BLONDIE: Naughty or Nice? Deborah Harry Does It Again!

What is the definition of a charmed life? Is it slipping through with ease and comfort, no struggles, only triumph? Well, in the case of Deborah Harry (don't call her Debbie) and her band, Blondie, perhaps it can best be summed up by one of the greatest miracles of pop music--a comeback. Sixteen years after the band called it quits, with Deborah Harry opting to delay her career to care for then-ailing partner Chris Stein, Blondie is back, writing hit songs and wowing audiences.

Deborah Harry has had her share of struggle and triumph. She has been a Playboy Bunny, an actor on both stage and screen, a folk singer, and a jazz singer. Of course, she is most widely recognized as the heart of "Blondie," arguably the most successful band to emerge from the New York punk/new wave scene of the late 1970's. Between 1978, and 1982 when the band broke up, Blondie had four Number One singles.

In retrospect, it is difficult to think of Blondie as a punk band. The music was too structured and the performances too polished to truly be punk. Rather it was punk inspired pop, danceable, hook-laden with a sense of humor and a uniquely sophisticated look. They combined elements of disco, reggae, punk, and even rap into a sound that blazed a trail for others to follow and remains contemporarily relevant.

Except for Chris Stein's gray hair, the musicians in Blondie look much the same as they did in their heyday. Deborah Harry herself, now 53, though slightly heavier than we remember her, looks remarkably the same, and definitely has the same straightforward, yet mysterious, air that has always been intriguing.

As she recently said, "Being in a rock band at my age? Wow, how are people going to look at me?"

Deborah recently attended the "Rock Style" premiere at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute (see the Dish feature in the Fashion section), and even among the glitterati in attendance, she caused heads to turn. Wearing a black and white sparkling gown by her favorite current fashion designer Michael Schmidt (Stephen Sprouse was her fave rave the first time around), Harry looked good. In fact, the exhibit itself featured the famous, dangerous "Razor Blade" Dress that Schmidt designed for her.

She kept getting stuck in the crowd. Every time she stopped moving, she was instantly surrounded by friends, autograph seekers, and fans wishing her well. As she once said, "Blondiemania was no exaggeration for what the band experienced. Suddenly, everyone was at you, at you, AT YOU!" This time around, though, Harry appeared pleased to be the center of attention.

Blondie has inspired and influenced two (three?) decades of rock & roll. It's probably safe to say that Gwen Stefani of "No Doubt" is a Blondie fan. And how about you Alanis? Blondie has been replicated by countless tribute bands and has sold more than forty million records worldwide.

In spite of this, she says, "I don't think I was ever viewed as a singer until a few years ago. The focus was on my attitude. People would ask why a woman who could survive on her looks would do that? It was like I was making a political statement."

Their latest CD, "Blondie Live", comes hot on the heels of a new studio release, "No Exit". The live CD proves that great music and great performers can transcend the era to which they "belong." This disk sizzles with intensity from the opening strains of "Dreaming" to the final cut, "One Way or Another," which is included as an indispensable bonus track.

In concert, the new songs from "No Exit" fit seamlessly with the Blondie "classics" as if there had been no gap in the band's history. Blondie seems to have resisted the normal temptation to try to sound "current" as many bands attempting a comeback have done. This is smart because it prevents the earlier material from being viewed as anachronistic, and validates the entire catalog, old and new.

Deborah's voice is now huskier, more mature, and more fluid than ever. In concert, it does not seem as if she is saying "I can do this again." Rather, it seems she is saying, "I can do this better!" And she does. They all do. The same songs that once embraced the punk ethic of minimalism and raw energy are now performed with a new level of virtuosity. We now hear extended versions of songs replete with bluesy guitar solos, scorching bass solos, dizzying breakdowns and that big B3 (sounding) organ wheezing and weeping it's way through the set.

On a live album, one must not forget the audience. On the Blondie staple, "The Tide is High," and on "Shayla," Deborah involves the crowd in a very relaxed, yet authoritative, way, and it's clear she has fun doing so.

The actual production of the CD is superb. It feels like one live performance, although in reality it was recorded at five different venues. You wouldn't know this without reading the liner notes because the producers cleverly segued each track with carefully matched applause to enhance the illusion of a single concert performance. Brilliant!

So, now with new hits to be proud of, do the members of Blondie dare dream of continuing the momentum? Does their new audience share in the dream? Dreaming is free, and perhaps, for Blondie, dreams do come true.