[CherylFan]

A very interesting documentary on BBC4 recently about Blondie. Then I saw the end credits and found it was from 2006...>! But it prompted me to dig out Parallel Lines which I hadn`t played in years and quite forgotten what a great album it is. (Apart from the obligatory duff track "i know but I don`t know" - pure filler material imho...)

[Deep Purple]

Blondie were, and still are a brilliant band.

Parallel Lines is almost a greatest hits album, and is the one most people know, but all their albums are excellent.

They actually have a huge variety of styles, which puts some off if they are expecting everything to sound like Parallel Lines.

Their first album is great fun, with a retro feel about it.

Autoamerican was when they really went for a change of style, as is The Hunter, which never really got the aclaim it deserves.

The comeback albums follow the pattern of huge variety, and contain some great music.

They're still excellent live.

They're touring here this summer. Go and see them. I am.

[Glawster2002]

I think the first two albums, Blondie and Plastic Letters, are brilliant, Parallel Lines and Eat To The Beat are good, but then for me their sound became far too commercial.

[Deep Purple]

Originally Posted by Glawster2002

I think the first two albums, Blondie and Plastic Letters, are brilliant, Parallel Lines and Eat To The Beat are good, but then for me their sound became far too commercial.

Really?

They got a lot of flak after Eat To The Beat for leaving their commercial sound behind, and experimenting with many different styles.

[Madonna38]

Originally Posted by Deep Purple

Blondie were, and still are a brilliant band.

Parallel Lines is almost a greatest hits album, and is the one most people know, but all their albums are excellent.

They actually have a huge variety of styles, which puts some off if they are expecting everything to sound like Parallel Lines.

Their first album is great fun, with a retro feel about it.

Autoamerican was when they really went for a change of style, as is The Hunter, which never really got the aclaim it deserves.

The comeback albums follow the pattern of huge variety, and contain some great music.

They're still excellent live.

They're touring here this summer. Go and see them. I am.

Same, in Camden. I ordered another Blondie LP and a picture disc last night. I don't own half as many Blondie records as I should do considering they're one of my favourite bands.

Debbie Harry is still one of the sexiest women ever and I say that as a twenty year old female. ha.

[cnbcwatcher]

I've never listened to or bought any of their albums but they had some good singles. The Tide Is High, Heart of Glass, War Child and Rifle Range are some of my favourite Blondie songs.

[Cake Or Death]

Am ashamed to say I've never actually heard a 'proper' Blondie album? It's always been 'Best Of's or 'Greatest Hits', I think somehow I had an idea of them as a 'singles' band and just stuck with it.
I will have to rectify that, any suggestions on where to start? Parallel Lines seems to get mentioned the most it seems.

[Deep Purple]

Originally Posted by Cake Or Death

Am ashamed to say I've never actually heard a 'proper' Blondie album? It's always been 'Best Of's or 'Greatest Hits', I think somehow I had an idea of them as a 'singles' band and just stuck with it.
I will have to rectify that, any suggestions on where to start? Parallel Lines seems to get mentioned the most it seems.

They're all great in my opinion, but Parallel Lines is the obvious starting point. Many well known songs on it, with hardly a weak spot. Fade Away and Radiate is probably my favourite Blondie song.

Eat To The Beat continued in similar vein, but the other albums have varying styles, but are all worth a listen.

Autoamerican and The Hunter are brilliant, as are the first album and Plastic Letters.

I seem to have recommended all six albums they released in their heyday.

The reunion albums aren't at all bad either.

[Rocketpop]

Originally Posted by Deep Purple

Autoamerican and The Hunter are brilliant, as are the first album and Plastic Letters.

Whoa! I love Blondie but i don't think The Hunter is anything more than a sloppy collection of songs put out by a band who knew this was the end and couldn't really be bothered. Think it's easily their weakest album (inc all 3 new ones).
Dragonfly is a truely dire song!

[Deep Purple]

Originally Posted by Rocketpop

Whoa! I love Blondie but i don't think The Hunter is anything more than a sloppy collection of songs put out by a band who knew this was the end and couldn't really be bothered. Think it's easily their weakest album (inc all 3 new ones).
Dragonfly is a truely dire song!

That's a common feeling, but I love it. It is much better than it is given credit for, although I agree, they were in a bit of turmoil by then.

[eugenespeed]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

I've never listened to or bought any of their albums but they had some good singles. The Tide Is High, Heart of Glass, War Child and Rifle Range are some of my favourite Blondie songs.

The Tide Is High is a great cover.

It was also number one the day I was born.

[braincapers]

Saw them supporting Television so many years ago.

Haven't seen them since but I was dragged to the Eurythmics once and spent the evening watching the great Clem Burke.

[barbeler]

The Curse Of Blondie had some magnificent tracks on it, but also two or three that should never have been released. Fortunately, the best tracks are so good that they make up for the dross. Has Blondie ever released a stronger track than Golden Rod?
Ignoring Parallel Lines, Plastic Letters is my favourite for its sheer variety.

[soulboy77]

First five albums were great then they started to lose it. The Hunter was the first Blondie album that I couldn't listen to all the way through. The 'Island of Lost Souls' single must be the lowest points, I absolutely detested it and still do.

I created my own album from post-Autoamerican material including Debbie Harry solo of what I call the' best of the rest'. Anyone want to add any other tracks?

- I want that man - Debbie Harry
- French kissin' in the USA - Debbie Harry
- Island of lost souls (included only because it was a hit)
- Dragonfly
- War child
- Little Caesar
- English boys
- Puerto Rico
- Maria
- Nothing is real but the girl
- End to end
- Good boys

[mr muggles]

Originally Posted by braincapers

Saw them supporting Television so many years ago.

Haven't seen them since but I was dragged to the Eurythmics once and spent the evening watching the great Clem Burke.

Supporting Television...? My God! We're definitely going back. You must be older than me!

Remember Clem in the Eurythmics videos, banging away.

[mr muggles]

Someone did mention on here somewhere that some people find it hard to get into the albums because they mix up styles too much.

For me thats the reason I like them!

Eat To The Beat & Automerican are my favourites. E2TB is the hardest & noisiest of the bunch. It seemed like they were trying to go raw after the poppiness of Parallel Lines. Atomic is probably my favourite pop single ever. New wave,eurodisco, us disco, rap,pop,cod reggae,jazz,punk its all in there topped off with Debbies criminally underrated lyrics.

[Cake Or Death]

Originally Posted by Deep Purple

They're all great in my opinion, but Parallel Lines is the obvious starting point. Many well known songs on it, with hardly a weak spot. Fade Away and Radiate is probably my favourite Blondie song.

Eat To The Beat continued in similar vein, but the other albums have varying styles, but are all worth a listen.

Autoamerican and The Hunter are brilliant, as are the first album and Plastic Letters.

I seem to have recommended all six albums they released in their heyday.

The reunion albums aren't at all bad either.

Sounds like I've got a of of good and varied stuff to look forward to hearing then! I've ordered Parallel Lines and Plastic Letters for starters, cheers for the recommendations.

[barbeler]

Originally Posted by Cake Or Death

Sounds like I've got a of of good and varied stuff to look forward to hearing then! I've ordered Parallel Lines and Plastic Letters for starters, cheers for the recommendations.

You're definitely in for a real treat. Both are albums that everybody ought to own.