[Origin Unknown] – 19th July 1981
The Poster they don’t want the fans to see.
BANNED – the controversial picture of Debbie you WON’T see in the High St. Pictures: BRIAN ARIS.
THIS shock poster for Blondie star Debbie Harry’s new L.P. has been banned from Britain’s high streets.
London Transport are also refusing to use the poster on the Underground and buses.
It shows Debbie’s head “pierced” by four giant acupuncture needles.
Advertising bosses say it is offensive and likely to disturb children and old people.
The picture also appears on the cover of the rock stars first solo album, Koo Koo.
It was drawn by Swiss artist H.R. Geiger who won an Academy Award for his art work on the science fiction horror film, Alien.
Debbie, who is in Switzerland working with the artist on a video film to promote the LP, said yesterday: “It is ridiculous to ban something like this when you consider the sort of posters around which exploit women and advertise violent films.
“The poster was entirely the artist’s idea – but I think it’s really great.”
A London Transport spokeswoman said: “We don’t accept advertising which we feel will offend our passengers.”
Debbie’s record company, Chrysalis, were told that the British Posters Advertising Association found the design offensive and disturbing to children and old people.
So it will not be allowed to appear on high street boardings.
But British Rail WILL display the poster on their property.
I asked Debbie, 35, if the solo LP meant the end for Blondie.
“Not at all,” she said. “Although the original group are now branching out and doing their own thing it doesn’t mean we won’t ever do another record together.”
