K SPECIAL - DRUMMER CLEM BURKE, THE ‘HEARTBEAT OF BLONDIE,’ DEAD AT 70
In memory of the great Clem Burke. R.I.P.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/clem-burke-blondie-drummer-dead-obituary-1235311703/
https://nypost.com/2025/04/07/entertainment/clem-burke-dead-blondie-drummer-dies-at-70/
He’s always been one of my favourite drummers. I watched him play up close only 3 feet away in a small club in NYC a few years ago and he was just mind blowing to watch. It was almost like watching two drummers at once he was so powerful.
Some phenomenal drumming here:
01 Blondie - Blondie (2001 Expanded Edition) (1976)
02 Blondie - Plastic Letters (2001 Expanded Edition) (1977)
03 Blondie - Parallel Lines (2001 Expanded Edition) (1978)
04 Blondie - Eat to the Beat (2001 Expanded Edition) (1979)
05 Blondie - Autoamerican (2001 Expanded Edition) (1980)
06 Blondie - The Hunter (2001 Expanded Edition) (1982)
07 Blondie - The Best of Blondie (2012 Expanded Edition) (1981)
08 Blondie - Blondie Singles Collection (2CD) (2009)
09 Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (8CD) (2022)
Blondie Music Magazines
The Best of Blondie is my own expanded edition of the original 1981 album.
K
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Track lists
Blondie - Blondie (2001 Expanded Edition) (1976)
1 Blondie - X Offender 3:14
2 Blondie - Little Girl Lies 2:07
3 Blondie - In The Flesh 2:33
4 Blondie - Look Good In Blue 2:55
5 Blondie - In The Sun 2:40
6 Blondie - A Shark In Jets Clothing 3:39
7 Blondie - Man Overboard 3:22
8 Blondie - Rip Her To Shreds 3:22
9 Blondie - Rifle Range 3:41
10 Blondie - Kung Fu Girls 2:33
11 Blondie - The Attack Of The Giant Ants 3:34
12 Blondie - Out In The Streets (Original Instant Records Demo, 1975) (Bonus Track) 2:20
13 Blondie - The Thin Line (Original Instant Records Demo, 1975) (Bonus Track) 2:16
14 Blondie - Platinum Blonde (Original Instant Records Demo, 1975) (Bonus Track) 2:12
15 Blondie - X Offender (Original Private Stock Single Version, 1976) (Bonus Track) 3:13
16 Blondie - In The Sun (Original Private Stock Single Version, 1976) (Bonus Track) 2:38
Blondie - Plastic Letters (2001 Expanded Edition) (1977)
1 Blondie - Fan Mail 2:38
2 Blondie - Denis 2:19
3 Blondie - Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45) 2:48
4 Blondie - Youth Nabbed As Sniper 3:03
5 Blondie - Contact In Red Square 2:02
6 Blondie - (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear 2:43
7 Blondie - I'm On E 2:18
8 Blondie - I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No 2:52
9 Blondie - Love At The Pier 2:28
10 Blondie - No Immagination 2:55
11 Blondie - Kidnapper 2:37
12 Blondie - Detroit 442 2:29
13 Blondie - Cautious Lip 4:32
14 Blondie - Once I Had A Love (aka The Disco Song) (1975 Version) (Bonus Track) 3:59
15 Blondie - Scenery (Bonus Track) 3:10
16 Blondie - Poets Problem (Bonus Track) 2:20
17 Blondie - Detroit 442 (Recorded Live 11-16-78 at The Walnut Theatre In Philadelphia, PA) (Bonus Track) 2:33
Blondie - Parallel Lines (2001 Expanded Edition) (1978)
1 Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone 2:22
2 Blondie - One Way Or Another 3:35
3 Blondie - Picture This 2:56
4 Blondie - Fade Away And Radiate 4:02
5 Blondie - Pretty Baby 3:18
6 Blondie - I Know But I Don't Know 3:56
7 Blondie - 11:59 3:20
8 Blondie - Will Anything Happen? 3:00
9 Blondie - Sunday Girl 3:05
10 Blondie - Heart Of Glass 5:50
11 Blondie - I'm Gonna Love You Too 2:06
12 Blondie - Just Go Away 3:33
13 Blondie - Once I Had A Love (aka The Disco Song) (1978 Version) (Bonus Track) 3:18
14 Blondie - Bang A Gong (Get It On) (Live) (Bonus Track) 5:30
15 Blondie - I Know But I Don't Know (Live) (Bonus Track) 4:35
16 Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone (Live) (Bonus Track) 2:22
Blondie - Eat to the Beat (2001 Expanded Edition) (1979)
1 Blondie - Dreaming 3:08
2 Blondie - The Hardest Part 3:42
3 Blondie - Union City Blue 3:21
4 Blondie - Shayla 3:58
5 Blondie - Eat To The Beat 2:40
6 Blondie - Accidents Never Happen 4:15
7 Blondie - Die Young Stay Pretty 3:34
8 Blondie - Slow Motion 3:28
9 Blondie - Atomic 4:40
10 Blondie - Sound-A-Sleep 4:18
11 Blondie - Victor 3:19
12 Blondie - Living In The Real World 2:53
13 Blondie - Die Young Stay Pretty (Live) (Bonus Track) 3:27
14 Blondie - Seven Rooms Of Gloom (Live) (Bonus Track) 2:44
15 Blondie - Heroes (Live) (Bonus Track) 6:18
16 Blondie - Ring Of Fire (Live) (Bonus Track) 3:30
Blondie - Autoamerican (2001 Expanded Edition) (1980)
1 Blondie - Europa 3:30
2 Blondie - Live It Up 4:09
3 Blondie - Here's Looking At You 2:58
4 Blondie - The Tide Is High 4:40
5 Blondie - Angels On The Balcony 3:47
6 Blondie - Go Through It 2:42
7 Blondie - Do The Dark 3:51
8 Blondie - Rapture 6:31
9 Blondie - Faces 3:52
10 Blondie - T-Birds 3:57
11 Blondie - Walk Like Me 3:45
12 Blondie - Follow Me 3:10
13 Blondie - Call Me (Original Long Version) (Bonus Track) 8:07
14 Blondie - Suzy & Jeffrey (Bonus Track) 4:10
15 Blondie - Rapture (Special Disco Mix) (Bonus Track) 9:58
Blondie - The Hunter (2001 Expanded Edition) (1982)
1 Blondie - Orchid Club 5:43
2 Blondie - Island Of Lost Souls 4:42
3 Blondie - Dragonfly 6:01
4 Blondie - For Your Eyes Only 3:07
5 Blondie - The Beast 4:54
6 Blondie - War Child 4:00
7 Blondie - Little Caesar 3:01
8 Blondie - Danceway 3:18
9 Blondie - (Can I) Find The Right Words (To Say) 3:07
10 Blondie - English Boys 3:49
11 Blondie - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game 3:45
12 Blondie - War Child (Extended Version) (Bonus Track) 7:58
Blondie - The Best of Blondie (2012 Expanded Edition) (1981)
1 Blondie - X Offender 3:11
2 Blondie - In The Flesh 2:31
3 Blondie - Rip Her To Shreds 3:22
4 Blondie - Denis 2:19
5 Blondie - (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear 2:43
6 Blondie - Picture This 2:55
7 Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone 2:21
8 Blondie - Will Anything Happen 3:01
9 Blondie - Heart Of Glass 4:33
10 Blondie - 11:59 3:21
11 Blondie - Sunday Girl 3:06
12 Blondie - One Way Or Another 3:33
13 Blondie - Dreaming 3:07
14 Blondie - Union City Blue 3:21
15 Blondie - Slow Motion 3:29
16 Blondie - Atomic 4:41
17 Blondie - Call Me 3:32
18 Blondie - The Tide Is High 4:45
19 Blondie - Rapture 5:37
20 Blondie - Island Of Lost Souls 4:41
21 Blondie - Maria 4:52
22 Blondie - What I Heard 3:17
Blondie - Blondie Singles Collection (2009) CD1
1 Blondie - Rip Her To Shreds 3:22
2 Blondie - In The Flesh 2:32
3 Blondie - X Offender 3:13
4 Blondie - Denis 2:17
5 Blondie - Contact In Red Square 2:00
6 Blondie - Kung Fu Girls 2:33
7 Blondie - (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear 2:42
8 Blondie - Poets Problem 2:20
9 Blondie - Detroit 442 2:28
10 Blondie - Picture This 2:56
11 Blondie - Fade Away And Radiate 4:01
12 Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone 2:21
13 Blondie - Will Anything Happen? 3:00
14 Blondie - Heart Of Glass (7'' Version) 4:11
15 Blondie - Rifle Range 3:41
16 Blondie - Heart Of Glass (12'' Version) 5:50
17 Blondie - Heart Of Glass (Instrumental) 5:15
18 Blondie - Sunday Girl 3:06
19 Blondie - I Know But I Don't Know 3:56
20 Blondie - Sunday Girl (French Version) 3:02
21 Blondie - Dreaming 3:08
22 Blondie - Sound Asleep 4:18
23 Blondie - Union City Blue 3:22
24 Blondie - Living In The Real World 2:44
Blondie - Blondie Singles Collection (2009) CD2
1 Blondie - Atomic 3:49
2 Blondie - Die Young Stay Pretty 3:35
3 Blondie - Heroes (Live) 6:18
4 Blondie - Call Me 3:30
5 Blondie - Call Me (12' Version) 8:05
6 Blondie - The Tide Is High 3:52
7 Blondie - Suzie And Jeffrey 4:09
8 Blondie - Rapture 4:59
9 Blondie - Walk Like Me 3:46
10 Blondie - Rapture (Special Disco Mix) 10:01
11 Blondie - Live It Up (Special Disco Mix) 8:14
12 Blondie - Island Of Lost Souls 3:49
13 Blondie - Dragonfly 6:02
14 Blondie - War Child 4:01
15 Blondie - Little Caesar 3:00
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD1
1 Blondie - Out In The Streets (1974 Session) 2:24
2 Blondie - The Disco Song (1974 Session) 3:56
3 Blondie - Sexy Ida (1974 Session) 3:59
4 Blondie - Platinum Blonde (Betrock Demo) 2:18
5 Blondie - The Thin Line (Betrock Demo) 2:27
6 Blondie - Puerto Rico (Betrock Demo) 2:08
7 Blondie - Once I Had A Love (1975 Betrock Demo) 3:58
8 Blondie - Out In The Streets (1975 Betrock Demo) 2:21
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD2
1 Blondie - X Offender 3:14
2 Blondie - Little Girl Lies 2:07
3 Blondie - In The Flesh 2:33
4 Blondie - Look Good In Blue 2:55
5 Blondie - In The Sun 2:40
6 Blondie - A Shark In Jets Clothing 3:40
7 Blondie - Man Overboard 3:21
8 Blondie - Rip Her To Shreads 3:22
9 Blondie - Rifle Range 3:41
10 Blondie - Kung Fu Girls 2:32
11 Blondie - The Attack Of The Giant Ants 3:25
12 Blondie - X Offender (Intro) 0:18
13 Blondie - X Offender (Private Stock Single Version / Remastered) 3:14
14 Blondie - In The Sun (Private Stock Single Version / Remastered) 2:40
15 Blondie - Little Girl Lies (Private Stock Mix) 2:08
16 Blondie - In The Flesh (Extended Intro) 2:51
17 Blondie - A Shark In Jets Clothing (Take 2) 3:42
18 Blondie - Kung Fu Girls (Take 8) 2:27
19 Blondie - Scenery (Plaza Sound Outtake) 3:09
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD3
1 Blondie - Fan Mail 2:40
2 Blondie - Denis 2:19
3 Blondie - Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45) 2:50
4 Blondie - Youth Nabbed As Sniper 3:03
5 Blondie - Contact In Red Square 2:02
6 Blondie - (I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear 2:44
7 Blondie - I’m On E 2:17
8 Blondie - I Didn’t Have The Nerve To Say No 2:55
9 Blondie - Love At The Pier 2:29
10 Blondie - No Imagination 2:57
11 Blondie - Kidnapper 2:39
12 Blondie - Detroit 442 2:28
13 Blondie - Cautious Lip 4:23
14 Blondie - Denis (Terry Ellis Mix) 2:22
15 Blondie - Moonlight Drive 3:00
16 Blondie - Bermuda Triangle Blues – Flight 45 (Take 1) 2:38
17 Blondie - I Didn’t Have The Nerve To Say No (Take 1) 2:59
18 Blondie - I’m On E (Take 2) 2:38
19 Blondie - Kidnapper (Take 2) 2:32
20 Blondie - Detroit 442 (Take 2) 2:56
21 Blondie - Poet’s Problem 2:21
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD4
1 Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone 2:25
2 Blondie - One Way Or Another 3:37
3 Blondie - Picture This 2:58
4 Blondie - Fade Away And Radiate 4:04
5 Blondie - Pretty Baby 3:23
6 Blondie - I Know But I Don't Know 3:56
7 Blondie - 11:59 3:20
8 Blondie - Will Anything Happen 3:02
9 Blondie - Sunday Girl 3:06
10 Blondie - Heart Of Glass 3:49
11 Blondie - I'm Gonna Love You Too 2:10
12 Blondie - Just Go Away 3:27
13 Blondie - Once I Had A Love (Mike Chapman Demo) 3:18
14 Blondie - Sunday Girl (French Version) 3:14
15 Blondie - I'll Never Break Away From This Heart Of Mine (Pretty Baby) (Take 1) 3:36
16 Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone (Mike Chapman Demo) 2:20
17 Blondie - Will Anything Happen (Instrumental) 2:54
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD5
1 Blondie - Dreaming 3:09
2 Blondie - The Hardest Part 3:42
3 Blondie - Union City Blue 3:22
4 Blondie - Shayla 3:58
5 Blondie - Eat To The Beat 2:40
6 Blondie - Accidents Never Happen 4:15
7 Blondie - Die Young Stay Pretty 3:34
8 Blondie - Slow Motion 3:29
9 Blondie - Atomic 4:40
10 Blondie - Sound-A-Sleep 4:18
11 Blondie - Victor 3:18
12 Blondie - Living In The Real World 2:44
13 Blondie - Call Me 3:32
14 Blondie - Spaghetti Song (Atomic Pt. 2) 2:05
15 Blondie - Die Young Stay Pretty (Take 1) 3:36
16 Blondie - Underground Girl 3:52
17 Blondie - Union City Blue (Instrumental) 2:50
18 Blondie - Llámame 6:18
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD6
1 Blondie - Europa 3:31
2 Blondie - Live It Up 4:09
3 Blondie - Here's Looking At You 2:58
4 Blondie - The Tide Is High 4:40
5 Blondie - Angels On The Balcony 3:47
6 Blondie - Go Through It 2:44
7 Blondie - Do The Dark 3:51
8 Blondie - Rapture 6:30
9 Blondie - Faces 3:52
10 Blondie - T-Birds 3:56
11 Blondie - Walk Like Me 3:45
12 Blondie - Follow Me 3:01
13 Blondie - Autoamerican Ad 1:07
14 Blondie - I Love You Honey, Give Me A Beer (Go Through It) 2:42
15 Blondie - Live It Up (Giorgio Moroder Demo) 4:03
16 Blondie - Angels On The Balcony (Giorgio Moroder Demo) 4:17
17 Blondie - The Tide Is High (Demo) 3:59
18 Blondie - Suzy & Jeffrey 4:09
19 Blondie - Rapture (Disco Version) 10:00
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD7
1 Blondie - Orchid Club 5:44
2 Blondie - Island Of Lost Souls 4:42
3 Blondie - Dragonfly 6:00
4 Blondie - For Your Eyes Only 3:07
5 Blondie - The Beast 4:54
6 Blondie - War Child 4:00
7 Blondie - Little Caesar 3:00
8 Blondie - Danceway 3:18
9 Blondie - (Can I) Find The Right Words (To Say) 3:07
10 Blondie - English Boys 3:49
11 Blondie - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game 3:36
12 Blondie - Yuletide Throwdown 4:50
Blondie - Against the Odds 1974-1982 (2022) CD8
1 Blondie - Nameless (Home Tape) 1:42
2 Blondie - Mr. Sightseer 3:45
3 Blondie - Sunday Girl (Home Tape) 2:50
4 Blondie - Theme From Topkapi (Home Tape) 2:57
5 Blondie - The Hardest Part (Home Tape) 3:32
6 Blondie - Ring Of Fire (Home Tape) 2:48
7 Blondie - Heart Of Glass (Chris Stein Mix) 6:14
8 Blondie - Call Me (Chris Stein Mix) 5:15
9 Blondie - War Child (Chris Stein Mix) 5:20
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Thank you for a fantastic collection will be playing this at work tonight cheers guys your work is always appreciated as was Clem's R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteRIP Clem, a sad loss. I remember "discovering" Blondie when their first album was released. Wow! Nobody I knew had heard of them but I was hooked from the start. Thanks for the collection.
ReplyDeleteSad news - thank you K & BB for highlighting a great band and drummer.
ReplyDeleteVery sad news. One of my favorite bands of all time. He was in many bands as well, such a talent;
ReplyDeleteSlinky Vagabond, The International Swingers, The Split Squad...to name a few.
Rest in peace.
Cancer sucks!
First of all: I can;t thank you enough for your incredible blog, your magnificent musical taste, and your phenomenal record collection. This blog is one of the greatest arguments for the digital age - well done!!!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, Clem Burke was the greatest "bang drums more than you really need to bang them" drummer of all time, relentlessly pounding the music forward, propulsive like few other drummers that come to mind...he was one of my favorites, and he will always be...RIP, Clem.
And Thank you, ButterBoy...your work here is unparalleled.
@sag1015
DeletePhil Collins once said that Clem Burke was the
best drummer in the world. I believe him. Clem was
also an incredible human being. This is a huge
loss. My thoughts are with his family.
Clem has impressed me as an absolutely phenomenal drummer, really since I bought the ‘Dreaming’ single in 1979.
I saw him perform not only with Blondie, but also with the Empty Hearts a few years ago in NYC.
It was in a really small club on the Lower East Side. It was basically a room with no stage, so I was able to get really close to him - only about three feet away on his left hand side.
To watch him play at such close range was such a thrill for me. I remember saying to my friends at the time it was like he was two drummers at once - the sheer power and complexity of his drum patterns - it was hard to believe just one man was producing such an incredible sound.
He will be greatly missed.
K
Beautiful tribute. Thanks a lot K and BB.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice tribute! Love it. Nice to think of K in a small club on the Lower East Side. I miss being in those clubs. It's been years, but I have great memories
ReplyDeleteThe best memory we can have of Clem is to continue listening to her music.
ReplyDeleteAnd for that, we have the great BB.
Thanks for the compilation.
Hi eme_eh.
DeleteJust a couple points.
The compilation was pulled together by K which is why it is stated as a K special. Please give thanks to him.
Secondly Clem Burke is he.
I also thank you for your kind thoughts.
Cheers.