’70s Music Icon Shares Poignant Plan For 80th Birthday

mensjournal.com

By Victoria Miller – 1st June 2025

Debbie Harry doesn’t want a huge party for her upcoming 80th birthday. The Blondie frontwoman told People magazine that she hopes to spend her milestone day on July 1 honoring her late drummer and friend, Clem Burke.

“I hope to be with my friends and to celebrate the life of my drummer, Clem Burke, who recently passed, and celebrate my own life,” Harry said when asked about her birthday plans.

Burke, the longtime drummer for Blondie, died on April 6, 2025, at the age of 70 following a battle with cancer, Rolling Stone reported. The legendary drummer was part of Blondie for 50 years, joining founding members Harry and Chris Stein in 1975. The new wave pioneers went on to record a long list of hit songs, including “One Way or Another,” “Heart of Glass,” and “Call Me.”

In a statement issued by the group in April, Burke was described as “the heartbeat of Blondie.” “His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable,” Harry and Stein said in the statement. “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.”

While Harry will spend her big birthday celebrating Burke’s life, three months before his death, she told The Sunday Times she planned to have “have a whopping great party with everyone there” to mark her 80th. But she added, “Though one of the bad things about aging is everyone’s gone already.”

https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/70s-music-icon-debbie-harry-shares-plans-for-80th-birthday