Movies

Clem Burke, Blondie drummer and self-proclaimed ‘Rock & Roll survivalist,’ dies at 70

BBG News

Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died, the band announced Monday on social media. He was 70

With deep regret, we share the heartbreaking news that our cherished friend and band member, Clem Burke, has sadly passed away after a quiet struggle with cancer. This information comes from Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, who spoke for the whole Blondie family.

Obituaries

In the 1980s, Val Kilmer gained widespread recognition as a talented actor from Juilliard, whose charisma was comparable to his ‘Top Gun’ co-star Tom Cruise. At the height of his career, he commanded a salary of $6 million per film and built a reputation for being challenging to collaborate with.

The specifics of Burke’s cancer were not revealed.

Clem wasn’t just a drummer for Blondie; he embodied the rhythm of the band. His extraordinary musical skills, boundless energy, and deep passion were unrivaled, and his impact on our sound and achievements is indescribable. As a musician, Clem was an inspiration, not only on stage but also off it. His lively spirit, contagious enthusiasm, and steadfast dedication resonated with everyone fortunate enough to know him.

Clement Anthony Bozewski, later known as Debbie Harry’s bandmate Chris Burke, was born on November 24, 1954. Shortly after the formation of Blondie in 1974 by Harry, Stein, and others, he joined the group and contributed to every Blondie album, including “Parallel Lines,” released in 1979 and featuring the popular track “Heart of Glass.

The genre-crossing nature of that song upset some punk fans, but not Burke.

Obituaries

Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, has died. He was 82.

In my perspective, dance felt just as rebellious as punk music. Performing “Heart of Glass” became our method of challenging expectations within our own social sphere, a statement I made during the SXSW Festival in 2014.

Band members described Burke as a “self-styled ‘survivor of Rock & Roll,'” who remained unfazed when Blondie disbanded in 1982, following popular songs like “Call Me,” “The Tide Is High,” and “Rapture.” Despite the split, Blondie occasionally reunited, with Burke participating in various musical collaborations during these periods. Notable artists he worked with include Eurythmics, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, the Fleshtones, the Romantics, Dramarama, and the Go-Go’s, among others.

Burke was inducted with his Blondie bandmates into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2006.

2011 saw him receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Gloucestershire in the U.K., according to BBC reports, due to his pioneering work with students within a research project he initiated to explore the beneficial physical and mental effects of drumming. This study monitored the heart rates, oxygen consumption, and blood lactate levels of professional drummers during rehearsals and performances, as per the media outlet. Notable participants included Rush’s drummer Neil Peart, leading to the discovery that top-tier rock drummers possess similar endurance as elite soccer players.

Music

According to TMZ, the scene discovered Bryar’s lifeless body accompanied by three big cylinders filled with nitrous oxide and connecting pipes.

The impact and value of his work stretch across many years and musical styles, making a lasting impression on everything he worked on, as the band’s statement for Monday emphasized.

We offer our heartfelt sympathies to Clem’s family, friends, and admirers worldwide. His influence will continue through the vast body of music he produced and the numerous lives he impacted positively. As we grapple with this heavy sorrow, we kindly request privacy during these challenging moments. May Dr. Burke rest in peace and harmony.

Read More

2025-04-07 20:01

Previous post ATHENA: Blood Twins is arriving on mobile in the West with stunning MMORPG gameplay and visuals, opens pre-registration
Next post Microsoft’s Quake 2 Demo Made Using Muse Generative AI Met With Negative Response