Debbie Harry and Chris Stein on their comeback in 1999: How NO EXIT came about, why “Maria” worked and what it meant.
With the huge success of her late hit “Maria,” new wave icon Blondie paved the way for 21st century revival culture. We spoke to singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein, the last two members of the classic line-up following the death of drummer Clem Burke last April.
Debbie, you’re sitting in your living room, Chris, you’re lounging in bed. You seem relaxed, how are you?
DEBBIE HARRY: Pretty good, thank you. The week was pretty full – we signed a lot of autographs under a lot of photos from Chris, he also works as a photographer.
CHRIS STEIN: And my hot water boiler is working.
DH: Just normal, everyday things.
I came across the documentary “Deborah Harry Does Not Like Interviews” online, a collage of archival footage told through press interviews in which Debbie endures superficial and demeaning questions from journalists. It makes you wonder: This pop icon turned eighty in July, why is she still doing this to herself today?
DH: I don’t know that at all.
CS: This is made by a fan, nothing official. But it’s absolutely worth seeing: what kind of bullshit questions people could get away with back then; From today’s perspective you can only shake your head about that.
We want to talk about your comeback in 1999. Can you still remember the atmosphere back then? Coming back after a 17-year break was almost unthinkable.
CS: Yes, we were probably one of the first so-called “legacy bands” to get back together.
DH: I think NO EXIT was one of our strongest albums ever. It was like a celebration – we had the band together again, the chemistry was right.
Were you worried about how the world would react?
CS: I’m a pretty optimistic person – sometimes maybe too much. I usually assume that everything we do works. Of course it didn’t always do that, but with NO EXIT it felt right.
DH: We also felt like the label and the people around us really believed in the record.
CS: Also, “Maria” was a great song. As soon as I recorded it I thought: This could be a hit. And that’s what he became.
Chris, in your autobiography “Under A Rock” you write that the time around NO EXIT was also difficult for you personally – you were still on methadone at the time to overcome your heroin addiction. How did you experience that?
CS: Methadone is of course not heroin, you function better with it. But sure, all that stuff is crap. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It took years to get away from that.
You no longer tour due to a cardiac arrhythmia.
CS: Exactly. I wasn’t there on the last two tours. To be honest, I’m happier like this – no more airports, no more hotels. I hate airports. [lacht]
DH: But you know, touring is like riding a bike – you get back into it quickly. Today everything is much better organized than before. A lot of things were chaotic in the 70s and 80s. Now everything runs more professionally, the entire infrastructure has matured.
Debbie, you have now played without Chris at Coachella and Glastonbury in 2023, probably the most important festivals in the western world. What was it like in front of this new generation celebrating your songs?
CS: My daughter was there, she had a great time.
DH: It was great. I’m just grateful that we can still experience this. We persevered, even in difficult times.
CS: We were never the classic A-list band. Maybe briefly, at the end of the 70s. We have always seen ourselves as more of a cult band.
DH: The important thing is that we have our own sound but play many different styles. Some people want to settle into a musical groove – we never do. We’re always evolving, and I think the older we get, the clearer it becomes what Blondie actually is. A lot can be endured if you love what you do. This also applies to you journalists, right?
Totally – I mean, I get paid to chat with you.
Your first album in nine years is scheduled to be released in the spring. HIGH NOON promises to be a mix of styles again. Are there limits to what can happen under the Blondie name?
CS: Not really. I’ve been really excited about modern Latin American music for many years – reggaeton and stuff like that.
DH: We are children of New York – a city full of cultures and musical styles. This diversity has shaped us. Today, in the age of the Internet, this mixing has become normal. We were lucky enough to experience all of this early on. It was natural for us to absorb influences, mix them, and try out new things.
Would a band like Blondie still be possible in today’s turbo-capitalist New York?
CS: Maybe. There are still a lot of young people playing punk. I don’t think that ever went away completely. But everything used to be clearer: you made a record, it got on the radio – that was it. Today there are countless festivals, platforms, playlists. It’s harder to maintain focus.
DH: It’s just no longer the era of bands, but of solo acts.
The recording of HIGH NOON was completed before Clem Burke died. After the initial sadness, you just have to put the finishing touches on, right?
DH: Exactly. All mixes are finished, the artwork is still missing.
CS: There are contributions from others, for example a song with Johnny Marr and one by Glen Matlock. And a cover version that I’ve wanted to do for ages – but I won’t say anything more.
How does it happen when old songs take new paths? “One Way Or Another” was overshadowed by its overpowering predecessor “Heart Of Glass” when it was released in 1979, but over the decades it has become one of your most popular pieces.
CS: It’s great. I also love when our songs appear in shows – “Rapture” was in “The Boys,” “The Tide Is High” was in “Better Call Saul.” Having a song set in the Breaking Bad universe is amazing. There’s also a video online where a dog swallows earbuds and then a muffled version of “Heart Of Glass” comes out of his stomach.
DH: We had to adapt to changes. From vinyl to cassette, from cassette to CD, now streaming – each time the record companies thought it was the end. But in the end, technology is a great thing. It opens new horizons.