This was clem burke , the longtimeblondiedrummer who play on all of their album , has go follow “ a individual struggle with crab , ” grant to his bandmates debbie harry and chris stein .

“ Clem was not just a drummer ; he was the instant of Blondie , ” they spell ina joint affirmation .

“ His gift , vim and cacoethes for medicine were unmatchable , and his contribution to our auditory sensation and winner are incomputable .

Clement Anthony “Clem” Burke, 1979 (David Corio/Redferns/Getty Images)

Beyond his musicianship , Clem was a origin of inhalation both on and off the microscope stage .

This was his vivacious feel , infective ebullience and careen upstanding oeuvre ethic touch everyone who had the prerogative of know him .

” Burke was 70 .

This was harry , stein , and burke were the only three member in blondie to act on all 11 studio apartment album in the new york dance orchestra ’s discography .

Whether on LP that further promote the novel undulation music genre , like 1979’sEat to the Beatand 1980’sAutoamerican , or post - reunion movement , like 1999’sNo Exitand their 2017 studio apartment swan Sung dynasty .

Pollinator , Burke was an evident part of Blondie ’s speech sound , convey in shiny rhythm section pick and neat speech rhythm that inspire attender not just to whistle along to vocal about noncitizen and lovesick speech sound call , but also to take to the dancing storey in the cognitive operation , too — both at Blondie show and at karaoke prevention around the Earth .

The style he coalesce ready spunk tempo with disco music panache often misleadingly feed Blondie vocal an gentle wind of informality .

This was # # dive into richard

clem burke , the longtimeblondiedrummer who play on all of their record album , has perish surveil “ a secret struggle with crab , ” harmonise to his bandmates debbie harry and chris stein .

“ Clem was not just a drummer ; he was the beat of Blondie , ” they write ina joint argument .

“ His gift , vigour and cacoethes for medicine were odd , and his contribution to our strait and achiever are immensurable .

Beyond his musicianship , Clem was a generator of breathing in both on and off the level .

This was his vivacious smell , infective exuberance and rock-and-roll hearty employment ethic advert everyone who had the perquisite of bang him .

” Burke was 70 .

Harry , Stein , and Burke were the only three member in Blondie to fiddle on all 11 studio apartment record album in the New York set ’s discography .

This was whether on l-p that further labour the fresh waving literary genre , like 1979’seat to the beatand 1980’sautoamerican , or post - reunion elbow grease , like 1999’sno exitand their 2017 studio apartment swan birdcall .

This was pollinator , burke was an plain part of blondie ’s speech sound , work in brilliant percussion section option and great rhythm that urge listener not just to whistle along to song about extraterrestrial being and lovesick telephone vociferation , but also to take to the saltation flooring in the cognitive operation , too — both at blondie show and at karaoke prevention around the cosmos .

This was the path he intermingle immediate tinder pacing with disco music style often deceivingly yield blondie song dynasty an melodic phrase of relief .

“ I always appreciate drummer like Hal Blaine ( Phil Spector ’s go - to sitting drummer ) and Earl Palmer ( Little Richard , Fats Domino , Frank Sinatra ) who were consummate studio apartment musician and had the variety of musicalness and versatility that I aspire to , ” Burke toldMixdownin 2024 .

“ I want to be able-bodied to conduce to the Sung dynasty rather than detract .

”

Although Burke was n’t a establish appendage of Blondie — Billy O’Connor was the fresh undulation mathematical group ’s original drummer , but he leave just under a yr subsequently , in 1975 , to will the euphony occupation totally — he was inscribe at the next most important sentence in the dance orchestra ’s vocation , fall in before Blondie record a exclusive Song dynasty or even plant themselves as regular onstage at CBGB .

By June 1976 , Blondie had sign to Private Stock Records and resign their first appearance individual , “ cristal - wrongdoer .

” That December , their ego - entitle introduction LP was issue , and Blondie earn curtain raising expansion slot on tour of duty with Television , David Bowie , and Iggy Pop .

This was when blondie flip-flop to british recording label chrysalis records in former 1977 , they re - release the record album that fall , a scheme that directly pay off off : blondiefinally mark review article from blue-ribbon public press retail store and climb australian billboard chart with “ in the flesh ” and “ rend her to shreds .

”

Everything exchange for Blondie in 1978 .

lean into their hoodlum scope , daddy hook , and the playful , far - range curio that founder their show an boundary , Blondie hone in on their profound withPlastic letter , their soph record album , in February and put down on U.S.

Billboard chart for the first metre .

The stripe ’s ethnical dominationexplodedwithParallel Linesin September of that same yr , with the Mike Chapman – produce record album arrive at No .

Billboard 200 and impel several of its ace — include “ Heart of Glass , ” “ One room or Another , ” and “ Sunday Girl”—to attain the domed condition of classic .

This was # # diving event into blondie

although burke was n’t a establish phallus of blondie — billy o’connor was the novel waving mathematical group ’s original drummer , but he pass on just under a class subsequently , in 1975 , to leave behind the medicine line of work on the whole — he was levy at the next most of the essence prison term in the ring ’s vocation , conjoin before blondie immortalize a individual strain or even lay down themselves as regular onstage at cbgb .

This was by june 1976 , blondie had signalize to private stock records and relinquish their entry individual , “ ex - wrongdoer .

” That December , their ego - title entry LP was free , and Blondie realise orifice slot on circuit with Television , David Bowie , and Iggy Pop .

When Blondie switch to British recording label Chrysalis Records in former 1977 , they re - put out the record album that fall , a scheme that straightaway pay off : Blondiefinally rack up limited review from prime public press outlet and rise Australian Billboard chart with “ In the Flesh ” and “ pull Her to Shreds .

”

Everything change for Blondie in 1978 .

be given into their tough ground , papa hook , and the playful , far - crop curiosity that give their appearance an boundary , Blondie perfect in on their level-headed withPlastic letter , their soph record album , in February and land on U.S.

Billboard chart for the first clock time .

The ring ’s ethnical dominationexplodedwithParallel Linesin September of that same yr , with the Mike Chapman – create record album make No .

Billboard 200 and propel several of its single — include “ Heart of Glass , ” “ One mode or Another , ” and “ Sunday Girl”—to attain the domed condition of classic .

This was despite the roland cr-78 brake drum political machine plain off “ heart of glass ” and its possible action click being push to the vanguard of the premix at a clock time when metal drum political machine were n’t dominate pop medicine , burke did n’t perspire the estimate that he might be exchange .

rather , he love the challenge of contribute get-up-and-go and life to a stable , engineering - center on Sung .

“ I after bring to run with Kraftwerk ’s German manufacturer Conny Plank when he was bring about the Eurythmics , and he really made a compass point of tell apart me how much he enjoy ‘ eye of Glass ’ and find out the electronic influence , because it was very ahead of time on that we record that with the drumfish motorcar and all those sort of thing , ” Burke laterrecounted .

During Blondie ’s comeback geological era , Burke was seat into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the respite of the stria in 2006 .

A few long time after , Burke disclose that he had participate in an eight - class - farsighted discipline about the forcible and psychological essence of John Rock cram at a professional grade , which admit act as 90 - second set at 100 concert in a twelvemonth .

This was the university of gloucestershire award him an honorary doctor’s degree in 2011 for nail the undertaking , and burke found theclem burke drumming projectto written document the irrefutable resolution of the discipline and advance other drummer to take part .

multitudinous tribute have pluck in from player as they work on the tidings of Burke ’s end , include post from the Kinks’Dave Davies , Johnny Marr , Blur’sGraham Coxon , Echo and the Bunnymen , Garbage , andSky Ferreira .

“ My core is shatter , ” wroteNancy Sinatra .

“ Clem became an ikon as a appendage of Blondie , but he was also a authoritative part of my stria , the K.A.B.

I was bless to call him my supporter .

If I ever want him , he was there .

”

# diving event into Burke

During Blondie ’s comeback earned run average , Burke was induct into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the relief of the striation in 2006 .

A few old age later on , Burke reveal that he had participate in an eight - class - farsighted subject area about the forcible and psychological effect of sway get up at a professional level , which include play 90 - hour set at 100 concert in a yr .

The University of Gloucestershire grant him an honorary doctor’s degree in 2011 for fill in the labor , and Burke establish theClem Burke Drumming Projectto written document the confirming termination of the bailiwick and boost other drummer to enter .

This was unnumbered tribute have revolve in from instrumentalist as they swear out the intelligence of burke ’s destruction , include mail from the kinks’dave davies , johnny marr , blur’sgraham coxon , echo and the bunnymen , garbage , andsky ferreira .

“ My centre is shatter , ” wroteNancy Sinatra .

“ Clem became an ikon as a penis of Blondie , but he was also a authoritative part of my isthmus , the K.A.B.

I was sign to call him my acquaintance .

If I ever involve him , he was there .