Backstage (Blondie – Heart Of Glass)

     Welcome Backstage. I’m your host, Damian DeadLove. Tonight we’ll be talking about a band called, Blondie. I got into them when I was a teenager, but I also remember hearing them on the radio a lot when I was a child.

      Then I was a closet fan for many years. I was a metal head in high school which pretty much meant you’d get heckled to death for listening to anything else. I sure don’t miss the many cliques that happen in school.

      Blondie, was formed in 1974 by Singer-Debbie Harry, and Guitarist-Chris Stein. They dated and were even married at one time. They were mostly an underground band until about 1978. When they released their third album “Parallel Lines” in that same year. With songs like “Hanging On The Telephone” and “One Way Or Another” leading the strand of singles.

      But the biggest song of all off the album was “Heart Of Glass”. I’m sure you’ve heard it before. Unless you’re really young then it’s possible you haven’t. Anyways, the song is kinda the beginning of the New Wave movement. The first two albums had a lot more punk vibe to them.

      If you’ve heard the song you’ll realize it was a poppy-disco flavored tune. Mainly because Disco was huge at the time. But what if I told you that’s not the way the band wrote it originally. You, heard me right people I don’t pull any punches when it comes to facts.

      A recording actually exists I think it was even played on their “Behind The Music”, for contrast of how the song ended up sounding. Showed my age with that little tidbit.

      It was actually a lot slower tempo wise, and it had a Reggae vibe. Debbie and Chris wrote the song, and because of their diverse musical backgrounds they chose a Reggae feel. The record company took one listen and kiboshed the whole idea.

      Debbie and Chris fought for the song but it needed an overhaul according to the execs. In fact to paraphrase the company’s thoughts on the subject it kinda sounded like this. “ White teenagers don’t know what the fuck Reggae is.” end quote. Hence we got the version we all know. I’m not complaining it’s a good song. Just goes to show that record companies are not above stifling an artist.

      What’s funny is that two years later in 1980 on the album “Autoamerican”, they’d record a song called “Rapture” that had a rap section in the coda. And it went on to be a big hit as well. Seems the record company didn’t attempt to stop it’s release.

      Another fun-fact for you. Since the first episode was about a band name, Blondie, had an interesting story about their name. Debbie Harry, came up with the name after dying her hair blonde and walking past some truck drivers who catcalled her, blondie. She liked the sound of it for a band name. Before that the band was called, “Angel and the Snake”.

      Anyways that’s our show for tonight. Hope you enjoyed it. Remember music is the soundtrack of our lives. Peace, Love, and Lennon.