The band's founders Debbie Harry and Chris Stein express sorrow over the passing of band member and friend Clem Burke, who has now died of cancer. In a statement, they say that he was not only the band's drummer, but Blondie's "heartbeat".
"His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contribution to our sound and our success is immeasurable", they write in a statement, according to Far Out magazine.
Burke began playing drums for Blondie in 1975. After the band split up in 1982, he played with a number of other artists, including Eurythmics, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, and Joan Jett.
Last year, Burke told Psychedelic Baby Mag in an interview that he had written a biography and also recorded a new Blondie album, which he said would be released in 2025.
Corrected: An earlier version of the text contained an incorrect first name.
