CLEM BURKE 1954-2025

Farewell to this legendary rock star who leaves us at the age of 70: his New York style set the standard for decades

His explosive drumming was the backdrop for one of the iconic New Wave bands to emerge from the New York scene of the 70s.

His explosive drumming was the backdrop for one of the iconic New Wave bands to emerge from the New York scene of the 70s.
Gary Gershoff
Update:

It’s been another sad week for music with the news that Clem Burke, the affable, energetic drummer with iconic band Blondie has passed away.

The group announced the news of Burke’s death on Monday, explaining in a statement that he had lost a private battle with cancer. "Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable".

“Freak energy” Drummer wanted

Born Clement Anthony Bozewski in Bayonne, New Jersey in 1954, Clem had spent his teenage years drumming with various local garage bands but things took a radical turn when he answered an ad for a “freak energy” drummer which Debbie Harry and Chris Stein had placed in a music magazine listings section.

A drummer with boundless energy, a style heavily influenced by Keith Moon, Clem had all the qualities that Stein and Harry were looking for - plus he was cool enough and just freaky enough to fit in. Likewise, the magnetic Debbie with her incredible presence and looks was exactly the kind of lead singer that Clem dreamed about being in a band with.

As a drummer, I was looking for the person who was going to front my band. I wanted a person that had the creativity, the charisma, the energy of David Bowie, of Marc Bolan, of Jim Morrison,” Burke would explain years later. “With Debbie, I could immediately see her charisma. Her look was amazing. Obviously her talent as a singer and as a songwriter, her vulnerability also kind of stood out to me”.

Coming out of New York’s underground scene, Blondie initially struggled to make their mark in their homeland but the UK and Europe absolutely loved them. Their second album, Plastic Letters reached number 10 in the UK charts and their first single to chart, a cover of Randy and the Rainbows’ Denis was just kept off the top spot by Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights.

Clem Burke brought versatility and urgency to Blondie’s own brand of power pop

Clem’s tight, explosive drumming added a brand new dimension and urgency to the band’s sublime cover of the Nerves’ Hangin’ on the Telephone - which also went silver in the UK. But he had the versatility and sensitivity to hold back and do exactly what was required - as he showed with his offbeat hi-hat, disco beat that drove Heart of Glass, or a lilting reggae backbeat for their cover of The Tide is High.

Clem could just as easily revert back to ‘peak Moon’ and did so with his electric-charged fills on Dreaming - perhaps the Blondie track that best showcased his skills behind the kit and the one that many critics and fans have mentioned since the sad news.

For a golden period of about four years, Blondie could do no wrong, but the band were never that comfortable existing in the mainstream. As Clem noted: “I think Blondie started falling apart as soon as we got successful. We went through a period between 1980 and 1982 that we never did any live performances, which is like, ridiculous”.

Blondie split

By November 1982, it was all over. “When we stopped, I was crushed,” Burke would recall. “We had a full UK tour booked and it all just came to a crushing halt. I remember sitting in my car in front of my dad’s house and just staring into space, wondering where it was all going to go from here”.

Fortunately, there was plenty of call for a drummer of Burke’s stature. He went on to work with Iggy Pop, Nancy Sinatra, Bob Dylan, the Eurythmics, the Ramones... A talented drummer with a strong work ethic, he was rarely unoccupied. He even played with a Blondie tribute act and more recently, alongside Glen Matlock and Katie Puckrik in last year’s Lust for Life tour.

Related stories

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

Tagged in:

Comments
Rules

Complete your personal details to comment

Your opinion will be published with first and last names

We recommend these for you in Entertainment