CLASSIC ROCK
December 2006
Special 100th Issue
Page 33
Icons of Rock
AS CHOSEN BY THE STARS
To celebrate 100 stellar issues of Classic Rock, we present 100 of the brightest-shining icons ever to have given their all to the wonderful, ever-expanding cosmos that we call rock’n’roll, selected and saluted by other star names: Lemmy on Tina Turner; Nancy Wilson on Jimmy Page; Jack Black on Ronnie James Dio; and 97 more.
Never before in the history of humanity’s search for the ultimate riff, the perfect song, the most rocktacular moment, has so much been owed by so many to so few…
Page 75
DEBBIE HARRY
You’re beautiful
BY MICK ROCK
The ultimate female rock’n’roller – at least as far as I’m concerned. Who else is there to match her? She’s so photogenic, has an amazing voice and the music has stood the test of time. I remember when Blondie first got big, all the 
punks thought the band would soon disappear, because they were comparatively lightweight. Wrong! And the main reason they have survived so well is Debbie.
I believe her voice has got better over the years, maybe because of all the work she put in with another project, The Jazz Passengers. And the lady still looks great to this day.
I first saw Debbie live in 1974. At a pisshole in New York called CBGB’s. Blondie were on a bill with Television and The Ramones. There were just 20 people there, including the late William Burroughs. In fact, he was the only reason I went along – a friend of mine persuaded me to go down there by telling me Bill would be along, and I was only interested in meeting him. But when Blondie came on stage I recall thinking how pretty the singer was.
Working with Debbie has always been a dream. She is so easy to get along with. Debbie has never been enamoured of herself, the way so many rockers can be. She has an instinctive feel for fashion and that works. Debbie looks great in whatever she wears, and is 
never a problem for make-up artists – she’ll let them get on with their job without any diva tantrums. A rarity.
I hung out with her only recently, and she told me how she’d love sometimes to be able to blend into the background, to be anonymous, to be someone else. I don’t know how serious Debbie was being, but destiny clearly had her marked out for another path. What’s more, she’s not the sort to make a big fuss when going out for an informal evening. She’ll just throw on a pair of trousers and a jacket – and look fantastic anyway.
In every sense of the term, Debbie Harry is beautiful. I’m proud to have had the chance to work with her over the years, and remain a huge fan.
Photographer Mick Rock’s book Glam! An Eyewitness Account is available through Omnibus Press.
Page 113
Best of the rest
IN ASSOCIATION WITH PLAY.COM
BLONDIE
Singles Box
EMI
We’re pretty sure some of you would like to wake up Christmas morning and find Debbie Harry in your Christmas stocking, although we’re not sure the missus would approve. The next best bet might be to get her to fork out for this lovely Blondie singles box set for you. You get Blondie’s 15 singles, complete with B-sides on CD in replica sleeves all housed in a snazzy box. Sorted.
www.play.com/boxsets
