Fanspot
Scilly Islands
“The only person I really believe in is me.”
Debbie Harry, singer of Blondie
“Island of Lost Souls was a bit like The Tide is High, with a Caribbean twist. But what I remember most is the video shoot in the Isles of Scilly, a wonderful place. These islands off the coast of Cornwall are strangely tropical, because they are affected by the Gulf Stream. We had to go there by helicopter and not by ferry because the sea was bad. The flying, shaking and swooping over the foamy waves was an intense experience in itself.”
These words, taken from Face It, Debbie Harry’s autobiography, tell of a film shoot in the form of a peaceful interlude, far from New York’s Lower East Side. This resulted in a rather strange video in the Scilly Islands, in contrast to the other videos of the band, with atypical images and tone. A new illustration of the adventurous character of a band that has been quick to take its audience by surprise since its beginnings. Heart of Glass, Call Me, Rapture, The Tide is High, Dreaming… The list of hits produced by Blondie is most impressive. Debbie Harry, on the other hand, is a star in her own right. An icon that everyone calls Blondie, as if the band was all about her crystal clear voice and platinum blonde hair. It took them a while to break through, while other Bowery bands were being offered golden bridges by record companies, but they became a true pop punk phenomenon with a disco edge, whose music is an integral part of New York and the 1970s and 1980s. However, by the end of 1981, when the time came to return to the studio to record the sixth album, Blondie was not in the best of shape. Debbie Harry has been leading a double life for a long time: on the one hand the singer and on the other the multifaceted artist, capable of acting, modeling and experimenting with new means of artistic expression. Chris Stein, the guitarist and companion of the young woman, also sees his health declining. The drugs do not help and exacerbate the tensions within the group. When it was released, the album in question, entitled The Hunter, did not meet with unanimous approval. This is the first time that Blondie has suffered a setback. Only the singles War Child and Island of Lost Souls managed to get noticed. The break-up does not take long to occur. Diagnosed with Pemphigus disease, Chris Stein can no longer perform and Debbie Harry decides to stay by his side. Blondie eventually split up. It was not until 1997 that the band returned to the forefront of the scene with new compositions. Since then, Blondie has continued on its way, maintaining its legend with the same audacity.
Blondie has released 38 singles to date.
Isles of Scilly
Small archipelago located in the Celtic Sea, the Isles of Scilly are like a sanctuary of calm. A place a little out of time, several times quoted in the popular culture.
Although 146 islands and islets make up the archipelago, only five are inhabited year round. Home to a total of 2,280 people, the Isles of Scilly depend mainly on tourism but also on fishing and flower growing. Marked in history by Viking raids and the Three Hundred and Thirty-Five Years’ War, the archipelago has now recovered its serenity. It is mentioned in the series Poldark and in the manga Master Keaton. A ferry allows to go there from the city of Penzance in Cornwall.
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Cult! music: 100 mythical music places [French Edition]
Embark immediately on an exhilarating world tour with some of music’s most iconic bands and artists!
Head to Melbourne, Australia for a stroll along AC/DC Lane before crossing the iconic Abbey Road pedestrian crossing in the company of The Beatles. Visit Janis Joplin‘s home in San Francisco and find out how Johnny Cash ended up playing his greatest hits to a crowd of prisoners in San Quentin. Travel the winding roads of Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and stop in Japan to catch up with Deep Purple, Phil Collins and Daft Punk. Drive down the Tina Turner Highway before entering some of the most legendary studios in music history. Go back to the troubled origins of Billie Holiday and make a pact with Robert Johnson at the famous crossroads in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Embark immediately on an exhilarating world tour with some of music’s most iconic bands and artists! Relive the Jimi Hendrix concert on the Isle of Wight before paying tribute to Bob Marley in Jamaica.
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By Gilles Rolland
Passionné de cinéma, de rock and roll, de séries TV et de littérature. Rédacteur de presse et auteur des livres Le Heavy Metal au cinéma, Paroles de fans Guns N' Roses, Paroles de fans Rammstein et Welcome to my Jungle : 100 albums rock et autres anecdotes dépareillées. Adore également voyager à la recherche des lieux les plus emblématiques de la pop culture.