45) Blondie Parallel Lines

I recently read Debbie Harry’s autobiography, she talks about being able to start smoking in her sixties, I thought, why would you want to do that? sometimes you shouldn’t read things about people.

I was born in 1970 so certain pop stars Kim Wilde, Claire Grogan and Debbie Harry were probably my first crushes. Kids in America and I Could Be Happy were both great songs but Blondie, with Debbie starring in the videos, had hit after hit.

Their peak was Parallel Lines which sold over twenty million copies. Some records as soon as you see the cover you know it, this is such an album Harry looks stunning and the band in their funeral suites look equally as cool.

Blondie are known for fantastic singles, there are several on this. Hanging On The Telephone, Picture This, Heart of Glass, and Sunday Girl are still catchy and considered classics forty-five years after release with Harry excelling on Picture This and Heart of Glass.

However, this is not singles with filler all twelve tracks are strong, none overstay their welcome and younger people should listen to One Way Or Another here rather than the awful One Direction version.

11.59 bounces along and with Will Anything Happen? the band show what a tight unit they were. Clem Burke is one of the greatest powerhouse drummers, then and now.

Blondie never topped this; I’m not surprised.

9/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Picture This