Prompt 44 – An autobiography by a woman in rock ‘n’ roll

Musical autobiography is not a genre I would normally go for. I rarely read memoirs of living people so I initially had no idea what to read for this Prompt. In the end I chose Face It by Debbie Harry.

What it’s about?

‘I was saying things in songs that female singers didn’t really say back then. I wasn’t submissive or begging him to come back, I was kicking his ass, kicking him out, kicking my own ass too. My Blondie character was an inflatable doll but with a dark, provocative, aggressive side. I was playing it up, yet I was very serious.’

BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL AND BORN TO BE PUNK

DEBBIE HARRY is a musician, actor, activist and the iconic face of New York City cool. As the front-woman of Blondie, she and the band forged a new sound that brought together the worlds of rock, punk, disco, reggae and hip-hop to create some of the most beloved pop songs of all time. As a muse, she collaborated with some of the boldest artists of the past four decades. The scope of Debbie Harry’s impact on our culture has been matched only by her reticence to reveal her rich inner life – until now.

In an arresting mix of visceral, soulful storytelling and stunning visuals that includes never-before-seen photographs, bespoke illustrations and fan art installations, Face It upends the standard music memoir while delivering a truly prismatic portrait. With all the grit, grime, and glory recounted in intimate detail, Face It recreates the downtown scene of 1970s New York City, where Blondie played alongside the Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, Iggy Pop and David Bowie.

Following her path from glorious commercial success to heroin addiction, the near-death of partner Chris Stein, a heart-wrenching bankruptcy, and Blondie’s break-up as a band to her multifaceted acting career in more than thirty films, a stunning solo career and the triumphant return of her band, and her tireless advocacy for the environment and LGBTQ rights, Face It is a cinematic story of a woman who made her own path, and set the standard for a generation of artists who followed in her footsteps – a memoir as dynamic as its subject.

What I think:

I absolutely flew through this book one Sunday.

It is so easy to read and so interesting.

I knew the music of Blondie, but I knew very little about Debbie Harry herself and this book was absolutely fascinating.

Harry is such a vivid writer, she takes you back into the past with her. She showcases the creativity and collaboration of the 1970s New York music scene, but does not hide the reality. There’s lots of fun and excited, but she works hard, she’s often poor and there is a lot of disappointment along the way.

There are a few moments that were uncomfortable – some of the stories from her childhood and how she was treated because of her beauty are really disturbing and completely brushed over with no further comment.

The development of Blondie is such an interesting story. I loved how some of the most iconic images of the band happened so accidentally. This is obviously a classic tale of fame and success, drugs and burn out. With a side helping of financial ruin and tragedy.

The book includes lots of images of art that fans have sent to her over the years and which she has kept. Her fans are obviously incredibly supportive and valued. The art also goes to highlight how important her beauty was in her success.

Harry is extremely honest. She admits when she doesn’t remember parts of the story, or has had to ask other people. She brushes over some big events like the break up of her relationship with Chris Stein it goes into lots of details about smaller events. She is such an interesting and groundbreaking woman.

I loved this book – overall a fascinating read.