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Harry's Solo Show Hides Blondie Roots

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By CURTIS ROSS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 15, 2007

"Blondie Is A Group!" Deborah Harry is a solo artist.

Lapel badges sporting the first statement were distributed by Blondie's record label in the late '70s, an attempt to counter the misperception that Blondie was Harry's pseudonym.

The latter statement is important to keep in mind regarding Harry's current tour.

"I have partners I have been working with for over 30 years," Harry says by telephone from New York City.

"They are equal shareholders in the name Blondie," Harry continues. "If I were to go out and do Blondie material without them it would be kind of insulting, so I'm trying not to do that."

Trying.

"I guess people can get confused by the idea, but my show should be advertised properly as a Deborah Harry solo tour," Harry says.

"In some situations I can see that I might play Blondie material," Harry says. "It depends on the promoter, whether or not they're going to be insisting that I do Blondie material because they feel nobody wants to come hear me do my own material."

Solo Harry may not have reached the heights Blondie did, but she's racked up a fair number of dance club hits over the years: "Backfired" and "The Jam Was Moving" from 1981's "Koo Koo"; "French Kissin'" from 1986's "Rockbird"; "I Want That Man" from 1989's "Def, Dumb & Blonde"; and "I Can See Clearly" from 1993's "Debravation."

She's just released her fifth solo album, her first in 14 years, "Necessary Evil."

She says the provocative title shouldn't be taken too seriously, but that it can refer to "things that people can't resist."

"It could be substances, it could be chocolate," she says, laughing. "It could be anything, couldn't it?"

Harry is hoping fans find the album's mix of dance and new wave pop irresistible. With Blondie touring and recording steadily since reuniting in the late '90s, Harry put the album together in fits and starts with New York production team Super Buddha (Barb Morrison and Charles Nieland), which also has worked with Rufus Wainwright and Scissor Sisters.

"Every time I would come off a tour ... I would call them up and go into the studio for a couple of days," Harry says. "And eventually I built up a little pile of material."

Blondie guitarist (and Harry's ex-boyfriend) Chris Stein produced a couple of tracks as well.

Whatever the merits of her solo work, Harry will forever be known as Blondie's singer; and no matter how many albums and tours Blondie Mach II puts under its belt, it will forever be associated with New York's punk scene of 30 years ago.

A recent story in Mojo featured Harry's reminiscences about Blondie's heyday but scant mention of "Necessary Evil." Is it frustrating to create new work and then have people focus on your past?

"Of course," Harry says. "It's a double-edged sword. I'm proud of having done something that people are interested in and that they love but I also feel that what I do know is equally as valuable."

Oh well, at least they want to talk. And while she's reminiscing about CBGB, she can toss in a plug for "Necessary Evil," right?

She laughs. "You should be my manager."

ON TOUR

Deborah Harry

WITH: Kristoffer Ragnstam

WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St., Tampa; (813) 274-8981

COST: $34.50 and $39.50

Curtis Ross can be reached at (813) 259-7568 or cross@tampatrib.com.

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