{"id":276843,"date":"2025-07-20T07:45:19","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T07:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/276843\/"},"modified":"2025-07-20T07:45:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T07:45:19","slug":"blondies-new-album-will-be-released-in-last-quarter-of-this-year-following-drummer-clem-burkes-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/276843\/","title":{"rendered":"Blondie\u2019s new album will be released in “last quarter” of this year, following drummer Clem Burke’s death"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new Blondie<\/a> album will be released this year, following the death of the band\u2019s drummer Clem Burke.<\/p>\n

The musician died in April following a \u201cprivate battle with cancer\u201d<\/a>. He was 70 years old. Burke had been recruited by frontwoman Harry\u00a0and guitarist Chris Stein shortly after Blondie formed in 1975.<\/p>\n

Before Burke\u2019s death,\u00a0Blondie were already scheduled to share a new album at some point in 2025<\/a>. However, an exact release date is not yet known.\u00a0The forthcoming follow-up to 2017\u2019s\u00a0\u2018Pollinator\u2019<\/a>\u00a0was helmed by\u00a0Grammy<\/a>-winning producer John Congleton (St. Vincent<\/a>,\u00a0Phoebe Bridgers<\/a>,\u00a0The War On Drugs<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Now, guitarist Chris Stein has shared that the album will be released around the \u201clast quarter\u201d of 2025. He revealed the news in a post on Twitter\/X, with a photo of\u00a0Debbie Harry<\/a> and Conglerton in the studio together.<\/p>\n

Responding to a fan who then asked if Burke played on much of the album, Stein said that he \u201cplayed the whole thing\u201d, though he added he didn\u2019t know if the band would be touring.<\/p>\n

\n

John Congleton and DH
Next Blondie album should be around last quarter this year pic.twitter.com\/F90QggmFe1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 C\u029c\u0280\u026as S\u1d1b\u1d07\u026a\u0274 (@chrissteinplays) July 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Clem played the whole thing.
Tour don’t know<\/p>\n

\u2014 C\u029c\u0280\u026as S\u1d1b\u1d07\u026a\u0274 (@chrissteinplays) July 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It comes after Harry said earlier this year that she can\u2019t see a future of live performances as Blondie<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During an interview with Vanity Fair<\/a>, she said: \u201cIt\u2019s sad that with Clem\u2019s passing and without having Chris on stage, I can\u2019t see myself being on stage as Blondie, even though I am the face of Blondie. But I\u2019m proud of the music, and I would still like to do music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stein no longer performs live with the group due to ongoing health issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Paying tribute after Burke\u2019s passing, the duo wrote: \u201cClem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie.\u201d They added: \u201cHis talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2022, it was revealed that\u00a0Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock would be performing on Blondie\u2019s next full-length LP<\/a>. He has also been playing with the group at their recent live shows,\u00a0including their set at Glastonbury 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During an interview with\u00a0NME\u00a0late last year<\/a>, Matlock gave an update on where the project was at when he recorded his parts. \u201cIt was sounding good. It was all kind of heavy, a bit atonal,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the other guys in the band are younger than me and they try and be a bit more modern. I just think you should get the song across. But I\u2019ve not heard the finished thing with Debbie [Harry]\u2019s vocals and stuff. It\u2019s gonna be exciting listening to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked when fans could expect to hear the album, he responded: \u201cI think it\u2019s gonna be early in the new year, but I don\u2019t wanna say too much because I\u2019m just the bass player in Blondie and I\u2019m not 100 per cent sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harry told\u00a0NME\u00a0in 2021<\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0Blondie were \u201cin the process of setting up a period of time to lay down some tracks\u201d<\/a>\u00a0for another LP. \u201cWe\u2019re already looking at 10-12 songs, but it feels too early to talk about it,\u201d she said at the time.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in a conversation with Vanity Fair,\u00a0the frontwoman admitted that undergoing cosmetic surgery \u201cfelt necessary\u201d for her career<\/a>.<\/p>\n