Mendip Living Apr - May 2024

ADVERTISING FEATURE
Established in 2001 this band is the only tribute to have performed with two original
founder members of Blondie, legendary drummer Clem Burke and songwriter, bass
player and author Gary Valentine. BB had the honour to be thanked on Blondie’s 11th
album ‘Pollinator’ and have played at the world famous CBGB in New York City.
Ade Hill met the fabulous Debbie and discovered more!
WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER WERE
YOU THAT LITTLE GIRL SINGING
WITH A HAIRBRUSH IN THE
MIRROR?
Yes, especially on a Thursday night
after Top Of The Pops. Funnily enough
we’ve used that image for a character
in the rock opera we’re working on with
Blondie’s drummer Clem Burke called
‘Songs From The Big Smoke’.
HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU
FIRST HEARD DEBBIE HARRY?
Ha ha you don’t ask a lady her age!!!! I
was pretty young. I remember hearing
‘Hanging On The Telephone’. Later on
I found out it was a cover written by
Californian band The Nerves!
HOW AND WHERE DID IT ALL START
FOR YOU DEBBIE IN TERMS OF
BECOMING A TRIBUTE?
Well we always performed interesting
covers in our original band Granny Takes
A Trip and when Maria came out in
1999 we decided to cover it. Every time
we played the song we’d get people
coming up to us or we’d get handed little
notes asking for more Blondie songs,
so because my real name is Debbie and
my partner’s name is Andy Harris who
is also the guitarist we decided to go
for it full time. When we
got married Debbie Harry
sent a video message of
congratulations to us. You
can see it on
www.bootlegblondie.com
YOU’VE PLAYED AT
CBGB RIGHT?
Yes we have. It was back
in 2006 just before CBGB
closed, we were asked
over by Blondie fans to
play there. We played the
Friday night at OTTO’S
SHRUNKEN HEAD and
Saturday at CBGB. It was
a dream come true to
shout 1234 on that stage
lol! We headlined, got no
money, bought second
hand guitars and Andy
unbolted the neck on his
and brought it home in his
suitcase. He still uses it to
this day. We have a little
framed CBGB shrine on
our wall. Inside we have
the tops of the taps from
the toilet hand basin, bits
of mosaic floor tiles and plaster from
the wall with graffiti and stickers still
attached! We went back later in the year
and CBGB was gone.
HOW DID DEBBIE HARRY FIND OUT
ABOUT YOU GUYS?
It was through Clem who we first met in
2005. He told Debbie we were to play
CBGB and she sent us a ‘Good luck with
your show’ message!
THAT REALLY MUST HAVE BEEN A
LIFE MOMENT, RIGHT?
Yes it knocked us for 6! And who would
have thought that this would go on to us
meeting Debbie Harry and Chris Stein,
playing two sell out UK tours with Clem
Burke on drums and performing some
shows with another founder member
Gary Valentine! To top it off we have now
written and recorded 36 original songs
with Clem for our rock opera.
FOR ANYONE WHO HAS NEVER
SEEN YOU BEFORE, WHAT CAN
THEY EXPECT?
Well we’ve been described as a fan’s
band which is fantastic, that’s how we
started - as Blondie fans. We play all the
hits plus album tracks and b sides. We
also have cool Blondie memorabilia, mine
and Andy’s guitars signed by Blondie
and our drum kit which Clem has played
on with us, is signed by Clem and Gary
Valentine. Plus I fit as many authentic
Debbie Harry costume changes as I can
into a full two hour show!
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT THE TOUR THIS YEAR
DEBBIE?
All our dates are up on our website:
www.bootlegblondie.com and on the
facebook Debbie Harris and Bootleg
Blondie Band pages.
www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 9