Superpop

1st September 1979 – No. 32

Page 15
BLONDIE IN AMERICA
Supersnoop on the Stateside scene
AS THEY SAY out here in the US of A, hi there, y’all!
Supersnoop here superscooping all the way from sunny Los Angeles… and just what am I doing here, you may be asking? A good question.
Well, there I was visiting the SUPERPOP office the other day minding my own business (for once) when suddenly the Ed gets her annual bright idea muttering on about Mohammed and mountains and coming and going.
In other words if Blondie ain’t gonna make it over to the UK this year hows about someone hightailing it stateside and getting the latest lowdown on Debbie and the lads.
Natch, I was the first choice (Okay so nobody else could make it) highly trained as I am in the art of prising all thats personal out of the top pop people. So I jumped on a jet and here I am.
The first Blondie person I bumped into was Nigel Harrison – you may recall he’s the only English member of the band. We had a quick chat and he told me about his lady, Oriole, who when she ain’t constructing platform shoes and loon pants for all them dudes from Rainbow, UFO and the Tubes designs some pretty nifty numbers for old Nigel himself. As it happened Nigel was wearing one of her… er… brighter creations when I met him. Very nice too Nigel – if you happen to like black shirts covered in lurid, multi-coloured spots that is…
Anyway onto the gig itself. Seems like Blondie are finally breaking big (as we say in the biz) over here. Their Los Angeles show was held at this open air Greek Theatre.
The band played two nights – both sold out – and tickets were exchanging hands on the black market for 100 dollars no less (£50 to you lot – and I bet you thought Abba tickets were pricey).
Anyways the ole lights dimmed and on bounded Blondie. Fashion note: Debbie was looking as delectable as ever in a tight satin jumpsuit in bright green (Debbie told me afterwards that they’re all she wears at the moment (phew). She bought a whole load of them in different colours and has peaked caps to match each one). And the boys? Well, they were sporting the usual natty suits… I must admit I wasn’t looking their way too often.
The material for the set was mostly made up of new songs from Blondie’s up and coming album ‘Eat To The Beat’. Some songs like ‘Slow Motion’ and another reggae influenced number were quite different from their usual stuff. But there was lots of the oldies of course and Debs sang ’em all as delightfully as ever.
Chris Stein has taken to going walkabout in the audience on a couple of numbers while Debs sits swinging her legs on the edge of the stage. Much as she’d like to go running round the audience she told me later, she thought it might be a bit too much of a risk. You just couldn’t trust some males to keep their mitts to themselves, she pointed out I had to agree.
After the second show a huge party was held for the band at the LA branch of Fiorucci.
“At first we didn’t want to go ‘cos we thought it would be full of posey people,” said Debbie. “So we were going to send cut out cardboard figures of ourselves instead.
“Some of the people there were so concerned with themselves I don’t think they would have noticed if we hadn’t shown,” she grimaced.
However, the band changed their minds and turned up in style – arriving in a huge armour plated tank which was parked outside.
One thing the band are very disappointed about is the fact that it now looks like they won’t be able to get over to the UK this year apart from maybe a quickie promotional trip.
“Please tell our British fans that if we could do it we would,” said Debbie. “And we promise that the show next year will certainly be something special – well worth the wait…”
And folks that’s the end of this little letter from LA. For more scoop scandal and gossip turn to page 19… see you there!