An Awesome BLONDIE Release!

Just got the latest release from enduring rockers BLONDIE, a 3 disc set called “BLONDIE 4(0) EVER" (so named in celebrating 40 years of music) that is a treasure trove for any fan of Deborah Harry and the Boys! In this box, you get the latest album from the group, “Ghosts Of Download”, a “Deluxe Redux” Greatest Hits package, and most importantly of all, an amazing DVD featuring a complete 1977 performance of the group at CBGBs!!!!

Ghosts Of Download

I’ve been faithfully purchasing Blondie’s releases throughout all the various line-ups, from their first album “Blondie”to “the Hunter”, from “No Exit” through to “Panic Of Girls” and have loved ‘em all, and “Ghost of Download” is another great album proving that no matter what, these guys have what it takes! Man, how can they still rock so great?!

Deluxe Redux Greatest Hits

 The “redux” Greatest Hits CD is, as the title might suggest, remade versions of some of their best loved Blondie classics over the years- while nothing can compare to the original songs, it’s fun to hear them performed “afresh”! Interestingly enough, the tracklist order is almost exactly the same as their impeccable 1981 Greatest Hits release, with “In The Flesh” and “I’m Always Touched by Your Presence Dear” replaced by later hit “Maria”.

1981 GHits and Redux GHits Tracklisting

 And then we have the Concert DVD, WOWWW!!!! So amazing seeing the band in their ferocious young days when it was all about raw in-your-face performances! My favorite live Blondie Concert DVD is the Musikladen Extra performance from 1978, and if I had one complaint it was that a lot of great songs off the first album weren’t performed, songs like “Shark In Jets’ Clothing”.“Kung-Fu Girls” (a personal fave you may recall I had fun with here), “Rifle Range”, and the great Blondie anthem “Rip Her To Shreds”…

Musikladen and CBGBs Set Lists

Happily, ALL these songs are included in the CBGB’s set!!! In fact, I think the only song they didn’t do was “Attack of the Killer Ants”and while that may seem like a silly song to miss, I can’t help but wonder how they’d do that one live!
After the concert, they even added a really cool bonus for a “Plastic Letters’ fan like me: footage of the band rehearsing “Denis”. I mentioned many times before how much I love Debbie’s look from this era, and seeing them in the studio going through this song was a nice way to end the disc!
If THAT wasn’t enough, I did get around to mentioning all the unbelievable GOODIES the DVD came with: FIVE photos taken by Chris Stein himself, and an awesome fold out poster of a beautiful 1979 Blondie flyer!!! SO SWEET!

Live at CBGBs CD with Amazing Bonus Goods!

Okay, going back to re-watch the concert again…and I think I’ll top this evening off by re-watching the Musikladen Concert, too!