Radio Times

15th – 21st May 1982

Page 4

Blondie – ‘tougher than Marilyn’

R1 I understand, from reading much about her, that Debbie Harry, who will be mulling over the new vinyl in Roundtable (Friday 5:45 pm), is every man’s fantasy woman – the dyed Blondie who crops up in our dreams on deprived nights.

So it was a pleasant surprise to find that Debbie does not think of herself ‘as a man-trap. The image of some sort of predator began, I think, with the group – for its name was a deliberate attempt to stoke up memories of Marilyn Monroe, with me as the face and the pout. But I am very much tougher than Marilyn was made out to be. I am also loyal and true to whomsoever I love at the time.’

It seems that Chris Stein, guitarist with Blondie and also writer of the music for Debbie’s first movie, Union City, has won her attachment for about eight years: ‘There hasn’t been anyone else. We are in tune. His only rival is David Niven. And I’ve never met him.’

Her own taste in music, and (as my picture shows) in wigs, is eclectic. But Debbie feels that she’s going through ‘a transitional phase. I’m neither young nor old. My ambitions are undecided. I might go in any direction.’

And her own private dream? ‘To be loved for myself, without having a photographer around to put every move on the record.’

Page 72

FRIDAY Radio

Radio 1

5:45 pm Roundtable

Star artists and guest DJS, including this week Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Joe Strummer and Steve Wright, join Richard Skinner in reviewing this week’s new record releases.
Producer Trevor Dann