It’s so sad to learn of the death of Blondie’s drummer Clem Burke, another of the Class of ’77 who has left us far too soon. Is this his finest moment?

I can never make my mind up which is my favourite Blondie song. There are just so many to choose, from the ones I first heard (X Offender and Rip Her To Shreds) tthrough the early hits (Picture This and Hanging On The Telephone) to the peak chart-topping era (Heart Of Glass and Sunday Girl).

But I think, unlike almost every other group, my favourites come after all of those, with Union City Blue and this one, Atomic, Debbie demonstrating in the video that she can even make a bin liner look chic and sexy.

But for once let’s not focus on Debbie. Llet’s look at the drummer, Clem Burke, who always made a major contribution, and has today left us, another victim of fucking cancer. And I’m always going to precede the C-word with the F-word because… well, because fuck cancer.

As Debbie and Chris said today: “Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.

“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

And it wasn’t just Blondie who benefited from his talent. A self proclaimed “rock’n’roll survivalist”, he played and collaborated with numerous artists spanning several decades and genres, including Iggy and Dylan, The Ramones and Eurythmics, Joan Jett and The Go-Go’s.

RIP Clem Burke (1954-2025)