S & D: Clem Burke

"Dreaming" needs to be encoded and fired off into space, because there Just Isn't Anything Better.

Anyway, I'll throw in a search on Iggy Pop's "Zombie Birdhouse" too because Burke is the best thing on there.

Hands down, he is one supremely cool motherfucker. Also, he is positively UNTOUCHED by age! Deborah Harry and Chris Stein look like the fuckin' Skexis from "The Dark Crystal" these days, but Clem looks as spry, youthful and as dead cool as ever.

Yeah, she's Photoshopped here, but the unretouched Debbie is still pretty k-phwoar...

http://www.blondie.net/images/desktop_pictures/tcob_dp_640x480_04.jpg

Then start your own thread, you joy-loather!

This guy really was a beast. Highly underrated rock drummer for sure.

I saw him play with Hugh Cornwell from the Stranglers in a little bar, it was totally awesome, Burke was on fire.

yeah i saw that tour too! he was the star of the show.

RIP indeed. As I muttered elsewhere just now, would love to see people talk about their favorite non-Blondie performances from him. Here's mine, and I saw him play with them live that year it came out -- he was a powerhouse, of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nff3Vc_fxfU

This guy really was a beast. Highly underrated rock drummer for sure.

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, July 1, 2015 1:10 PM (nine years ago)

Jersey Al OTM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K4zdG0QfOA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXwr4E-HA7k

ffwd to 1m45s... can anyone ID the song? Interpol "Obstacle 2" borrows HEAVILY from whatever he's playing...

Clem sat in with the Go-Go's in 2022 while Gina was unable to play for health reasons. (Here is Gina thanking him onstage for doing so.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKF4Cl8p1aU

Considering the range of people Clem Burke played with, you probably can link him to a greater portion of the pop/rock musicians within a couple steps of the last 60 years.

Tyler posted this in the Dylan thread. (Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics appears as well.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_zn4oHORc8

Here's a photo of him with the Ramones when he joined them for two and only two shows as Elvis Ramone. (Anyone know if any recordings exist of these shows?)

A frequent poster on social media, his last ones were generally from Halloween, when he played with this supergroup.

His selfies on there are great btw, with some wild combinations like him, Jeff Lynne and Joe Walsh.

Elvis Ramone played two gigs with the Ramones. This is the second and last one.
No better place for this to go down than City Gardens in Trenton, NJ. August 29, 1987

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXWSyo0aPnc

(continues at YT link)

I feel like Clem for me is in the same league as Bun.E Carlos, consistently on-demand always delivers you a super-tight beat with bounce. Highly underrated skill! Like Carlos or Burke could both sub in to play for Mick Tucker on “Ballroom Blitz” and it’d be fucking great because you wouldnt KNOW they subbed in. That’s why they’re great. imo.

Anyway RIP Clem legend

https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1333234445/photo/kathy-valentine-clem-burke.jpg

Clem and Kathy Valentine were in a relationship for awhile and he's one of the major characters in her book (big recommendation for All I Ever Wanted). Her post today is heartbreaking. https://www.instagram.com/p/DIJwzjNp-jb/

bah. here's the link: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/american-bass-guitarist-and-songwriter-kathy-valentine-and-news-photo/1333234445

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVtmx9b40Y8

Uploaded to mark the passing of the great Clem Burke (1954-2025) , here he is playing live with Eurythmics in 1987 on a song taken from "Eurythmics Live": one of the greatest concert films of all time. (Yes, that's a hill I'm willing to die on; the songs are great, the band are on fire, the filming is as good as it gets. What more could you ask for!) For some reason this concert has never been given the reissue it richly deserves; as you can see from this clip - taken from a 35mm showprint transfer I had done - it would make a superb Bluray release.

Yeah, they sound great

https://pleasekillme.com/clem-burke-interview-part-2/

Clem produced this, from The Speedies second single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQmzvfwSQbo

This two, the other side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSXaGJXErgs

Haven’t listened to that in ages. Holds up pretty well.

Tbh, back then I felt like he overproduced those songs but now I think maybe the material was a little thin so I applaud his choices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKG5RiMfM54

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pixdCnYByus

Her post today is heartbreaking.

what does it say?

kathy.valentine 2d
My best friend. Every variety of love that exists, we had for each other, from romantic to familial. My brother. My constant in all the variables of life. Clem will be a part of my life forever. I will never not miss you.

There was another post as well after that

Oh yes.

kathy.valentine eurythmics revenge band era. I am writing about clem and it will be published soon in my substack. i have piles of photos in texas, dont know when I will get them but we have over 40 years of history, love, music, vacations, holidays, weddings, birthdays, bands. every facet of my life for decades included clem. i am so sad for what he will miss, what we will miss from him. he had big plans. I will do everything possible to make sure some of his plans still happen-this was his wish and my promise. you haven't heard the last from him.

^

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H50XDz4te_4

Chequered Past record lacks luster, but I put that on the lead singer.

Have you seen this photo yet?
https://substack.com/@kathyvalentine/note/c-106835207

Another substack link. This interview with him is great.
https://open.substack.com/pub/cubaonrecord/p/remembering-clem-burke-the-blondie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J4V2MfCXpw

HI DERE

I last saw Clem two years ago, with Kevin Armstrong, Glen Matlock and Katie Puckrick, playing Lust For Life in full plus some other stuff (including Rip Her To Shreds, Be My Wife and Pretty Vacant). It was supremely enjoyable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUE4i6SNESc

Digging out my 2011 interview with Clem, I was surprised to rediscover that he played on the first solo album by Mark Owen of Take That!

Kathy Valentine’s written in depth:

https://katval.substack.com/p/odium-fati?utm_medium=ios

That's a touching and well-written tribute.

Meanwhile, as a bonus for our podcast subscribers, I've uploaded my 2011 interview with Clem - but I've made it available to non-subscribers as well, so here you are.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/clem-burke-1st-126708466

How lovely! No idea they dated. A helluva rhythm section Valentine and Burke would've been.

That Eurythmics live video is great, and also (I suspect) the very personification of cocaine.

tbh according to everything I've read by his collaborators from Tom Petty and Mick Jagger to Candy Dulfer, like, David Stewart is always like that.

lol both things can be true in this case

Okay, so I found an English-language cover by Jim Capaldi of a catchy Brazilian song I like, “Anna Julia,” originally done by a group called Los Hermanos. Some things say that Ian Paice, George Harrison and Paul Weller play on the record but this official-looking video features a different crew, including a guy on drums who, if he is not Clem Burke, is doing a very convincing imitation of him. What do ya’ll think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWfH0l7Dzcs

That's not Clem Burke.

Who is it then?

His face does not look exactly the same, but everything else cries out Clem.

Maybe he is a Brazilian Clem Burke Clone!

The phrase "Brazilian Clem Burke" is likely a misunderstanding. The renowned drummer Clem Burke was American, best known for his work with the band Blondie. He passed away on April 6, 2025, at the age of 70, after a battle with cancer. While there may be other musicians named Clem Burke, the one associated with Blondie and the one who recently passed away was American.
If you are seeing "Brazilian Clem Burke" somewhere, it is likely an error or a reference to a different musician. Clem Burke's nationality is American and he was a prominent figure in the American music scene.

Ah Clem

His face does not look exactly the same

Not remotely the same! This guy's kind of weaselly looking and Clem would have been 46-47 when the video was shot, this guy doesn't look 46-47.

But would you at least admit that he is copping Clem’s style big time?

I suppose so. By the way, I notice that the album this song was on was recorded, at least partially, in Can's studio.

The keyboards on the track were by Helmut Zerlett, who played with Jaki Liebezeit in the Phantom Band, and it was mixed by Rene Tinner, engineer at Can's Studio. Somehow I don't think George Harrison recorded his part there though.