Blondie's Jimmy Destri: Heart On A Wall

Never released on CD, it's a better solo record than any other member of the band has done to this day. Agree or disagree?

 

I think Destri was the best songwriter in Blondie. Don't think he could sing, though. I'd put the album up there with the Jerry Harrison albums.

 

He wasn't that great, but the songs were pretty good. Whereas Deb's solo efforts fail on both counts a lot of the time. although there are a few decently sung tunes on them.

The last DH solo album reminded me of Mae West in Myra Breckinridge, what with that "the devil's**** is hard to handle" business.

 

The good one is Def, Dumb & Blonde, practically a Blondie album.

 

Def Dumb & Blonde sound so much like Blondie because they used the same producer and almost all the tracks were written by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein who wrote the bulk of Blondie's hit songs.

Jimmy Destri's Solo album a fine effort and although it misses the mark on several tracks there are a few standouts and I think this album would benefit froma CD remaster. Standout track is easily Little Metal Drummer which coincidentally Debbie Harry sings back up vocals on. Chris Stein on Guitar and Clem Burke on Drums. It's basically a Blondie record with Jiommy singing lead vocals.

 

Jimmy's record was more stylistically Blondie than any of Debbie Harry's - so yes I agree with the original post!

Nice sleeve too..............

 

Yes, I have a copy of his solo LP. You're absolutely right, it has never been issued on CD. Jimmy left Blondie about 10 years ago to pursue a career as a therapist of some sort. It would not be difficult for Jimmy to license this album and re-release it himself, so never say never.

 

Blondie hasn't been the same since he left, either. Those keyboards of his had a huge role in defining the band's sound. I wish he'd return, at least for the studio...

 

I agree, the last Blondie studio albums were good, but would have been even better if Jimmy had been present. Never fully understood the fall out after The Curse Of Blondie album, had read that this was drug related, but Debbie and Chris had drug issues, so why Jimmy was banished from the band is a mystery to me

 

Didn't Jimmy become a drug counsellor?

 

Yeah, I think he wanted to do something more meaningful with his life, and probably figures he's too old to deal with the band's drama...

Maybe they didn't want him to stay if he wasn't going to tour with them.

 

Plastic Letters was my first and favourite Blondie album. No co-incidence that Jimmy Destri had more songs on that than any other one. 'Little Metal Drummer' is more Blondie-esque than anything have Blondie recorded since then really......good album - I remember The Guardian review called it 'turgid'!

 

Why not continue as a songwriting only member of the band? Worked for Dee Dee on the last few Ramones albums.

 

The Jimmy thing sort of put me off Debbie Harry and Chris Stein a bit - in fact I was thrown off Deborah Harry & BLONDIE forum for being too critical (!) It is far too 'precious' and smarmy for me I suppose - it wasn't allowed to basically say that they were 'IT' until about 1981 - you have to fawn over everything since

 

I didn't care much for No Exit although it was nice to hear from them again and certainly has its moments. But I thought The Curse Of Blondie was largely a return to form.

 

Panic of Girls had about three good songs on it - art wise it was alienating - when I saw the new album hidden behind the re-recorded hits and a crap Debbie sleeve - I gave up - after 36 years!
Big shame but then perspective figures in - you do lose it, for a time anyway

 

I could never get into Panic. Haven't bothered with Ghosts. Nothing I previewed grabbed me. I guess I'll pick it up eventually.

I also found the whole re-recording thing bizarre, but lots of vintage acts seem to feel the need to do it...

 

It's so that they can license the songs themselves for commercials etc and get a better cut of the money.

 

It is well documented that Peter Leeds screwed Blondie and they were all in debt by the time Making Tracks Across Amercia folded, so hey, let them make money now - but it doesn't mean it's cool or even remotely dignified - a new Blondie album with an ancient Andy Warhol painting of the singer just puts the whole thing precisely where it should be - in the dumpster. How it all came to this is anyone's guess.............but I know I don't, and WON'T, like it
Integrity is priceless..........

 

What an idiotic thing to say! Chris and Debbie are pensioners now, are you seriously suggesting that they should have stayed broke and in debt in order to stay 'cool'.
I hope for your sake that you are 13 years old, then your juvenile statement can almost be excused.
And what may I ask were you doing staying up until 10.37pm on a school night anyway, or is it still half term?

 

My understanding was that there were drug issues in the 1980s, but Debbie and Chris worked those out long before the reunion. Destri's main career is working full-time as a drug therapist, although he worked with Blondie on some of the reunion albums. As busy as Blondie has been over the past several years and from a logistical standpoint, I don't see any way Destri could keep up with the demands of both jobs. I've seen Blondie 5 times in recent years and they seem to be touring heavily. Mostly casinos, club gigs, music festivals and radio events.

 

I can't blame 'em for cashing in. Girl's gotta eat!

 

Gotta eat to the beat!!

 

Why not be a non-touring member of the band?

 

The ONLY Debbie Harry solo album I can stand. Not great, but has its moments. I sill wish the version of Brite Side that she sang on the Wiseguy TV show were available somewhere...I think that's way better than the version on Def, Dumb & Blonde.

Her first solo album, Koo Koo, has to rate as one of the big mistakes of the '80s. Wasted opportunity at a time when the world was most interested.