Blondie(III)
- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Blondie rates highly as the single most popular and successful group to
emerge from the 1970s New York City punk/New Wave music scene. Blondie
was founded by singer/songwriter
Debbie Harry and guitarist
Chris Stein in 1974. Drummer
Clem Burke, bass player
Gary Valentine and keyboardist
Jimmy Destri joined the band in 1975.
Blondie started out by performing in such noted New York City
underground club venues as CBGB's, Max's Kansas City (Harry had
previously worked at this place as a waitress), and Club 51. The band
released their self-titled debut album in 1976. Their second album
"Plastic Letters" followed in 1977; the song "Denis" was a #2 hit in
England.
Blondie achieved even greater success with their third album "Parallel
Lines" in 1978; the excellent disco song "Heart of Glass" was a #1 hit
on the US and UK radio charts alike and sold over a million copies. The
album went on to sell over twenty million copies worldwide. The punchy
"One Way or Another" reached #24 on the US Billboard charts and the
charming "Sunday Girl" was a #1 hit in Britain. Blondie enjoyed three
more US #1 radio hits in steady succession in the early 1980s: the
rousing "Call Me" (this song was featured as the opening credits tune
for the film
American Gigolo (1980)), the
catchy calypso number "The Tide is High", and the funky proto-rap
offering "Rapture". Alas, the group was forced to break up in 1982
because of the failure of their ill-received sixth album "The Hunter"
and Stein being diagnosed with the rare severe illness pemphigus.
In 1997, Blondie got back together and went on an international tour in
1998. In 1999, the band released their seventh album "No Exit". The
song "Maria" was a #1 hit in England (this single was the sixth Blondie
song to reach the #1 top spot in Britain). This comeback album was
followed by "The Curse of Blondie" in 2003. Blondie's songs have been
featured on the soundtracks to numerous films that include
The Heartbreak Kid (2007),
New York Minute (2004),
Mean Girls (2004),
Monster (2003),
Bend It Like Beckham (2002),
Coyote Ugly (2000),
54 (1998),
Donnie Brasco (1997),
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988),
Summer School (1987),
The Last American Virgin (1982),
Just Before Dawn (1981),
Endless Love (1981),
Roadie (1980) and
Little Darlings (1980).
The group appear as themselves in the documentary movie
The Blank Generation (1976).
Blondie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13,
2006 and the Rock Walk Hall of Fame on May 22, 2006. In 2008, Blondie
embarked on another international tour.
emerge from the 1970s New York City punk/New Wave music scene. Blondie
was founded by singer/songwriter
Debbie Harry and guitarist
Chris Stein in 1974. Drummer
Clem Burke, bass player
Gary Valentine and keyboardist
Jimmy Destri joined the band in 1975.
Blondie started out by performing in such noted New York City
underground club venues as CBGB's, Max's Kansas City (Harry had
previously worked at this place as a waitress), and Club 51. The band
released their self-titled debut album in 1976. Their second album
"Plastic Letters" followed in 1977; the song "Denis" was a #2 hit in
England.
Blondie achieved even greater success with their third album "Parallel
Lines" in 1978; the excellent disco song "Heart of Glass" was a #1 hit
on the US and UK radio charts alike and sold over a million copies. The
album went on to sell over twenty million copies worldwide. The punchy
"One Way or Another" reached #24 on the US Billboard charts and the
charming "Sunday Girl" was a #1 hit in Britain. Blondie enjoyed three
more US #1 radio hits in steady succession in the early 1980s: the
rousing "Call Me" (this song was featured as the opening credits tune
for the film
American Gigolo (1980)), the
catchy calypso number "The Tide is High", and the funky proto-rap
offering "Rapture". Alas, the group was forced to break up in 1982
because of the failure of their ill-received sixth album "The Hunter"
and Stein being diagnosed with the rare severe illness pemphigus.
In 1997, Blondie got back together and went on an international tour in
1998. In 1999, the band released their seventh album "No Exit". The
song "Maria" was a #1 hit in England (this single was the sixth Blondie
song to reach the #1 top spot in Britain). This comeback album was
followed by "The Curse of Blondie" in 2003. Blondie's songs have been
featured on the soundtracks to numerous films that include
The Heartbreak Kid (2007),
New York Minute (2004),
Mean Girls (2004),
Monster (2003),
Bend It Like Beckham (2002),
Coyote Ugly (2000),
54 (1998),
Donnie Brasco (1997),
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988),
Summer School (1987),
The Last American Virgin (1982),
Just Before Dawn (1981),
Endless Love (1981),
Roadie (1980) and
Little Darlings (1980).
The group appear as themselves in the documentary movie
The Blank Generation (1976).
Blondie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13,
2006 and the Rock Walk Hall of Fame on May 22, 2006. In 2008, Blondie
embarked on another international tour.