Clem Burke talks Parallel Lines Anniversary

Clem Burke

Hard to believe it, but Parallel Lines, the breakout album from New York City new wave icons Blondie, turns 30 this year. Frequently cited by critics and fans as Blondie's best, Parallel Lines spawned at least two instantly recognizable and ubiquitous classics-- "One Way or Another" and "Heart of Glass"-- and went on to sell 20 million copies worldwide. Not too shabby for a band which, as Blondie drummer Clem Burke nonchalantly puts it, was "just making music" at the time.

Pitchfork chatted with Burke recently about the album's pearl anniversary and the two celebratory gestures Blondie have planned: a deluxe reissue and two solid months of special shows on both sides of the Atlantic.

"We just wanted to make a statement about the Parallel Lines record being 30 years old," Burke offers matter-of-factly, before adding, with a laugh, "We wanted to make a statement that we're all old. We wanted to make sure everyone knew how old we were."

The North American half of the anniversary tour kicks off June 5 in Baltimore and fills out most of that month, followed closely by a gig in Israel and jaunt around Europe in July. And in ATP/Don't Look Back fashion, Blondie plan to rock Parallel Lines from front to back at each stop. "That's the general idea," Burke explains. "We're going to play the record and then another 45 minutes of Blondie stuff.

The other stuff will likely be a mix of songs from Blondie's late 1970s/early 1980s heyday and some material recorded since the combo reconvened in the late 1990s. "At this point, it's still kind of in the planning stages," Burke says. "We have a list of songs we can do. I guess we're going to have to wait and see how they feel when we play them live. I would definitely like to do stuff from the first two albums [1976's Blondie and 1977's Plastic Letters] that we don't really perform that often, that most people probably don't even know."

Burke doesn't really have a favorite song off Parallel Lines, but the ascent of one particular track buried deep in the album continues to amuse him. "At the time, we got a lot of flak for 'Heart of Glass'. [Now] it's one of the main Blondie songs that has endured and contributed to our success."

Blondie have delivered two records since reuniting late last century, 1999's No Exit and 2004's The Curse of Blondie. Can we expect another one? "We're definitely always talking about that," Burke reveals. "I think really, for ourselves, we need to make some new music, and it's been taking a while. I think it's time for a new record, just for ourselves. I would like to do a record that is without technology, myself. Just [us in the] studio, just playing, you know? I think the last record got really bogged down with technology."

The creation of new Blondie material these days regularly has to compete with a number of factors, including various band members' side pursuits. Deborah Harry, for instance, released solo album Necessary Evil last year, while Burke himself has at least two side-things going: Slinky Vagabond, which also features Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols, and Magic Christian, led by Cyril Jordan of Flamin' Groovies fame.

A recent trip to Austin with Magic Christian helped Burke reconnect with his roots in the rock underground. "We did South by Southwest. We did five shows in two days at SXSW, really guerilla style, just kind of showing up at a venue, throwing gear on the stage. It was pretty damn fun. I think it's positive for me to do things like that."

Other than that, Burke's just "really excited about the [Blondie] tour. If it was up to me, we'd be on the road 300 days a year. I admire artists like Springsteen and Dylan-- obviously, they do it because they enjoy it. When I feel the most normal is when I'm on stage; I really enjoy touring. At this point, it's like going on vacation."

As for what's keeping Burke from his 300-days-a-year ideal? "Couches, beds, TV sets, kids," he shares with a laugh. "All those kind of things, I guess."

- Pitchforkmedia.com