Description
This photograph captures Blondie during the taping of The Midnight Special at NBC Studios in Burbank, California, on October 5, 1979. Better still, it captures the entire band. Debbie Harry is here, of course, but so are Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Jimmy Destri, Nigel Harrison, and Frank Infante. Most surviving Blondie photographs focus almost exclusively on Debbie. This image reminds us that Blondie was one of the great bands of the New Wave era, not simply a vehicle for its charismatic frontwoman. The candid atmosphere only adds to the appeal. Nobody appears to be performing for the camera. They are simply sitting together, waiting for the next thing to happen.
Research indicates that photographs from this same session were taken by photographer Jeffrey Mayer, examples of which have since appeared through major image archives. What makes this print especially interesting is that it appears to be an alternate frame from that documented session. While other photographs from the shoot can be found online, I have been been unable to locate this exact image. The band performed “Heart of Glass,” “Dreaming,” and “One Way or Another.” Printed on Kodak photographic paper and produced by traditional darkroom methods, this photograph possesses all the qualities collectors hope to find in a period music photograph: authenticity, strong visual presence, and a direct connection to one of the defining bands of the late twentieth century.
A wonderful addition to any Blondie, New Wave, punk rock, or vintage music photography collection.
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