1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: This episode contains content that may be disturbing to some listeners. 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Please check the show notes for more information. Disgrayceland is 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: a production of Double Elvis. The stories about Blondie are insane. 4 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: The band got its start in New York's fertile punk 5 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: scene in the late seventies, a time when fear and 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 1: violent crime had a stranglehold on the city. Two members 7 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: of the group were mugged on the street. One of them, 8 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry, was then raped at knife point by her attacker. 9 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry also barely escaped with her life after she 10 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: unknowingly accepted a ride from a serial killer. Debbie and 11 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: Blondie were loved and desired by many good and bad, 12 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: including producer Phil Spector, who once held them captive inside 13 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: his lavish Hollywood mansion. But Blondie didn't need Specter to 14 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: make great music, some of the coolest genre bending music 15 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: of all time. Unlike that clip I played for you 16 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,479 Speaker 1: at the top of the show that wasn't great music. 17 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: That was a preset loop for my mellotron called Robert 18 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: Stack Attack MK one. I played you that loop because 19 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: I can't afford the rights to a clip from Les 20 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: Freak by Chic and why would I play you that 21 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: specific slice of ah freak out Cheese? Could I afford it? 22 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 1: Because that was the number one song in America in 23 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: January nineteen seventy nine, And that was the month that 24 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: Blondie released Heart of Glass, a song that out punked punk, 25 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 1: pissed off some of the most devoted fans improved. They 26 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: were capable of surviving just about anything. On this episode 27 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: Fear and Violent Crime, Punk versus disco, Muggers, serial killers, 28 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry and Blondie Jake Brennan And This is the 29 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: Greatest Land nineteen seventy five. You step off the plane 30 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: and La Guardia is humming. This is your first time 31 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: in New York City. Maybe you came from the Midwest 32 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: or some sleepy town down south. Maybe you hopped a 33 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: puddle jumper from New England or took a seven forty 34 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: seven from across the pond. But you're here now and 35 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: it's crazy. The terminal is swarming with people and they 36 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: knock up against you as you try to get your bearings. 37 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: Limo drivers are holding signs with the names of people 38 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: who aren't you. Harry Krishna is float by bells ringing, 39 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 1: consciousness expanding, and in the middle of it all, there's 40 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: this guy, average build, average height, average everything, handing out 41 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: pamphlets to whoever will take them, which includes you. Because you, 42 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 1: my friend, are way out of your depth, a fish 43 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: out of water, a hay seed, a jabbroni. This man 44 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: in front of you is going to make you take 45 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: this folded a piece of paper because you have no 46 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: other choice, because you're new here and you're a victim 47 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: in waiting. The pamphlet has an image of a hooded 48 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: skull on the front, with a large bold text that 49 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: reads Welcome to Fear City, and then at the bottom 50 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: of the page, a survival guide for visitors to the 51 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: city of New York. If this pamphlet is to be believed, 52 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: right here, right now, robberies, aggravated assault, larceny, burglaries, they're 53 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: all on a meteoric rise. Meanwhile, the mayor is making 54 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: sweeping cuts to public safety in order to balance the budget. 55 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: New York is no longer New York, as this pamphlet 56 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: tells you, New York is a living hell. And in 57 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: a living hell, there's plenty to be afraid of. Muggers, rapists, thieves, 58 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: criminal devians of all stripes, everyone ready and able to 59 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: rob you, mean you, even kill you. You have no 60 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: idea what these sub human city types are capable of, 61 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: and you also have no idea that this pamphlet was 62 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: created and distributed by police and fire unions as a 63 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: subversive means to drum up support for Poppeye Doyle and 64 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: his partners currently nursing a cold one on unpaid leave 65 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: while a garbage strike strangles New York with rotting trash. 66 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: All you're focused on are the guidelines written inside this 67 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: piece of paper. Stay off the streets after six pm, 68 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 1: avoid public transportation, safeguard to your handbag, and perhaps most importantly, 69 00:04:54,200 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: do not walk anywhere over a minut Manhattan. Debbie Harry 70 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: and Chris Stein were doing what New Yorkers did. They 71 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: were walking. But Debbie Harry and Chris Stein weren't a 72 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,679 Speaker 1: couple of roubes fresh off of playing from Des Moines. 73 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: They weren't victims in wading either. They were lovers, musical partners, 74 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: leaders of the band Blondie, a band that thrived in 75 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: New York's sketchiest corners. They would take more than a 76 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: single fold pamphlet to strike fear in their hearts. Fear 77 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: wasn't in the plan, Not tonight. Tonight, they were riding 78 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: a very specific high, the KINDI get after your band 79 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 1: plays a killer set inside a tiny club that reeks 80 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: a beer sweating piss. Tonight's show at CBGB with the 81 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: Ramones was one for the books. Blondie sounded tight on 82 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,799 Speaker 1: that shitty little stage. Every show they played these days 83 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: was better than the last. They were broke. They were struggling, 84 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: but all the same, they were quickly gaining an audience, 85 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: a real following, not just the dudes who whistled at 86 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: Debbie in her beach blonde hair that gave the group 87 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: its name, but fans of the music, of bands that 88 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: were steering rock and roll back to its simpler roots, 89 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: back to New York's musical past. A little shangri las here, 90 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: some ronnettes there, but not quite. This was fast, this 91 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: was loud, This was new, and just like Debbie and 92 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: Chris weren't afraid of some fierce city freak lurking around 93 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: the next corner, they weren't afraid of the new, new music, 94 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: new fashion, new ideas. Embrace it all, Andy told them. 95 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: Andy Warhol was a regular at Maxis, Kansas City, the 96 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 1: spot where Debbie briefly worked as a waitress. It was 97 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: now one of the local nightclubs that booked Blondie on 98 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: the regular. Debbie didn't want to go back to waitressing, 99 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: just like Chris didn't want to go back on welfare, 100 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: so they took Andy Warhol's advice. They didn't fear the 101 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: new and they also didn't fear having a good time. 102 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: Punk rock could be fun if you just let your 103 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: guard down, you can dance to it. But people in 104 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 1: New York circa nineteen seventy five weren't dancing to punk. 105 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: Everyone was too cool for that. Even if Debbie Harry, 106 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,160 Speaker 1: one of the coolest fucking people to walk the planet 107 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: then and now, encouraged dancing, the crowds just stood there, 108 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: arms crossed, quietly judging while the band played, or, in 109 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: the case of Blondie, probably undressing Debbie with their eyes. 110 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: The whole scene was a sausage fest. Even Patty dressed 111 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: like a man. Debbie Harry did drag too, but she 112 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: did girl drag, not boy drag. A blow up doll 113 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: who would gladly kick your ass. And though the punk 114 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: bands in New York hadn't come to blows yet. The 115 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: divide had already begun right there in CEBGV a line 116 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: drawn in the sand, rather a line drawn on the 117 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: club's beer stained floor on one side, the Ramones and 118 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: Blondie on the other. Patti Smith in television, pot versus Art, 119 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: those who danced versus those who did not. Tonight, Debbie 120 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: Harry was done trying to get another crowd to dance. 121 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: She just wanted to go home. She and Chris Stein 122 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: made the short walk from CBGB to Chris's apartment at 123 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: the corner of First Avenue in East First Street aka 124 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: First and First aka the Nexus of the universe according 125 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: to longtime New Yorker Cosmo Kramer. But I digress. It 126 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: was dark, it was late, and their footsteps were in 127 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: sync and impatient. Just as they reached the front door 128 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: to Chris's place, however, another pair of footsteps came rushing 129 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: from behind them, loud and coming up fast. Debbie and 130 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: Chris spun around and saw the hooded skull, Death's shrouded head, 131 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: fear City and carnate. The man wore a leather jacket 132 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: and held a large knife. He wanted money and had none. 133 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: What about that. Fear City motioned to the guitar case 134 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: in Chris's hand. Chris didn't want to give up his fender, 135 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: but what was he going to do? The guy had 136 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:55,439 Speaker 1: a knife, so Chris handed it over. What about drugs? 137 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: Chris had a few doses of acid in the freezer 138 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: inside his apartment. Want those, nah man? Fierce City didn't 139 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: want to trip out. Fierce City wanted to get high. 140 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: The man now motioned to Chris's front door. Take me 141 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,599 Speaker 1: inside and let's see what else you got. Debbie and 142 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: Chris let him inside the apartment, the knife at their backs. 143 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: The man tied Chris to the bedpost with a pair 144 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: of pantyhose. He tied Debbie's hands behind her back with 145 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: a scarf. He ransacked the place. He found a camera 146 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: and another guitar, this one a Gibson sg that Chris 147 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: had borrowed from one of his blondie bandmates. He took 148 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: what he could get, but he wasn't done taking. He 149 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,959 Speaker 1: wanted more. He untied Debbie's hands and told her to 150 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 1: take her pants off, and then, at knife point, he 151 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: raped her. Fierce City took the guitars in the camera 152 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: and disappeared into the New York City streets. Blondie, a 153 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: band that was making moves but was nonetheless broke and struggling, 154 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: found themselves down two pieces of precious gear, and Debbie 155 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:05,319 Speaker 1: Harry found herself in shock. She was angry, she was furious. 156 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: She wasn't afraid, because Debbie Harry was determined to never 157 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:36,959 Speaker 1: become a victim. She was a survivor. Teenage Debbie Harry 158 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: couldn't wait to get the hell out of Jersey. The 159 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: Burbs were so pathetic, so predictable, fall in love, get married, 160 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: settled down, two and a half kids, picket fence, The 161 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: whole nine sounded like a death sentence. Debbie Harry wanted 162 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: to live. She took the bus to New York City 163 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: and saw people really living, beat Nicks, musicianssion. She took 164 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: the bus again. She watched the velvet underground get up 165 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: tight under an explosion of color and light. In Saint 166 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: Mark's Place again, Moondog blind bearded a Viking helmet on 167 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: top of his head, passing out his poetry on six 168 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: than fifty third more people, her people, freethinkers, free doers, 169 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: all them doing something different, something divine, something dangerous. Even 170 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: she could do that she could be dangerous too. She 171 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 1: just wanted to be something that she couldn't be in Jersey. 172 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: In New York, she was a secretary, a waitress, a 173 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: hostess at the Playboy Club on East fifty ninth. But 174 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: corsets and bunny years weren't her thing. Neither was the band. 175 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 1: She found herself singing in the Wind and the Willows. 176 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: Just like Pink Floyd, they took inspiration from classic children's literature. 177 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: Unlike Pink Floyd, the Willows were not part of the 178 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 1: new folk rock. Cheese wasn't Debbie's bag. So for now, 179 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 1: at least, the gig was over. The jobs dried up, 180 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: and the money ran out. Before long, she was back 181 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: in the garden state, and she was back to taking 182 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: the bus into the city. Nineteen seventy two visiting friends 183 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:16,719 Speaker 1: on Avenue C. Tonight, New York smelled like urine in 184 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: hot trash. Debbie Harry wanted to get across town to 185 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 1: see her favorite band, the New York Dolls, also hot trash, 186 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: but the good kind of hot trash. The Dolls were 187 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: the hottest and trashiest band in the growing underground scene, 188 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 1: and though Debbie was crazy about them, her friends were not, 189 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 1: which meant she had no one to bum a ride 190 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: off of Fuck it. It was only one mile down 191 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: West Houston sixth. She strapped on a paratol platform she 192 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: was and began to do that thing you weren't supposed 193 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: to do in fear City. She began to walk. She 194 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: barely made it a block. The platforms were killing her feet. 195 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: She stuck a hand up in the air in case 196 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 1: any cabs drove by. But cabs didn't come to Alphabet City, 197 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: not in nineteen seventy two, when it was all drunks, junkies, 198 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: and musicians, a demographic that kept the rents low, and 199 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: thus was the last place a cabby could expect to 200 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: find a paying customer, or so the thinking went. One 201 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: car did slow down, however, a white VW Beetle. It 202 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: traveled up Houston and then turned right on Avenue A. 203 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 1: The platform heels were excruciating now, and Debbie stopped to 204 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: take them off. She looked down at the sidewalk broken glass. Everywhere. 205 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: New York City was a mess, but it was her mess, 206 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: well hers and sixteen million others, including the guy inside 207 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: the white beetle, which was coming around again. This time 208 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: it slowed down and stopped. The driver was alone. He 209 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: called out and asked if she needed a ride. She 210 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: didn't know this guy. She did no better than to 211 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 1: get in the car with a total stranger, though, especially 212 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: in a city where the murder rate had already broken 213 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: records the first half of the year. Debbie told the 214 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: guy thanks, but no thanks. The Beetle pulled back out 215 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 1: into travel and took the riot On her first avenue. 216 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: Debbie kept walking, hobbling. Really what a slog At this rate, 217 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: she was going to miss the dolls and have nothing 218 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: but shredded feet to show for it. Miserable as she was, 219 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: though at least she wasn't in Jersey. She had just 220 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: broken up with her boyfriend, a house painter, a real 221 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: man's man, and a real pain in the ass. Too jealous, paranoid, aggressive, 222 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: he went through her phone bills and called her friends, 223 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: followed her around like a psycho, convinced she was lying 224 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: in two timing him. He especially hated it when she 225 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: went into the city, not because he was concerned that 226 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: she would wind up in some kind of trouble, because 227 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: he couldn't deal with not having control over her. When 228 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: Debbie ended it, the dude flipped, broke into her apartment, 229 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: held her at gunpoint. She called the cops and they 230 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: couldn't do shit, couldn't do or wouldn't do. Remember this 231 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: happened in Jersey, and they said New York City was 232 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: the place to fear. Right now, Debbie didn't feel any fear. 233 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: She was sweating, her feet were killing her, and that 234 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: Beetle came around again, the only car on the street. Again, 235 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: the driver pulled over and called out, need a ride. 236 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: Debbie could see the guy clearly now, good looking, clean shaven, short, hairy, 237 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: with a bit of a wavy curl to it. Persistent motherfucker. 238 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: Debbie paused. She didn't hitchhike, never, not even in her 239 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: hippie days. When Debbie Harry went to Woodstock, she drove, 240 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: but she was hot and her feet were throbbing, and 241 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: the show was going to start any minute, and it 242 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: would likely only be a few minutes by car to 243 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: get there. So Debbie jumped in the Beetle and shut 244 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: the door behind her. The driver pulled out on the 245 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: house too. She thanked him for picking her up. He 246 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: just grunted and stared straight ahead at the open road. 247 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: That's when Debbie noticed the smell coming off of him. 248 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: Not body odor, it was beyond that. It smelled like 249 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: something rotting. The hair on the back of her neck 250 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: stood up between the heat and now the smell. The 251 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: air and the car was stifling. The windows were barely cracked, 252 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: and the stench burned her eyes. She kneeded fresh air, 253 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: needed to breathe. She reached for the crank to roll 254 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: her window down, but there wasn't a crank. There also 255 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: wasn't a door handle. Debbie panicked. She had to do something, 256 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: and do it fast. She had to get out of 257 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: this car. With one eye on the driver, she propped 258 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: herself up on the outer edge of the seat. She 259 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: shoved her arms with a little crack at the top 260 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 1: of the window. The driver turned his head from the 261 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: road to look at Debbie. He was on to her. 262 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: He took a hard left on the Thompson Street, trying 263 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: to slam Debbie into the door and prevent her escape. 264 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: She arched herself up higher, the pit of her elbow 265 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: now wrapped around the top lip of the window. She 266 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: stretched her arm out lower, now all the way down 267 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 1: to the outer door handle, and she yanked it upward 268 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: just as the driver swerved and the car door flew open. 269 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: Debbie in her platform shoes toppled out into the empty intersection, 270 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: her ass at the pavement, and the VW Bug completed 271 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 1: the turn, passenger door flapping open. She didn't know what 272 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 1: she'd do with the driver through a U turn and 273 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: came back for her. All she knew. She had that feeling, 274 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 1: the one that drove her to New York City in 275 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: the first place. Debbie Harry wanted to live. She jumped 276 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: to her feet, and she waited. She was ready for anything, 277 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 1: the beatles, gurgling engine, the ungodly stench infesting the car's interior, 278 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 1: but nothing happened. The car never came back. Debbie Harry 279 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: walked the rest of the way to the New York 280 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 1: Dolls Gig, knowing full well that only a naive Jersey 281 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 1: girl would think that this would be the last time 282 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: she'd find herself trapped and looking for a way out. 283 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: New York City was dangerous, The whole world was, But 284 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry was dangerous too. We'll be right back after 285 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: this word were were thirty one year old? Debbie Harry 286 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: was pissed. She was looking at a promotional poster for 287 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 1: Blondie's first album, A whole slew of posters actually pasted 288 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: up on walls throughout Times Square. The posters featured her, 289 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: just her, not her boyfriend in rock and roll co 290 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: conspirator Chris Stein, not bassist Gary Valentine, her drummer Clem Burke, 291 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 1: not the new guy Jimmy Destrick who just joined on keys. 292 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: It was all Debbie. Platinum hair, red lips, black seathrough blouse. 293 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 1: The record label promised her they'd cropped the photo, but 294 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: here it was. They left very little to the imagination. 295 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,880 Speaker 1: She kind of couldn't believe what she was looking at. Well, 296 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: actually she kind of could. Dudes were dudes, and dudes 297 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,440 Speaker 1: ran this business. She was now in the music business. 298 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: Dudes who heard the name Blondie and immediately thought only 299 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: of her, Debbie Harry. Maybe that photo in Punk Magazine 300 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 1: or was it Cream, the one where she's wearing that 301 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: VULTUREUS T shirt, a studded bell and underwear looking like 302 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,360 Speaker 1: a punk rock Barberella. She was sexy as fuck, no 303 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:13,719 Speaker 1: doubt about it, and she knew it. Everyone in New 304 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: York knew it, and soon the rest of the world 305 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 1: would too. But what she was looking at now didn't 306 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:23,399 Speaker 1: feel sexy. It felt like a violation. Not simply because 307 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 1: you could see everything in this photo, nipples and all. 308 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: That wasn't exactly what was pissing Debbie off. What was 309 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: pissing her off was that they cut out the guys, 310 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: her bandmates. It reinforced this erroneous idea that Blondie was 311 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry, which couldn't have been further from the truth. 312 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 1: Blondie was a group, so said the T shirts and 313 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 1: the pins, the ones that Blondie had printed up in 314 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: the wake of the Sea through poster bullshit black background, 315 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: thick pink text that read Blondie as a group with 316 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: an exclamation point there at the end. Those pins were 317 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: similar to the one Phil Spector was now wearing his 318 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: in the Flesh, a reference to Blondie's song of the 319 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: same name from that recently released self titled debut album, 320 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: a song that owed a sizeable debt to the girl 321 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 1: groups of the nineteen sixties, groups that Phil Spector himself 322 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: had produced some time ago. These days, Phil's reputation had 323 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: more to do with guns and wild mood swings than 324 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: it did making records. February nineteen seventy seven Hollywood. Los 325 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: Angeles loved Blondie in a way that New York never could. 326 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,959 Speaker 1: It was like cheap tricks stumbling into Buddhican and their 327 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: two week long residencies at the Whiskey a Go Go 328 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: were CNBC in Affairs Week one, Tom Petty and the 329 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 1: Heartbreakers opened for them. Week two, their power pop buds, 330 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 1: the Ramones taught the Sunset Strip how to properly pogo. 331 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: Debbie was just stoked to see people dancing, but Phil 332 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: Spector did not dance. Instead, Phil Spector emerged from his 333 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: mansion up in the hills and made his way into 334 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: the Whiskies dressing room. Black shirt, black tie, long black cape, 335 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: his eyes somewhere behind a pair of aviators, and his 336 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: soul somewhere behind a crucifix on a chain around his neck. 337 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: Not that you'd find a soul if you went looking. 338 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: Debbie was more than a little surprised to see that 339 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: in the flesh pin stuck to his shirt close to 340 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:22,920 Speaker 1: his heart. He was a huge fan obsessed. He took 341 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: one look at Joey, Johnny and the rest of the 342 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: Ramans and told him to scram. He was there for Blondie. 343 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 1: He was there for Debbie. He stared at her thigh 344 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: high leather boots. The two goons at his side were 345 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: not so impressed. They had one job. No one gets out, 346 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: no one comes in, especially not those tall geeks from Queen's. 347 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: But it was getting late. The whiskey was closing down, 348 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: so Phil invited the group back to his place. Debbie 349 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 1: was tired, she didn't really feel like it. The others insisted, 350 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: this is Phil Spector we're talking about. He's interested in us, 351 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: in Blondie, the guy who worked with the Beatles, wants 352 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: to produce us. So they went up a winding road 353 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: into the shallow hills above Sunset Boulevard, to the lavish 354 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 1: mansion of one of the most successful record producers of 355 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: all time, who met them at the front door with 356 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: a bottle of men of Chevitz in one hand, had 357 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: a Colt forty five in the other. The time to 358 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: back out of this little meet and greed had long passed. 359 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry and the others walked nervously inside, the door 360 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 1: latched shut behind them. Phil Spector didn't give a shit 361 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: that it was beyond late at this point the wee 362 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:30,959 Speaker 1: wee hours of the morning, Debbie Harry and Blondie were 363 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: going to hang out with him until the sun came up. 364 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 1: He had his two goons on it. Just like at 365 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,199 Speaker 1: the whiskey, No one gets out, no one comes in. 366 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: They weren't guests, They were prisoners who trapped, and Debbie 367 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: Harry didn't like being trapped. Not in her boyfriend's apartment, 368 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 1: not in the VW. Beetle, and certainly not in the 369 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: mansion of the world's most infamous hit maker. It may 370 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: have taken a minute for the boys in the group 371 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: to realize it, but that's what was happening right now. 372 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 1: Had gone sideways. But shit always had a way of 373 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: going sideways, Like when they were kicked out of their 374 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: New York loft apartment in rehearsal space just days into 375 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: recording their first album, or when another apartment of theirs 376 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 1: burned down while they were on tour, or when Fred Smith, 377 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 1: their original bass player, blindsided them all when he announced 378 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,360 Speaker 1: he was leaving. He crossed that line from pop to art, 379 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: left Blondie for television. Fred's replacement, Gary Valentine, crossed his 380 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: own mind from teenager to adult and found himself in 381 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,680 Speaker 1: a world of trouble. Managed to knock up his girlfriend 382 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: when both of them were underage, but as soon as 383 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 1: Gary turned eighteen, the girl's mother, hell bent to hold 384 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: him accountable, reported him for statutory rape. He hid out 385 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: in Debbie's apartment. Jersey cops hot on his tail, trouble 386 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 1: had a way of finding Gary. He and Clem, Blondie's drummer, 387 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: were pinched by the NYPD for a little weed two 388 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: days in lock up, including one night in the tombs, 389 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: New York's notorious detention set. Ditto for Michael sticka Blondie's 390 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: roadie who did his own time at Riker's, arrested for 391 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,439 Speaker 1: stabbing the dead Boys Johnny Blitz and nearly making him 392 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: a dead boy for real. Stika maintained his innocence didn't matter. 393 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: Everything went sideways, all the same, on a moment's notice, 394 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: no less. The only difference with this Phil Spector situation 395 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 1: was the Debbie saw coming up in the Whiskey's dressing room, 396 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: acting like a control freak and dressed like a real freak. 397 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 1: At the front doors of his home, the revolver in 398 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: his hand as long as the cape around his shoulders, 399 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: and now inside this glorified meat locker overlooking Hollywood, Phil 400 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: Spector put those hands on a piano and began to 401 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 1: play the opening chords to Be My Baby, a song 402 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 1: originally sung by his now ex wife Ronnie Spector, but 403 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: Phil was no singer. He asked Debbie to sit next 404 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: to him on the bench and take the lead. Debbie 405 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: was thinking of the forty five and I don't mean 406 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: the Ronnette single. I'm talking about the actual a loaded revolver. 407 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: Phil Spector wasn't asking, he was telling, So Debbie took 408 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: a seat and she sang a few bars. Phil kept 409 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: playing and kept egging her on for more. Debbie wanted 410 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: to save her voice for tomorrow's show, she was so tired. 411 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:20,959 Speaker 1: But Phil wasn't done performing, posting, fucking around. Whatever this was. 412 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:24,239 Speaker 1: Phil was being Phil, which included looking at Debbie's thy 413 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: high boots again. This time, though he did more than look. 414 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: He took the long barrel of the cold forty five 415 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: and slid it between the leather and her skin. Another 416 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: dude doing what dudes do, running this business, trying to 417 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: run her. Phil looked her in the eye, smiled and said, 418 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: bang bang. It was another violation, another decision made against 419 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: her will and without her permission. She didn't give a shit. 420 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,359 Speaker 1: If Phil Spector was this great and powerful producer, so 421 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: what if he could turn Blondie into the Beatles. Fuck 422 00:25:57,040 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: this guy. He just dragged them back into the past, 423 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,239 Speaker 1: which is not where they were going. Blondie was all 424 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: about the new. They weren't afraid of it, and they 425 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: weren't afraid of Phil Spector. What they were afraid of 426 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: was going backwards, becoming some throwback novelty. So they moved forward, 427 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: which began with Debbie Harry and the boys standing up 428 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:41,400 Speaker 1: and walking right out of Phil Spector's house January nineteen 429 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: eighty nine. She couldn't stop looking at the face of 430 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: the man on the front page of the newspaper. She 431 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: was mesmerized. She knew that face from somewhere, but where. 432 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 1: Just look at him, good looking, clean shaven, short hair 433 00:26:55,520 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: with a bit of a wavy curl to it, persistent, motherfucker. Suddenly, 434 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,159 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry was transported years into the past, back to 435 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy two, to Avenue c in those god awful 436 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 1: platform heels, tearing up her feet, that white VW beetle 437 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 1: circling back over and over, the smell coming from inside 438 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: that thing, not bo but something rotting, something evil, something 439 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:24,199 Speaker 1: to be afraid of, and that face, it was etched 440 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 1: into her memory. She couldn't forget it, the face of 441 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 1: the man who gave her a ride in that beetle 442 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 1: with no window crank, no door handle, no easy way out. 443 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:34,879 Speaker 1: And there he was now on the front page of 444 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: this newspaper, A man who took the lives of at 445 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: least thirty women, women who were lured, kidnapped, sexually abused, mutilated, 446 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:47,479 Speaker 1: brutally murdered women just like Debbie Harry, A man who 447 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: said few words to her, but said to the police 448 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:52,399 Speaker 1: when he was arrested in nineteen seventy eight, I'm the 449 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:57,400 Speaker 1: most cold blooded son of a bitch you'll ever meet. 450 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: Debbie Harry was not, for the first time in her 451 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 1: life in shock. The man who had given her that 452 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 1: ride all those years ago, a ride she barely escaped 453 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: from with her life. That man was Ted Bundy. And today, 454 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: on January twenty fourth, nineteen eighty nine, Ted Bundy was dead, 455 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: courtesy of the State of Florida, who sent two thousand 456 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: volts of electricity surging through his body. It had been 457 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 1: a long time coming. One year after he was first 458 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 1: arrested back in nineteen seventy nine, Bundy was found guilty 459 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,919 Speaker 1: of killing two Florida State co eds. It was July 460 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: Donna Summer's Hot Stuff was the number one song in America, 461 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 1: a funky slice of Studio fifty four soul from disco's 462 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 1: Dancing Queen. Three months earlier, in April, another song held 463 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: the number one spot, sung by another Dancing Queen, The 464 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 1: Bowery's Dancing Queen herself, an unlikely disco avatar. Heart of 465 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: Glass was Blondie's first number one hit. The song sounded 466 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: unlike anything the group had released up to that time. 467 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 1: Debbie's Heavenly dreamlike vocal wrote a roll in copy rhythm 468 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: drum machine sample, proudly bridging the gap between New York 469 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: punk rock and punk sworn enemy at the time, in 470 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: the late seventies, you didn't cross the party lines of 471 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: punk and disco, just like you didn't cross that invisible 472 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: line dividing art and pop and CBGB. You could only 473 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: be one into the diehards at places like CBGB in Maxis, 474 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: Kansas City, there was a clear choice. Punk was honest, 475 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: Punk was authentic, Disco was commercial and soulless, pure evil 476 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,719 Speaker 1: Disco was something to be afraid of. As early as 477 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy six, The Knives were out. The very first 478 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: issue of Punk Magazine, a small publication that documented the 479 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: New York scene, featured a brief editorial that doubled as 480 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 1: a kind of mission statement. This editorial read, in part, 481 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: death to disco shit, Long live rock, kill yourself, jump 482 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 1: off a fucking cliff, nails into your head, become a robot, 483 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 1: and join the staff at Disneyland. Oh d anything, Just 484 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: don't listen to disco shit. Unlike the editorial board at 485 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: Punk Magazine, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and the rest of 486 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: the guys in Blondie weren't afraid of disco shit, just 487 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: like they weren't afraid of the new. It was like 488 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 1: Andy taught them this new could take many forms, punk disco, 489 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 1: a hybrid of the two. Even Heart of Glass was 490 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: that hybrid. It got people dancing, It put Blondie on 491 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: the map. It was a harbinger of more music to come, 492 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: like Call Me and the Tide Is High, both number 493 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:41,720 Speaker 1: one singles in nineteen eighty and Rapture, a nineteen eighty 494 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: one number one that fused New Way disco and hip 495 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: hop and which also became the first hip hop video 496 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: to be played on MTV. All of this resulted in 497 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: a huge backlash from the so called real punks. Do 498 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: you think Blondie cared? Not in the least. Christ took 499 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 1: it all in stride. He saw Blondie's choices as an 500 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: act of defiance that was fully in step with the 501 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 1: punk rock ethos. It made us punk in the face 502 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: of punk, he said, and he was right. Or perhaps 503 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 1: as Debbie Harry would see it, Blondie became fear in 504 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 1: the face of fear, danger in a world, in a 505 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 1: business built on danger, Survivors of a scene that would 506 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 1: have rather seen them in Disgrace. I'm Jake Brennan in 507 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:39,160 Speaker 1: this this Disgraceland. Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly and 508 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for this 509 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: episode can be found on the show notes page at 510 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: disgracelamppod dot com. 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