Clem Burke’s Favourite Blondie Song – clashmusic.com

Clem Burke was integral to Blondie’s sound – so much more than a timekeeper, he set the tone for the band’s legendary run of singles, blending classic rock and pop tropes into something thrilling and new. Steering them through reggae, rap, disco, and beyond, he remained a powerhouse rock drummer – arguably one of the best to ever do it.
Returning to the fold for Blondie’s exhilarating return, he played on global smash hit ‘Maria’ and each of their subsequent albums. Sadly, Blondie revealed a few moments ago that Clem Burke has passed away.
Leafing through the digital archives, we’ve decided to re-present something special. Sitting down for an extensive interview in 2003, Clem Burke revealed his favourite ever Blondie single – and it’s a CBGBs favourite.
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“I really like ‘X Offender’. It really means a lot to me because it was a song that opened up the door for the band in general and also showed the community we were involved in at the time, which was the whole CBGB New York underground, that we were able to make a record because when we went in and did ‘X Offender’, it wasn’t a facsimile of our live performance, it was set out to be done as a production, as a homage like Phil Spector whatever and I feel we really achieved something with that record.”
“The first time I heard that on the jukebox at CBGBs was a really elating moment for me, more so than hearing it on the radio. Knowing that someone went to the jukebox and played the song and hearing it in the background – I’m big on hearing songs in the background while other things are going on and seeing what it creates. I like ‘Rapture’ a lot too.”
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Tributes are pouring in for Clem Burke, who worked with countless other musicians. British legend Johnny Marr called him “a true great and one of the good guys”, while The Kinks’ Dave Davies writes: “Spectacular drumming. We were friends.”
In one of his final interviews Clem Burke revealed that he plays on a new Blondie record – due this year – and finished penning his memoir. “Regarding my upbringing and other questions about Blondie, I can tell you that I’ve nearly completed my memoir, which will be published by Hachette in the States and HarperCollins in the UK soon. Also, we’ve recorded a new Blondie album scheduled for early 2025.”
Related: Clem Burke Talks Blondie, Cuba, And Lockdown
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