“`xml
Clem Burke, the drummer whose adaptable style drove Blondie through their genre-bending journey from new-wave punk to disco, has passed away at the age of 70.
The band announced his death from cancer on their website Monday, without providing further details.
“Clem was more than just a drummer; he was the heart and soul of Blondie,” the band stated. “His extraordinary talent, boundless energy, and deep love for music profoundly impacted our sound and achievements.”
According to Blondie’s website, the “rock & roll survivalist” began drumming at 14 in his school orchestra, only to be dismissed for excessive volume. In the 1970s, he responded to a Village Voice ad seeking a drummer with “freak energy,” launching his long-lasting career alongside lead singer Debbie Harry and his fellow Blondie members.
After recording their debut album in 1976, the band toured with icons like Iggy Pop and David Bowie the following year. They became known as the most commercially successful act to emerge from New York’s vibrant rock scene, which also included Talking Heads and the Ramones.
Burke, along with the other original Blondie members, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, having sold over 42 million records, according to Blondie’s website.
During the late 1970s and early ’80s, the band achieved eight Top 40 hits, including four No. 1s: “Heart of Glass,” “Call Me,” “The Tide Is High,” and “Rapture,” considered the first No. 1 hit featuring rap. A five-track demo from 1975, featuring “Platinum Blonde,” a kind of band manifesto, also exists. However, Burke’s impact was particularly cemented by his fast, powerful drumming at the beginning of “Dreaming” in 1979.
In 2022, the band unearthed a collection of reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes, and records, leading to the creation of the box set “Blondie: Against the Odds, 1974-1982,” featuring 124 tracks, including 36 previously unreleased recordings, demos, outtakes, and remixed versions of Blondie’s first six studio albums.
Burke commented on the discovery in an Associated Press article: “We never imagined we’d still be around today. It’s amazing to look back at our archives.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame described Burke on X as “a versatile and distinctive drummer who played precisely what each song demanded – and, when necessary, unleashed blistering punk rock energy.”
“`