Artists going into the music industry are not usually equipped for the sudden onslaught of fame. Although it may seem alluring to the casual musician to have millions of people singing songs back to them every time they play live, things get a bit complicated when everything they thought was private becomes lost instantly. While punk was meant to be a subversion of the traditional rock star fame, Debbie Harry had something else in mind when working with Blondie.
Despite playing the same clubs that punk stalwarts like the Ramones were playing around the same time, Blondie had a pop flair to them that few could match. No matter how much glamour Harry played up her image for those in the audience, she kept the audience in the palm of her hands, stirring up the beginnings of new wave music on songs like ‘Call Me’.
Then again, fame was also a mixed bag for Harry. Blondie may have enjoyed the idea of people singing along to ‘One Way or Another’, but that many eyes on them every day started to eat away at Harry’s calm demeanour both on and off the stage.
Once the band started to gain notoriety across the country, Harry found herself becoming more self-conscious about her appearance. Being the female presence in the band and the centre of attention whenever they played, Harry eventually realised that she no longer needed to have the same hang-ups she had before becoming famous.
Speaking to the NZHerald, Harry knew she would be toying with her sanity if she focused solely on her looks, recalling, “There was a time when I had to take down all the mirrors in my house. I felt like I was looking at myself too much. The world made such a big deal of how I looked. It’s problematic. I’m lucky I was born this way. It’s perfect for showbiz”.
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Tim Coffman
Source: Far Out
Debbie Harry met guitarist Chris Stein in the 1970s, and the two started a band that would later become the world-famous Blondie. Categorized as new wave (a genre of music shaped by styles that include punk, electronica, reggae and funk), Blondie eventually met commercial and critical success. The band’s third album, Parallel Lines, catapulted Harry to stardom and the song “Heart of Glass” reached No. 1, later followed by other chart-toppers like “Call Me,” “The Tide Is High” and “Rapture.” With her musical know-how and mesmerizing aesthetics, Harry became a pop icon, influencing many female singers to come.
Debbie Harry was born Angela Tremble on July 1, 1945, in Miami, Florida, and was adopted by Richard and Catherine Harry when she was 3 months old. Growing up in Hawthorne, New Jersey, Harry sang in the church choir. She tried college for two years before dropping out and moving to New York City in the late 1960s. Having sang with the band Wind in the Willows and worked as a Playboy Bunny, Harry ended up waiting tables at Max’s Kansas City, a popular club that was part of the downtown art and music scene.
Harry later joined the Stilettos, a female trio, and met guitarist Chris Stein, who became a member of the group. Over time, Stein and Harry became romantically involved. In 1974, the two started the band which would eventually be known as Blondie. The burgeoning new wave act played many of the legendary clubs in New York, including CBGB.
Blondie’s self-titled debut was released in 1976. The following year, the band toured in support of their second album, Plastic Letters, which scored a No. 2 spot on the British charts with single “Denis.” Over the years, Blondie would continue to be a formidable force in the U.K.
Blondie’s third album, the critically exalted Parallel Lines, helped catapult the band to pop music stardom. The disco/glam single “Heart of Glass” reached the top of the U.S. charts in 1978, while the campy, more traditionally rock-ish “One Way or Another” became a Top 25 hit. Harry served not only as lead vocalist for the group but wrote many of its songs with Stein. With her white-blond hair, high cheekbones and commanding, cool style partially inspired by comic books and movies, Harry became a pop music icon. Harry was one of the few female recording artists to rise to the top and paved the way for later acts like Madonna.
More Hits: “The Tide Is High,” “Rapture,” “Call Me”
Blondie continued to be successful with the group’s next albums Eat to the Beat (1979), which included “Dreaming” and “Atomic,” and Autoamerican (1980), which featured two more No. 1 hits — the reggae/mariachi-influenced “The Tide Is High” and dance-rap number “Rapture.” The band had also landed another No. 1 with the rock song “Call Me,” a collaboration with producer/songwriter Giorgio Moroder that was featured on the soundtrack for American Gigolo (1980).
Blondie broke up in 1982, as around this time Stein became ill with a rare skin disease. Harry took time out from her career to look after him. He recovered and although their relationship didn’t survive, the two remained friends.
Source: Biography
Sila Blume 
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