BLONDIE - X OFFENDER

On this date in 1976, BLONDIE played a concert at NEW YORK’s CBGB’s club, a set that included their debut single X-OFFENDER, (December 23rd, 1976).
From strip-tease gestures and mock theatricality of her poses - freezing her arms crossed before her face like a plaster of Paris Virgin Mary - Debbie Harry delivered with such an air of innocence that there was an immediate rapport between stage and audience. And with much of their numbers having their origins in the British invasion of the 60s, the music would soon prove immediately inviting to British listeners.
Their gig at CGBG’s on the 23rd December 1976, saw Debbie strutting across the stage, even crawling across it on her belly like a reptile at times. Gary Valentine spun around like a robot on caffeine jag and Clem Burke just went crazy - spraying the stage with sweat, often playing in triple time.
The farfisa organ work of Jimmy Destri was very much up front, particularly on 'X Offender', a track that kicks off with a Burke solid beat before being cut by a booming drum roll and Destri's piercing keyboards. The set also included 'Kung Fu Girls', the surf-flavoured 'In The Sun', straight ahead rock n roll ‘A shark In Jet’s clothing’ and teen ballad, 'In The Flesh'.
From the gig, Blondie’s debut single the Spectoresque X-OFFENDER, on the surface a tale of a hooker who falls for a cop who arrested her but really veiling a much darker interior.
Follow DECADE - decadeclub77 - celebrating the SOUNDS of 1977 - 1987 - NEW WAVE, POST-PUNK PUNK, EARLY SYNTH, SKA, GOTH & INDIE

[@richtruesdell7276]

OMG! I was in the audience that night. Such energy.

[@richtruesdell7276]

@Mike Pordan it was. We were like two preppies from the suburbs. It was a very rough crowd.

[@scienz]

tell us more

[@ROOKTABULA]

Amazing when a room is full of iZombies staring at their devices, how that energy feedback loop with the band forms, huh?

[@tonywright282]

I’ve never see this footage until now and it’s very good raw Blondie

[@fz8971]

I was there in the 70's even jumped onstage once and sang Blank Generation with Richard Hell.. those were the last days of REAL: free music from any control.. Now I'm just an aging Punk

[@nathalielucht7346]

Oh my god! This is my youth! This is realy punk! I love it!

[@modtomodern]

This really not punk. Sorry, this is pop. Listen to the Dead Boys, Pistols, Germs, etc...

[@qelparazite2722]

what a drummer!!!

[@dougmann777]

It's Clem Burke.

[@Sacto43]

That was punk rock!
\m/

[@vagabondvibes2578]

Chris Stein....!

[@SergioGonzalez-bw3qj]

fierce performance. Whih i would have been in nyc in mid 70s

[@river-jordan612]

BEST SONG EVER! Fuckin' amazing man

[@taylortimeless]

I love this song! It’s so surfy

[@cheriebomb158]

have you listened to ‘in the sun’ by them?

[@secpac58chichi]

BABY GOT BACK !

[@vagabondvibes2578]

Wow....!

[@jim2lane]

They were obviously still working this song out at this point. I love how Debbie forgot the second verse at 0:35 - everyone starts looking around at each other, for a second I thought they were going to start over 😉😉

[@mikethomas5951]

Wow fcnkn wow!

[@NWRJ]

I wish I was there. I really don't like my generation's music. :(

[@regiluthfi]

2;27 dab

[@butcherbabys]

Gary valentine..

[@Juidaskid]

🙅

[@ROOKTABULA]

She useta do groupies. I woulda been there front row, pointing at my grinning face.

[@todddavis9437]

Chris Stein ain't bad on bass either