"Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Discuss any non-related Stranglers bands here

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Greatkudu
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"Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by Greatkudu »

Ok I was never a huge Blondie fan,liked some of their stuff alway's thought they were overrated,they had some good songs and of course the great

Clem Burke on Drums being the best thing about them IMHO.Harry never had a great voice but was ok,most men weren't thinking about her voice back

in the day,now I wonder what they liked about her? (Her mind?) I never saw them live back in the day but saw them with The Stranglers at Rochester

Castle around 2004 I think,I seem to remember they were ok live,But when the drummer is the best thing about them,then you have a problem.

I seem to remember harry's voice wasn't to bad at the gig but hardly great,fast forward to 2017 and her voice is totally gone,she can't hit any high notes

which just ruins the feel of the song,i know she is 72 and i'm not ageist and of course your voice isn't going to have the strength and range when you get to that age,but it is just so bad now,that someone needs to have a quiet word and tell her to hang her mike up,I say this from watching the recent
Hyde Park highlights on BBC red button,but apart from Harry's voice having gone,it seems maybe the group should retire to apart from Clem Burke who
is still an amazing drummer,he should work with Hugh again.Watching the highlights,what struck me was the total lack of interaction between band members.I know for a fact Harry can't stand Clem Burke as she thinks hes trying to be Keith Moon,but there was no interaction between all the other band members.Chris Stein stands at the back and has a younger guitarist playing the lead solos,the bass player with big hair just stands there looking like he want's to be somewhere else,it really is how a band shouldn't be,I just hope The Stranglers don't end up like Blondie,but judging by the cattle at Hyde Park who seemed to be enjoying it,they won't stop as people seem to still want to see them,some may say the same about The Stranglers,i am bias but they still seem to enjoy what their doing and there is good interaction on stage between JJ and Baz.Of Course Blondie fans would disagree with me,just my observations.Captain Kudu back on ops in the suburbs.
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by porkymeat »

There's an argument that most of these oldsters from the 70s and 80s should call it day. Few, if any, sound or look great anymore and few if any are making anything new worth listening to. Nick Cave is one exception, though he is maybe a generation or so younger than Blondie et al. I don't really regard The Stranglers as being an exception, Hugh? . . . maybe, but he certainly isn't in Cave's league as regards new music or performance. Still, there is a big nostalgia market, and not just from people who were there first time around, and if they can make a half decent fist of imitating what they used to do 30 odd years ago, why not?
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iain
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by iain »

Watched a little of that Hyde Park show. Her voice is so weak now, its sad to watch
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Bobinblack
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by Bobinblack »

Why retire when they actually bring new material out and it's not bad? Not my scene really, most of their singles are great but albums always disappointed me. Debbie's voice has never been great when I've seen them play but their recording production can help enhance it, if needed.

I'd rather our band brought out new stuff, personally.
Think I'll go for a stroll in the trees.
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by Greatkudu »

Bobinblack wrote: 22 Sep 2017, 08:28 Why retire when they actually bring new material out and it's not bad? Not my scene really, most of their singles are great but albums always disappointed me. Debbie's voice has never been great when I've seen them play but their recording production can help enhance it, if needed.

I'd rather our band brought out new stuff, personally.
Fair point,expect a new album in 2019 onwards?
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by Bobinblack »

Who knows?!
Think I'll go for a stroll in the trees.
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by sewer rat »

it's not up to us to decide when a band calls it a day.....they're an 'iconic' band who continue to put records out and tour.....leave them alone. if you don't like 'em then don't listen to 'em.
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by dead ringer »

Can you imagine if every musician over the age of sixty retired tomorrow? It would be a musical wilderness!
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by jason »

When I was a teenager I thought the Stranglers were really old about the time of Aural Sculpture and I presumed that would be one of their last albums! I'm so glad I was wrong!
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by jonimac »

She was certainly an icon back in the day. Stunning looks , great vocals and highly underrated lyrics too. However, I was really put off her when I saw the video of them being inducted into the Rock'n'roll hall of fame in 2006. She absolutely refused to have original members Nigel Harrison & Frank Infante on stage to perform, even though they helped create all the music that brought them success.
It was embarrassing, particularly watching Infante pleading with her.
On the bright side, there's a great documentary about the creation of Parallel Lines kicking around (was on Iplayer recently)
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by johnpidgeon »

I have only seen them once, and I believe it was 2008. I think they had released the album that had Maria on it. Great song. I like most of their singles so I was happy to go. But, man, they were boring. I kept watching Chris Stein and trying to figure out if his guitar was turned on.
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Re: "Blondie" someone needs to say retire?

Post by dead ringer »

JJ said in an interview not long ago that he dislikes Clem Burke and that Clem kept out of his way when both bands played together! Anyone know the reasons for this? Cheers
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