Obituary
“It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following 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. Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie. A self proclaimed “Rock & Roll survivalist”, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists, including Eurythmics, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Chequered Past, The Fleshtones, The Romantics, Dramarama, The Adult Net, The Split Squad, The International Swingers, L.A.M.F., Empty Hearts, Slinky Vagabond, and even the Go-Go’s. His influence and contributions have spanned decades and genres, leaving an indelible mark on every project he was a part of.
We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched. As we navigate this profound loss, we ask for privacy during this difficult time. Godspeed, Dr. Burke.
Debbie, Chris, and the entire Blondie family”
Oh that’s awful news. I only saw him twice, both times with at recent Lust for Life gigs and what a powerhouse he was.
Yep, sad news. Really powerful drummer. Dreaming is ace.
Apparently, that was the first take – and Clem thought it was just the warm-up so was playing as much as possible to be refined later. The refining never happened – which is a good thing, cos it’s a damn fine piece of work
Dreadful news. Feel like I’ve been punched in the gut.
So thankful that I saw him with Blondie just after the end of the COVID lockdowns.
Made Heart Of Glass the definitive “rock band do disco” anthem it was. RIP.
Mike Chapman’s telling of Heart Of Glass “we had to build it from the ground up” does Clem a dis-service. It might be Chapman’s accent but comes over like “it was out of time until I pulled it apart”.
Clem Burke may come from the Keith Moon end of drumming (ie seemingly all over the place) but rarely (never?) missed a beat
Really was a standout drummer and came over as such a nice guy. Sad sad sad . BTW the International Swingers album he featured on with James Stevenson and Glen Matlock is great for lovers of punk/new wave
One of the all time great drummers. Just watching the video for Dreaming makes me exhausted. Probably the only person to drum in his own bands tribute band.
Think Mick Avory of The Kinks did so (Kast off Kinks).
Burke was indeed a fine drummer RIP
(Could RIP in general be added to obituary posts? I didn’t realize at first he was gone, thought it was a review or something)
Here’s Clem guesting on a couple of songs with the 60s All-stars with Mick Avory.
Thanks to the Kinks official Facebook page.
Another recently departed pot basher did the same. Rick Buckler in the arly days of From The Jam
In most other bands, he’d have been the star. RIP.
“Get out of the way Debbie, I want to watch the drummer!”
Majestic stick twirling. the cool sod.
My favourite Blondie song.
Blondie is a band…
Parallel Lines was my first album purchase in 1978 (along with ELO Out of The Blue) on my 13th birthday in 1978.
On cassette.
Stereo as well!!
From Boots in Great Yarmouth.
I remember watching that on the BBC.
Happy days
Oh poo, that is awful news.
Absolutely one of my fave drummers & utterly distinctive- you could always recognise his stamp on a performance.
A stylish type as well, always sharp & frequently did whole gigs suited & booted, which when you drum as frantically as he did is no mean achievement.
I for one also loved his showmanship – how could you not enjoy his bonkers adherence to unnecessary twirling & catching of sticks he’d launched way up in the air?
Not too shabby on Eurythmics’ best material, either.
A slice of pop perfection – Clem totally in the pocket & some fabulous fills as a bonus!
Never saw Blondie live but I saw the recording of Friday Night Live with the Eurythmics and Clem on drums and he added serious muscle to the groove. Brilliant player.
“…and even the Go Gos.”
Did Debbie write that media release?
Sad news. Terrific drummer. He seemed effortlessly cool and effortlessly friendly judging by the volume of pictures posted with Clem. He was the one you wanted to be in Blondie.
Hey, I wanted to be Debbie!
It’s a strong choice.
Jimmy Destri was cool, wasn’t he? What with his nonchalant cigarette smoking.
I think the cigs might be what got Clem. In almost every picture I’ve seen recently, he has a gasper on the go.