It’s a sad day for fans of the classic rock, new wave, and punk genres, learning about the passing ofBlondie’s famed drummer and New Jersey’s own Clement Anthony Bozewski, known asClem Burke, following a battle with cancer at the age of 70. Born in 1954, Burke came to music very early on in life as his father, Clement J. Bozewski (also a drummer), played gigs in small clubs around Northern New Jersey. Burkelearned the ropes of the family business of drumming from his fatherand was a part of school bands growing up.
Before long, Burke was beginning to make a name for himself in music. He eventually crossed over from New Jersey to New York City to play as a part of assorted rock acts in Lower Manhattan in the first half of the 1970s. But Burke’s biggest break was yet to come when hedecided to answer a 1974 Village Voice want adto potentially become a part of a new band. It just so happened that this fledgling group was fronted by a female vocalist who would shake up the definition offemale rock singers, namedDebbie Harry.
Burke Makes A Name For Himself During Blondie’s Prime
The Formation & Meteoric Rise Of Blondie
Bonding with Harry and guitarist Chris Stein over their shared music tastes during his interview, Burke was quickly hired to join the band (called Blondie), along with bassistGary Valentine and keyboard player Jimmy Destri. Within a few years, the group was rising out of underground New York City neighborhood notoriety and into critically acclaimed national and international status. The band initially began with a more heavily punk rock and new wave sound influence, but as Blondie evolved, so did their sound paletteto include deeper shades of pop, disco, and even traces of funk.
What started simply with 1976’sBlondieand 1978’sPlastic Lettersformed into an iconic, pioneering fusion of instrumentation that would come to be Blondie’s signature calling card as a group, especially as they began to break out with fellow 1978 releaseParallel Lines. While Debbie Harry’s unforgettably cool and hip, soft-sharpened voice and sense of style were a major influence behind the rise of the band,it was the “heartbeat” in Clem Burke’s drumsticks that set the tone for so many of these songs.
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Think of the disco-pop thunk of “Heart of Glass,” the punk-rock throw-down party bash of “Dreaming,” “The Tide Is High” and its sliding Jamaican-inspired tropical groove, “Rapture” and its early urban hip-hop nod, or the lean, stalking, pursuing beat of “One Way Or Another.” Burkecould plug right into the mood of Harry and guitarist Stein with easein a style that not only evoked the older drummers of foundational rock and roll but also led the way into a style that will forever be Burke’s own.
Burke’s Legacy & How It Will Continue To Endure
His Later Years & Two Gigs As Elvis Ramone
Despite Blondie’s meteoric rise, the group went on hiatus in 1982 and wouldn’t reunite to tour or make albums again until the latter half of the 1990s. In the years between, Burke went on to be a session drummer for the likes of Bob Dylan, Pete Townshend of The Who, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (with “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”), and the late, great David Bowie.
The musician would also be part of bands like the International Swingers and the Plimsouls and also played two gigs in 1987 with famed punk act the Ramones(under the stage name of Elvis Ramone). By 1997, Blondie had reunited for a series of performances and would record their first album in 17 years with 1999’sNo Exit.
In the years between, Burke went on to be a session drummer.
Burke would rejoin during this period and would continue to play on with the band through their most recent touring. That came as no surprise, as Burke referred to his time with Blondie as his chance to be a rock star, and that in finding Harry, he saidhe had found his equivalent of The Rolling Stones' lead man, Mick Jagger.
While Burke has now sadly left us, thanks to the documentation provided by the wonders of photo and video technology, he will eternally cut an impressive rock star figure alongside Harry and the members ofBlondie. Of course, his defining stick work live and in the studio will also stand the test of time,not only for drummers but for scores of music listeners now and still to come.
