Musically, the ultimate "Fred's Pick" has been Blondie, for over three decades now... The band emerged from New York's grimy downtown punk scene (along with the Ramones and Talking Heads), and paired a flawless AM radio pop sensibility with the energy and attitude of the new music movement that they helped create. Led by Deborah Harry, already on the plus-side of 30 and an icon herself as a female front-person in a basically All Guys business, Harry brought glamour and sex to punk, yet also brought to the table an icy detachment that never let you feel that she could be yours, unlike more traditional female sex symbols. Her ironic take on sexuality combined with the band's love of Pop Art made her, and them, media darlings and global superstars, and reigned as rock's hottest act of the late 1970s into the early 80s. Now, a reenergized Blondie is touring behind the 30th anniversary of the watershed album PARALLEL LINES, that spawned 6 Global smashes, and finally broke the band in the United States with the first "New Wave" #1 single, disco-hybrid "Heart of Glass". Blondie was and is cool because they were style-setters and trailblazers, thumbing their noses at what was the status quo in popular music, and scored hits that defied genre classification. They scored with "Rapture", the 1st "rap" #1, (and the first rap most radio listeners ever even heard). "The Tide is High" brought reggae to the top of the US charts, and "Call Me" and "Atomic" merged disco with power pop. Excursions into both 60s girl-group territory as well as the "punk" that they were initially identified with were merged seamlessly to create some of the rock era's most perfect pop singles. Their influence is still being felt today, and they are finally reaping the accolades of their place in music history, with last year's induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sealing the deal. Now (amazingly) 63 years old, the seemingly ageless Harry is still prowling the global stage with Blondie, and is also producing new music herself. (Her solo NECESSARY EVIL was released this past year, propelled by club hit "Two Times Blue"). As for Blondie, and PARALLEL LINES, both sound as fresh today as they did in 1978...
