Original publication: June 1977.
BLONDIE
CULTURE HERO
New York 1977 feels like London 1966. Kids are rocking out like the sky’s the limit—making music that’s never been heard before. Maybe it’s sunspots, or maybe decades start in the middle, but whatever the reason, a new wave of rock is rolling out of Gotham, turning on the world to the sound of the Seventies.
Some call it punk rock. And many of these rockers are punks — no doubt about it. But the music is too diverse to be so simply labeled. What most of the New York hands share is a scene, rather than a sound, having come out of the local club circuit —especially Max’s Kansas City and CBGB’s, a converted Bowery hum bar. Aside from venue, any similarities are purely coincidental.
Among the most exciting and original of the new New York bands is Blondie, a hard-rocking outfit fronted by the scene’s leading lady, Deborah Harry. Her name is Debbie, but you can call her Blondie. Not only is she beautiful, but she can sing too. And not only can she sing, but she’s a real smart cookie. And so are the boys in the band, led by Blondie’s old man, guitarist Chris Stein.
The Blondie sound is eclectic, to say the least, ranging from the Shangri-Las to surf music, to sci-fi acid rock fusing with the mambo. It’s hard to explain, but it’s easy to listen to and understand. Blondie has taken a great upbeat pop sound, added hilarious although subtle lyrics and pumped it all up with good, clean sex to achieve an act you can’t refuse.
Blondie’s first album, Blondie (Private Stock), shows it all off. It’s so pop and tight and good that it …
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Author: High Times Vault / High Times
