Picture this! Debbie Harry playfully gives the finger before taking to the stage at the NME Awards
dailymail.co.uk
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
27th February 2014
She is the epitome of new wave, punk and rock’n’roll.
So it’s no surprise that Blondie singer Debbie Harry should be caught ‘flipping the bird’ – a phrase used to describe swearing with your middle finger – while partying with her bandmates.
The 68 year-old was a special guest at the NME Awards in London’s Brixton Academy on Wednesday when the incident happened.
The acclaimed star – whose songs include The Tide Is High, Atomic and Heart of Glass – was taking part in a photocall at the annual ceremony, alongside the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Luke Evans and The Arctic Monkeys.
Wearing a black and white-striped dress with a pair of green shoes, the native New Yorker raised eyebrows – and a few laughs – with the cheeky gesture.
Even her former boyfriend, fellow Blondie Chris Stein, joined in with the behaviour before taking to the stage to perform their best-selling hits.
The band were bestowed with the Godlike Genius Award last night for their epic contribution to the music industry.
Together, they accepted their accolade from Best Solo Artist winner Lily Allen. Collecting their prize, Debbie Harry said: ‘Hey hey! Thank you NME. I’m very happy to be here tonight.’
Stein added: ‘Thank you guys. Back in the old days, we had an adversarial relationship with NME. They used to rake us over the coals. But Karl Marx once told me there’s no such thing as bad publicity.’
But, proving they’re unwilling to sell-out for the world’s media, Debbie and her Blondie colleagues rejected an offer to perform at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Earlier this month Debbie released a statement explaining the decision. It said: ‘Blondie has always been a part of the downtown community in NYC, with many, many friends who represent alternative lifestyles,’ she told the Huffington Post.
‘We feel very strongly about these friendships and associations, and don’t feel good about participating in a situation where biases and prejudices are paramount.’
And she made sure to get her message across, tweeting a picture of the invite, including a large fee, with the words ‘PASS, human rights’, scrawled over the top.
NME AWARDS 2014 WINNERS’ LIST
Godlike Genius
Blondie
Songwriters’ Songwriter
Paul McCartney
Award For Innovation
Damon Albarn
Teenage Cancer Trust Outstanding Contribution to Music Award
Belle & Sebastian
Best British Band supported by Windows Phone
Arctic Monkeys
Best International Band supported by Austin, Texas
Haim
Best Solo Artist
Lily Allen
Best New Band supported by Mossimo
Drenge
Best Live Band supported by Gig Buddy
Arctic Monkeys
Best Album supported by PS4 INFAMOUS Second Son
Arctic Monkeys, ‘AM’
Best Track supported by Blackstar Amps
Disclosure, ‘White Noise’
Best Music Video supported by Domino’s
Eagulls, ‘Nerve Endings’
Villain Of The Year
Harry Styles
