MARK LINDORES
Although they’re regarded as the quintessential New York group, it was the West Coast stop-off on their Plastic Letters Tour in 1977 that proved to be the impetus for catapulting Blondie from the bowels of New York’s Bowery to the upper strata of pop groups.
Despite beginning to achieve recognition in the UK and Australia with minor hits such as X Offender, Rip Her To Shreds and In The Flesh, in their homeland they were still regarded as a niche punk act, CBGB also-rans who were seen as vastly inferior to their peers the Ramones, Television and Talking Heads.
Outside of the New York scene, Blondie’s appeal was limited to a cult following of punk purists who lusted after singer Debbie Harry thanks to a string of provocative photographs of her taken by guitarist Chris Stein and printed in the celebrated Punk fanzine, earning her the title of Punkmate Of The Month.