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Clem Burke, the drummer for Blondie, has died, the group announced Monday morning, He was 70 and died following what was described by the surviving group members as a “private battle with cancer.”
A statement attributed to co-founders Debbie Harry and Chris Stein revealed the death on social media, saying it was “with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke… Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable. Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”
The group’s statement continued, “Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie. A self proclaimed ‘Rock & Roll survivalist,’ he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists, including Eurythmics, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Chequered Past, the Fleshtones, the Romantics, Dramarama, the Adult Net, the Split Squad, the International Swingers, L.A.M.F., Empty Hearts, Slinky Vagabond and even the Go-Go’s. His influence and contributions have spanned decades and genres, leaving an indelible mark on every project he was a part of.
We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world,” Harry and Stein’s statement continued. “His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched. As we navigate this profound loss, we ask for privacy during this difficult time. Godspeed, Dr. Burke.” It was signed “Debbie, Chris, and the entire Blondie family.”
Blondie was founded by Harry and Stein in 1974, and Burke quickly came aboard as the group’s second drummer in 1975, generally being considered an original member given the brief tenure of his predecessor. The group’s first single, “X-Offender,” came out in June 1976, and their debut album followed at the end of that year. Burke remained with the group through their breakout success with 1978’s “Parallel Lines” album, and their first breakup in 1982, rejoining for a series of reunions that began in 1997.
A reformed edition of the band, with Stein sidelined, performed at the Coachella festival in 2023. Their final show with Burke was June 19, 2024 in Belfast. The last album to have been released was “Pollinator” in 2017, although Blondie was said to have been at work on new material.
Blondie’s first single to crack the Billboard Hot 100 was also the group’s biggest: “Heart of Glass” went right to No. 1 in 1979. Three more No. 1 smashes followed: “Call Me” and “The Tide is High” in 1980,, and “Rapture” in 1981. No other singles cracked the top 10 in the U.S., although “One Way or Another” and “Dreaming” came closest, at Nos. 24 and 27, respectively.
In the U.K., chart success came earlier, with “Denis,” “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear” and signature song “Hanging on the Telephone” all making the top 10 in 1978 prior to “Heart of Glass” also reaching No. 1 there.
The indelible mark that Burke left was based on his mastery of a swing-driven, pummeling style of drumming — a groove that married the verve of Gene Krupa to the violence of Keith Moon, all while maintaining a sense of power-pop propulsion — and even disco’s pulse during Blondie hits such as “Rapture” and “Heart of Glass.”
“Moon was one of my big drumming influences along with Ringo Starr and session drummers such as Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer, the guy who famously played on Eddie Cochran’s ‘Something Else’ and Little Richard’s Specialty [Records] material,” Burke told Variety writer A.D. Amorosi in 2022, as the band was putting out a retrospective boxed set. “My drumming did connect the dots as far as creating a consistency in their arrangements and the sound of the band at that time. It was pretty raw — just Gary (Valentine, the bassist who left in 1977), Chris, and myself with Debbie up front. That gave me a lot of room to experiment.”
More to come…
