A total mass of contradictions revolving around Deborah Harry & Chris Stein. Debbie was an ex junkie, sex maniac and Playboy bunny who hooked up with Stein photographer and musician and boyfriend. An intelligent pair who just wanted to make snappy pop they became part of the early seventies US Punk scene of close knit bands that included The Ramones, Television and the Heartbreakers etc. By 1977 they had been plugging away for 5 years as the band least likely to succeed. Success came as media attention focused on the incredibly photogenic Ms Harry normally in something revealing, available and as a baby doll coupled with such gloriously poppy songs as 'Denis'. The initial adverts (as right) portrayed Debbie as available and virtually asked the question 'Wouldn't you like to fuck her ? and not very subtly at that !
Realising that there was an acceptable face of punk to be marketed the band were put with our old friend producer Chapman who did the business and helped them give the world 'Parallel Lines'. With America scared of the new wave it was left to the UK to take them to their hearts and give them the start of their success. Another excellent album 'Eat To The Beat' followed but rising internal band tension and anger at the focus on Ms Harry ( the badges said 'Blondie is a group') meant the band was in a downward spiral finally ending with the poor album 'The Hunter'. For a brief period Blondie were sheer pop punk perfection. Glorious tunes sung by an irresistibly horny lead singer and I defy anyone to watch the video to 'Denis' and not be moved. The band had certainly moved on from those early days to the mature sounding 'Union City Blues' and the innovative 'Rapture'. Crap contracts, dissension and balls ups ago go meant the band were dysfunctional from day one held together only by Ms Harry's looks. Thing was Debbie and Chris were caught in an age old trap. Success had eluded them and when they got it it was on the record companies terms as a sexy blonde and in the end I think they just didn't want it...there was more to life. There was a lot more to Debbie than blonde hair.... as an actress, writer etc but their time was up in Blondie. Years later Madonna would travel the same route but with a greater hunger . Rather than a role model a lesson to all bands of what can happen and placed midway between Suzi Quatro & The Runaways and the new charge of The Slits and Siouxsie who definitely not were going to be dictated to.
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