Christ Stein/Negative at Somerset House

To celebrate Blondie's 40th anniversary Somerset House has put on an exhibition of Chris Stein's photographs from the 1970s-80s called 'Chris Stein/Negative: Me, Blondie and the Advent of Punk'. Chris along with Debbie Harry formed Blondie all those years ago and helped to change the face of music.

Chris has taken photographs along the way and this exhibition celebrates a series of previously unseen photographs from the mid-70s to early-80s, many, of course, featuring Debbie.  There was a glittering launch to the exhibition when it opened with people like Ray Davies and Marianne Faithfull all showing up but I've only just got round to seeing it.

In part, the exhibition is what you'd expect with snapshots of Debbie here and there, on this tour and that, and with various famous people like David Bowie, Andy Warhol and a lovely one with Joey Ramone. There are also photos of Blondie contemporaries like Richard Hell, David Byrne and Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers (yes, the Thunders who injected Viv Albertine with heroin).

There are also photos of Debbie in strange situations, like being in a posh hotel and not knowing what to do with herself, of Debbie cooking in an evening gown with a flaming pan in her hands and Debbie smoking a joint with Joan Jett.

Some of the best photographs are the least expected. There's a strange photo of the first line-up of what became Blondie with long hair - now, Chris, I can imagine with long hair but Clem Burke? Where is he underneath that mop of long wavy hair? Ah yes, *there* he is… That was a shocker. And a lovely photo of the original Ramones which is even more poignant because they've all gone now (but at least I shook Tommy's hand in the mid-00s in New York).  There was also an atmospheric photo outside Chris's apartment on First & 1st with snow on the ground and part-covering a weather-beaten car. That's the old art student showing through in the photos but it does make for interesting viewing.

There's also a lovely photo of Debbie on one of Blondie's UK tours in which she's reading a copy of The Sun with the headline 'Women are just slaves' and you can see how un- phased she is by that headline from her expression. Being a slave isn't even part of her conceptual universe. It's also good that she's wearing black leather, including black leather gloves to hold the toxic newspaper. That photo says so much about - or at least my perceptions of - Debbie Harry.

The soundtrack accompanying the exhibition is also interesting with lots of Blondie, of course, but also their New York contemporaries. While I was there we were also treated to the war cry of 'Oh Bondage Up Yours!' by X-Ray Spex which was a delightful surprise. There are no pics of Poly or the Spex but at least they're part of the soundtrack to the exhibition.

It's an interesting exhibition and well worth the time if you're near the Strand with an hour to spare. It's free so pop along if you can.

Advent #10 - 'We Three Kings'

You can't have Christmas without a traditional carol or two so imagine my joy when I heard 'We Three Kings' by Blondie. It was a free download in 2009 so I did and then bounced around the room singing along (as you do). Merry Christmas Debbie, Chris and Clem!

"... She's Not Working on The Checkout"

This afternoon my boss noticed my 'Poly Styrene' signature metal badge on my jacket, except she read it as 'polystyrene' with a puzzled face. I then had to explain who Poly was in increasing detail as she backed away realising that asking about my badge had opened the floodgates. Luckily this meant that my new, much younger, colleague could state that he knew about X-Ray Spex, had some songs by them and liked the current bunch of punk bands. Punk isn't a musical genre to me, it's part of my personal history.

That started me thinking about punk on the train home (and I've blogged about it before). Coincidentally, I was listening to Viv Albertine at the time.

As I left the train I remembered Chumbawamba's 'Girlsong' about Poly that includes the line, "She didn't understand why only boys were allowed to be in bands". She was brave. Poly started a band after seeing The Sex Pistols and started gigging. There weren't many women in bands and especially not fronting bands. Most women singers back then wore fancy frocks and sang ballads, playing the sex symbol and adding a bit of sparkle. They weren't rockers although there were always exceptions like the leather-clad bass player Suzi Quatro. Suzi opened doors and the punks kicked them wide open.

There was Poly and Siouxsie and The Slits all finding their own way, writing and performing their own music and creating the way for more women. There was Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde and Pauline Murray and, a little later, Pauline Black and The Selecter. Kate Bush was, of course, her own creation. They were powerful women and they probably didn't know the impact they would have. They just wanted to get up there and sing and play their songs.

Poly dressed in her own creations and sometimes dressed like her mum while Siouxsie wore stockings and underwear making it clear that it was her choice and you couldn't touch her. That was empowering and a powerful lesson. They dressed and acted as they wanted to, not because they fit in with a certain role. They were their own templates and role models because no-one had travelled there before. They did it for the first time.

I can't help but wonder where it went wrong, where women became objects again. Where Beyonce bounces her bum and Gaga wears a dress of steaks and Miley "twerks'. That's balanced, I suppose, by Amanda Palmer, Theoretical Girl and She Makes War.

The women of yesteryear did so much to carve a new path for women musicians and it's sad to see that restricted again. I was listening to Viv Albertine today (centre top in the photo below) and one of her songs, 'Confessions Of A MILF' includes the great line, "I chose being an artist over being a wife, I will have a lovely life".

This photo from 1980 shows Debbie Harry, Viv Albertine, Siouxsie and, in the front row, Chrissie Hynde, Poly Styrene and Pauline Black. Great heroes indeed!

The message of punk was always 'be yourself'. I always try to be me.

Heroines 1980

Here's a great photo I've nicked from Facebook. It was taken in 1980 and features Debbie Harry, Viv Albertine, Siouxsie, Chrissy Hynde, Poly Styrene and Pauline Black. Has there ever been a photo of such a talented group of artists together at one time? I've seen them all live.

Debbie is still gigging with Blondie and released 'Panic of Girls' two years ago. Viv released her first solo album (the excellent 'The Vermillion Border') last year and I saw her play live in January. Siouxsie has been quiet for a few years but will feature in Yoko Ono's Meltdown festival in June 2013. Chrissie has been quiet for a while. Poly released her last, most excellent, album in 2011 ('Generation Indigo') before she left us. Pauline is still around but not releasing music. The only icon missing from the photo is Gaye Advert.

You can't keep them punks down!