The Best Punk Rock Drummer?

My Clem Burke Story

A photo from Blondie’s recent European tour, when Debbie wore a PUNK t-shirt again and Clem wore a CBGB shirt. Thanks!

So sad to hear about Clem Burke on Monday. I had a different newsletter planned for this week, but although I rarely write obituaries, I feel the need to talk about Clem Burke’s passing. He was always an unassuming, modest person, but he was more than just Blondie’s drummer (although he was great at that!): Clem was a presence at CBGB back in the day, and ever since. For instance, his fashion sense definitely led to the New Wave scene that followed punk in the late 1970s. And so he deserves to be remembered for everything he contributed to the CBGB/Punk scene.

Chris Stein (Blondie guitarist, songwriter and photographer) was probably the first person in the CBGB scene who wanted to work with PUNK Magazine way back in 1976. After Chris took photos of Debbie Harry wearing the PUNK t-shirt for the third issue (becoming our first-ever t-shirt model!) we featured a photo feature on the band in PUNK #4 (which Chris told me afterwards helped the band get their first record deal). So this is how Blondie became a “punk rock band.” Yeah, they were more of a pop band, but they fit the bill in 1976. Punk was .pop back then: The Ramones were “heavy metal bubblegum,” the Talking Heads covered the 1910 Fruitgum Company, and Blondie filled the bill.

They definitely had that “Punk Attitude” (as filmmaker Don Letts described in his film of the same name.)

LINK: PUNK Attitude film

This story has always bothered me so I’m getting it off my chest: The night of the disastrous PUNK Magazine Awards Ceremony was a chaotic time for our small staff in 1978. Ged Dunn, Jr. and Legs McNeil were long gone and we had burned a lot of bridges. We were desperately trying to stage an event that might pay a few months rent and somehow enable PUNK Magazine to stay in business. We mailed out ballots to several media people and celebrities. (For instance, John Belushi sent his ballot with “DEAD BOYS” and the band members plastered all over it: I gave it to the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame but they haven’t ever exhibited it?).

Once we received all of the ballots before the event, there was a clear winner in the “Best Drummer” category: Clem Burke. As people were arriving for the Awards, I saw Clem and mentioned that he was the clear winner. He smiled.

When it came time to give out the award? The two teenage kids who presented the award announced Jerry Nolan instead. I was pissed off. Of course those kids never set foot in the PUNK office again. I apologized to Clem afterwards, but he was so cool about it. “No big deal.” Clem was a big fan of Jerry Nolan as well, so I don’t think he was bothered. But I was then, and have been bothered ever since. But I always appreciated that Clem was nonplussed.

I published the proper winners in PUNK #16:

Clem Burke was the best punk rock drummer back in the 1970s, and too modest to make a big deal out of it. So sad he’s gone…

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The Miller Lowlifes

I’ve mentioned my “punk rock nephew” Matt Shumate a few times before: He got into punk as a teenager back in the 1990s, and brought me up-to-date on punk rock after I had been away from the scene for a while. I am glad to announce that he has a new recording! You can check it out at their band camp page:

https://millerlowlifes.bandcamp.com/music

It’s good, solid punk rock, so give it a listen? Thanks!

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