Debbie Harry Says She'll 'Miss' Late Blondie Drummer Clem Burke's Sweaty Hugs at End of Shows: 'Big Bear of a Guy' Desiree AnelloOctober 22, 2025 at 7:05 AM 0 Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic Blondie's Debbie Harry and Clem Burke in Beverly Hills in May 2019 Debbie Harry is remembering her late bandmate Clem ...
- - Debbie Harry Says She'll 'Miss' Late Blondie Drummer Clem Burke's Sweaty Hugs at End of Shows: 'Big Bear of a Guy'
Desiree AnelloOctober 22, 2025 at 7:05 AM
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Blondie's Debbie Harry and Clem Burke in Beverly Hills in May 2019
Debbie Harry is remembering her late bandmate Clem Burke.
While discussing her decades-long career in a recent interview with The Times, the Blondie frontwoman, 80, reflected on how the late drummer, who died of cancer earlier this year, used to pull her into a sweaty embrace at the end of every show they did together.
"Clem would come out from behind the drums and it would take him a couple of minutes or so to get to the front of the stage," Harry recalled. "He would always be dripping wet and put his arm around me, this big bear of a guy. I will miss that."
The band shared the tragic news of Burke's death in April, writing on Facebook at the time, "It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer."
"Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie," the statement continued, five decades after Burke joined the band. "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."
While speaking with Vanity Fair three months later, Harry revealed that the band would be stepping away from touring as they recovered from the tragic loss.
"Keeping a rock band together for 50 years was like a marriage, and it's sad that with Clem's passing and without having Chris [Stein] onstage, I can't see myself being onstage as Blondie, even though I am the face of Blondie," Harry told the outlet at the time. "But I'm proud of the music, and I would still like to do music. "
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Blondie's Debbie Harry and Clem Burke
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For his part, Stein, 75, stopped touring with the band in 2019 due to health issues, including a heart condition and prostate cancer. As he told The Times, "I did the last two tours sitting down and finally I couldn't make it any more. At the same time I realised how much I really hated hotels and airports."
Even so, the pair got to work alongside Leigh Foxx, Matt Katz-Bohen, and Tommy Kessler to create their upcoming album, High Noon, which will be their first since 2017's Pollinator.
"I don't have as much endurance, but I can focus my energy a lot better. The new album — we really put it out on that one," Harry said, making it clear she has no intentions of retiring any time soon. "Sometimes when I walk out on stage and there's such a terrific response, I feel like I'd better stop while I'm ahead. But no, it's still joyful.""
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