Blondie drummer Clem Burke has revealed that singer Debbie Harry is considering bringing the band to an end after 40 years.
"Debbie is 11 years older than the rest of us, so it's on her mind," 57-year-old Burke told the Daily Mail. "We've tried to keep it going for as long as possible, but it's not just up to me. Nothing is finalised yet, but obviously there's no Blondie without Debbie Harry."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Harry told the newspaper: "They are in a hiatus at the moment. They will do some tour dates next year. Nothing is confirmed yet."
Blondie are set to embark on a tour of the UK and Ireland this summer.
Of the jaunt, which kicks off at Nottingham’s Sherwood Pines Forest Park on June 14, frontwoman Debbie Harry said: "England will always have a special place in our hearts –we're all so excited about the forthcoming tour of the UK."
The band will play the Isle of Wight Festival on June 16 as part of the tour and will also head up two London shows, at Camden's Roundhouse July 7 and Kew Gardens on July 9.
Nick Cave, Blondie's Debbie Harry, Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell, Warren Ellis, Lydia Lunch and more are all set to appear on 'The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project - The Journey is Long' album, a tribute to the frontman of cult 1980s alt.rock band The Gun Club, who died from a brain haemorrhage in 1996.
Like the many thousands who will eventually be here this evening, I’m still on my way to the Hop Farm when Los Lobos play, which is why when I get there, the band’s David Hidalgo, instrumental star of the last two Bob Dylan albums, is already in the hospitality bar, deep in conversation with a couple of confederates. Things moving to a strict schedule here and people going on surprisingly early means I’ve also missed Dr John and have in fact made it just in time for Blondie, who have just stepped out on the main stage to a great cheer.
Once again, it’s worth listening to the estimable opinions of Guy Garvey from Elbow who, you’ll remember, previews the Latitude festival in the current issue of Uncut. “Blondie’s my going-out music,” says Guy. “I don’t go to clubs very much, but if I decide I’m going out I put on a bit of Blondie first. I know it’s hard to picture, but I can cut a rug if I need to. I put ‘Atomic’ on every time.”
