A Blonde who really isn’t blonde. A lineup that changed very frequently in its first few years, and a band with lots of heart (of Glass). Blondie! A new wave, punk rock band from NYC’s underground punk scene. In their early years, they often performed in NYC’s CBGB music club with other early punk/pop artists, from The Ramones to Patti Smith, and the Talking Heads. While their lineup has had many changes, with over sixteen different members, two have remained the same over the band’s existence: Debbie Harry, and Chris Stein.
Before Blondie, there was The Stillettos. A band Chris Stein joined in 1973 and developed a romantic relationship with singer Debbie Harry. Stein and Harry left a year later to form their own band with former bandmates Billy O’Connor, and Fred Smith. Originally called Blondie and the Banzai Babies, soon shortened to just Blondie. Soon the band would add Ivan Kral on guitar and Tish and Snooky Bellomo as backup singers. That lineup would change very quickly as in 1975, O’Connor left the music industry, Smith joined Television, Kral joined Patti Smith, and the Bellomo sisters were let go without notice. With just Stein and Harry remaining, new auditions began and they picked up bassist Gary Valentine, drummer Clem Burke, and soon after, Jimmy Destri on Keyboard.
Blondie’s greatest successes came from their ’78 – ‘81 years, kicked off by their third studio album release of 1978’s Parallel Lines. The album sprouted several singles, “Picture This”, “I’m Gonna Love You Too”, “Hanging on the Telephone”, “Sunday Girl”, and most notably, “Heart of Glass”, and “One Way or Another”. A year later, in 1979, Blondie appeared on the American TV Show American Bandstand, with their six-piece lineup of Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Frank Ifante on guitars, Nigel Harrison on bass, replacing Gary Valentine, Jimmy Destri on keyboard, and Clem Burke on drums.
After the release of their sixth studio album, The Hunter in 1982, the band went their separate ways, as lots of tension built up between band members and Stein developed a rare skin condition known as pemphigus, that needed to be cared for. The band did not end up reuniting for another 15 years as in 1997, Stein and Harry reached out to former members. Burke and Destri rejoined, however Harrison and Ifante did not reunite and in fact both unsuccessfully tried to sue Blondie! That little act caused them to never be considered for rejoining ever again.
So, Blondie was a band of many lineups, and still has a lineup of its own today as they’re still making music! Currently with a lineup of Harry and Stein along with Leigh Foxx on bass, Matt Katz-Bohen on keyboards, and Tommy Kessler on guitar. Sadly, back in April of 2025, drummer Clem Burke passed away from cancer, but the band is still planning to release an album titled High Noon that features Burke posthumously on drums. Initially planned to release in Spring of 2025, then in Spring of ’26, it has been pushed back to late 2026.
