Born on January 5: Blondie guitarist and co-founder Chris Stein is also a photographer

He was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1950. Unlike Debbie Harry, his date of birth has never been subject of debate...

Blondie will soon be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of an eponymous album that dropped like a bomb when it was released in 1976. With elements of new wave, gentle punk and undeniable pop, but also very Sixties, it's hard to imagine the impact that tracks with obvious sensual undertones like “In The Flesh”, “X-Offender” or “Rip Her To Shreds” had on a generation of teenagers eager for their first wet feelings. It was impossible to tell them that the tart-voiced midget, bleached blonde in an ultra-short mini-dress, was already in her thirties. While the date of birth of her boyfriend at the time, Chris Stein, never stirred the passions, that of the self-proclaimed “Platinum Blonde” was a real topic of discussion in the playground!

But back to today's subject. Although “Denis” (1978), one of Blondien's biggest hits, is a sixties-style cover of a certain Neil Levinson, Chris Stein nevertheless co-wrote with Debbie some of the band's emblematic songs, such as “Rip Her To Shreds”, “Dreaming”, “Heart Of Glass” and “Rapture”. He also wrote “Sunday Girl”. But “Call Me”, their biggest hit to date for the film “American Gigolo” (1980) was composed by disco producer Giorgio Moroder. And you can hear it! But the lyrics were written by Debbie herself...

Alongside his activities with Blondie, the guitarist was also quick to put his fame at the service of other artists, launching the short-lived Animal Records label with the blessing of Chrysalis (who, with the worldwide success of “Parallel Lines” in 1978, could refuse him nothing). Iggy Pop and The Gun Club found temporary refuge there.

Around the same time, he was diagnosed with an auto-immune skin disease, plunging Blondie's career into a form of lethargy after the ambitious “The Hunger” (1985), which was received rather coolly by the public. 

Separated from Debbie since the mid-90s, Chris devotes much of his time to photography and writing (notably “Under A Rock”). In October 2024, he announced on his Instagram account that he was working on new songs with producer John Congleton (St. Vincent among others). This will be their first since the more than honorable “Rollinator”, which in 2017 featured a fine line-up of guests including Johnny Marr (The Smiths), Charli XCX and Dev Hymes. In a wink, Chris and Debbie also assumed their venerable age, since “Rollinator” means nothing less than “walker”! 

(Stéphane Soupart - Tr.: MH - Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)
Photo: Chris Stein with Blondie on stage at Ancienne Belgique, Brussels (Belgium), September 6, 1978