real But The Girl (Boilerhouse Mix)/
Nothing Is Real But The Girl
(Danny Tengalia Club Mix)/
Nothing Is Real But The Girl
(Danny Tenaglia Instradub) Beyond (UK) 1999
No Exit (Loud Rock Remix)/
No Exit (Infamous Hip Rock Version)/
No Exit (Album Version) Beyond (UK) 1999
Good Boys (Album Version)/
Good Boys
(Giorgio Moroder Extended Long Version) Epic/Sony (UK) 2003
Mother [download only] Eleven Seven 2011
Albums
Blondie (Private Stock, 1976)
X-Offender/Little Girl Lies/In The Flesh/Look Good In Blue/In The Sun/A Shark In Jet’s Clothing/Man Overboard/Rip Her To Shreds/Rifle Range/Kung Fu Girls/The Attack Of The Giant Ants
Plastic Letters (Chrysalis, 1978)
Fan Mail/Denis/Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)/Youth Nabbed As Sniper/Contact In Red Square/(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear/I’m On E/I Didn’t Have The Nerve To Say No/Love At The Pier/No Imagination/Kidnapper/Detroit 442/Cautious Lip
Parallel Lines (Chrysalis, 1978)
Hanging On The Telephone/One Way Or Another/Picture This/Fade Away And Radiate/Pretty Baby/I Know But I Don’t Know/11:59/Will Anything Happen?/Sunday Girl/Heart Of Glass/I’m Gonna Love You Too/Just Go Away
Eat To The Beat (Chrysalis, 1979)
Dreaming/The Hardest Part/Union City Blue/Shayla/Eat To The Beat/Accidents Never Happen/Die Young, Stay Pretty/Slow Motion/Atomic/Sound-A-Sleep/Victor/Living In The Real World
Autoamerican (Chrysalis, 1980)
Europa/Live It Up/Here’s Looking At You/The Tide Is High/Angels On The Balcony/Go Through It/Do The Dark/Rapture/Faces/T-Birds/Walk Like Me/Follow Me
The Hunter (Chrysalis, 1982)
Orchid Club/Island Of Lost Souls/Dragonfly/Four Your Eyes Only/The Beast/War Child/Little Caesar/Danceway/(Can I) Find The Right Words (To Say)/English Boys/The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
No Exit (Beyond Music, 1999)
Screaming Skin/Forgive And Forget/Maria/No Exit/Double Take/Nothing Is Real But The Girl/Boom Boom In The Zoom Zoom Room/Night Wind Sent/Under The Gun (For Jeffrey Lee Pierce)/Out In The Streets/Happy Dog (For Caggy)/The Dream’s Lost On Me/Divine/Dig Up The Conjo
The Curse Of Blondie (Sanctuary [US]/Epic [UK], 2003)
Shakedown/Good Boys/Undone/Golden Rod/Rules For Living/Background Melody (The Only One)/Magic (Asadoya Yunta)/End To End/Hello Joe/The Tingler/Last One In The World/Diamond Bridge/Desire Brings Me Back/Songs Of Love (For Richard)
Panic Of Girls (Eleven Seven/EMI, 2011)
D-Day/What I Heard/Mother/The End, The End/Girlie Girlie/Love Doesn’t Frighten Me/Words In My Mouth/Sunday Smile/Wipe Off My Sweat/Le Bleu/China Shoes
DEBORAH HARRY
Singles
Backfired/Military Rap Chrysalis (UK) 1981
The Jam Was Moving/Chrome Chrysalis (US) 1981
Rush Rush/Rush Rush (Dub Version) Chrysalis (UK) 1984
Feel The Spin/Feel The Spin (Dub Version) Warner/Geffen (US) 1985
French Kissin’/Rockbird Geffen (UK) 1986
Free To Fall/Feel The Spin Chrysalis (UK) 1987
In Love With Love/In Love With Love (London Mix) Geffen (US) 1987
Liar Liar/
> Queen of Voudou [The Voodooist Corporation] Reprise (US) 1988
I Want That Man/Bike Boy Sire (US) 1989
Brite Side/Bugeye Chrysalis (UK) 1989
Sweet And Low/Lovelight Chrysalis (UK) 1990
Maybe For Sure/Get Your Way Chrysalis (UK) 1990
*Well Did You Evah Chrysalis (UK) 1990
I Can See Clearly/
I Can See Clearly (Album Version) Sire/Reprise (US) 1993
Strike Me Pink/On A Breath/
Sweet And Low (Phil Harding Mix) Chrysalis (UK) 1993
Two Times Blue Eleven Seven 2007
Fit Right In/Heat Of The Moment Eleven Seven 2008
*With Iggy Pop. The b-side features a Thompson Twins version of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’
Albums
KooKoo (Chrysalis, 1981)
Jump Jump/The Jam Was Moving/Chrome/Surrender/Inner City Spillover/Backfired/Now I Know You Know/Under Arrest/Military Rap/Oasis
Rockbird (Geffen, 1986)
I Want You/French Kissin’/Buckle Up/In Love With Love/You Got Me In Trouble/Free To Fall/Rockbird/Secret Life/Beyond The Limit
Def, Dumb and Blonde (Sire [US]/Chrysalis [UK], 1989)
I Want That Man/Lovelight/Kiss It Better/Maybe For Sure/Calmarie/Get Your Way/Sweet And Low/He Is So/Brite Side/Bugeye/End Of The Run
Debravation (Sire/Reprise [US]/Chrysalis [UK], 1993)
I Can See Clearly/Stability/Strike Me Pink/Rain/Communion/Lip Service/Mood Ring/Keep On Going/Dancing Down The Moon/Standing In My Way/The Fugitive/Dog Star Girl
Necessary Evil (Eleven Seven, 2007)
Two Times Blue/School For Scandal/If I Had You/Deep End/Love With A Vengeance/Necessary Evil/Charm Redux/You’re Too Hot/Dirty And Deep/What Is Love/Whiteout/Needless To Say/Heart Of The Moment/Charm Alarm/Jen Jen/Naked Eye/Paradise
The Jazz Passengers
Albums
Individually Twisted (32 Records, 1996)
Babble A La Roy/Maybe I’m Lost/L’il Darlin’/Angel Eyes/Pork Chop/Aubergine/Olé/Imitation Of A Kiss/Jive Samba (Part II)/Doncha Go ‘Way Mad/The Tide Is High/It Came From Outer Space/Star Dust
‘Live’ In Spain (Les Disques Du Crépuscle, 1998) Intro/Fathouse/Lady Butter/When The Fog Lifts/Dog In Sand/Samba Uber Alles/Wednesday Afternoon/Maybe I’m Lost/Bullmoose Boulevard
CHRIS STEIN