The musicians in 'BLONDE and BEYOND' decided straight away that live playing was the only way to do justice to the classic BLONDIE tracks. So the usual computer enhancements have been ditched in favour of a hot and sweaty band. It must be said that a certain rawness to the sound and feel has been the result. This is, however, entirely in keeping with the traditions of this area of the U.K., as you will see ...

Blonde and Beyond with the right mix of nostalgia and cutting-edge tracks combine to give a balanced set that builds to an all-dancing finale...

ATOMIC

CALL ME

DENIS

DETROIT 442

DREAMING

FADE AWAY AND RADIATE

HANGIN' ON THE TELEPHONE

HEART OF GLASS

IN THE FLESH

MARIA

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

PICTURE THIS

SUNDAY GIRL

SHAYLA

RIP HER TO SHREDS

(ALWAYS TOUCHED BY YOUR)
PRESENCE DEAR

RAPTURE

SCREAMING SKIN

THE TIDE IS HIGH

UNION CITY BLUE

WAR CHILD

X-OFFENDER

Blonde and Beyond are the result of a musical collaboration between guitarist James Burton and singer Marylyn Maxwell. It happened in New York, Ah that would be 'Blondie' territory!

Both musicians came to love the city as they spent the summer months playing rock covers to assorted New Yorkers on the QE2 Atlantic crossing between London and New York.

They were attracted to the idea of a tribute to Blondie as soon as the suggestion came up, James Burton explained " there were so many good songs to chose from - we just wanted to play them all". It was only later that he discovered why? as he found out that he shared the same birthday, January 5th with Chris Stein, Blondie's co-founder, main writer and guitarist. enthused, they got down to learn the Blondie songbook!

What surprised them was just how much fun this music was and to see our band's enjoyment getting across to the crowds, who might have turned out to hear the Blondie hits (and they do all 17 of them), but end up enjoying some stuff they might not be familiar with, because we have creamed off some overlooked gems from the old albums, together with the best of the later material.

Blonde and Beyond have recruited the services of the cream of South East Essex's rock musicians and this enables them to re-create accurately the early Blondie material

RUSS STROTHARD
on Fender bass, is credits include touring with the 'Dr Feelgood' band, Russ boast  his is huge vinyl record collection including every UK Blondie release, and when approached to join Blonde and Beyond he astonished the band with is knowledge of knowing every Blondie song by heart! At a pinch he could sing them all too, but keeping true to the Blondie spirit we limit him to (excellent) backing vocals.

MICK CASSWELL
Playing Lead guitar, Mick's credits include 'Black Sabbath'   When Mick takes a solo you are left in no doubt of the man's phenomenal gift, but he is also a hands-on group player too, and contributes great swathes of super-chunky rhythm to the proceedings. 

STEVE BACON
The  man behind the drum-kit, Steevi his the powerhouse beat that pushes Blonde and Beyond into that unmistakeable American groove, and he loves it! - he relishes every opportunity to get up close and personal with those classic tracks.

JIMMY DESTRI
The all-important keyboards in most of Blondie material has been handled since day one by Jimmy, he has a style all of his own and distinctive sound of the Farfisa organ is high in the mix on most early Blondie albums.

PHIL ALDRIDGE
Synthesizer and sundry sound effects, All good stuff but a handful to recreate live on stage! Phil the brave man currently taking on this task has a Degree in music from Guildhall, and as he points it. it's just as well!

I came into this band looking for an opportunity with singing to be my main thing. I think I've got something that I don't seem to see enough of in music- videos or festival performances. The thing which got me going on this path was that whole band presence thing, whereby the singer, as a special voice, could rise above the ensemble to be intimately heard. Whether for good or bad, the human voice can move people. And I just want my shot at goal. This stuff about Debbie. OK, I know I have a passing resemblance to her, and have suffered the indignities of street-life because of it. But this is the way I choose to look.

I learned Debbie Harry's vocalisations by laboriously writing down each note and nuance. Because I can, all right? I then started to sing them. My admiration for Debbie the singer has just grown and grown. She fronts a rock band as well. And she's a sex-icon thing as well. It is a considerable person to attempt to emulate. Whom I'm doing? We've been knocked around a bit I think. I know we don't have a huge track record as a unit, but everyone involved here has involved themselves voluntarily, despite numerous rent-earning activities. You know. The next few weeks involve putting together the major players into a rapid response team. Localised and transport-economical, this should enable us to increase our gig list from the mildly interesting to the blooming marvellous. Watch this space. 

(contribution dated: October 10th 2000)

As at summer 2001, we have been gratified with sell-out audiences at the club and festival dates we have taken on. Particularly good to see crowds who may have turned up to see the headline act at a festival, grooving to us. Delighted new converts, not yet born when Blondie-mania hit the UK; older fans who think they remember all the songs; and general interest music lovers, finding, as has been stated to us so often, that the Blondie repertoire proves to be a rich vein of familiar and not-so-familiar songs. It's kinda like stumbling on a radio station and pausing awhile because they are playing a favourite piece - then another, then another. 

To all of you who have been to our gigs this year I want say a personal thank-you. We are endeavouring in every way possible to enhance the live concert-going experience and the next thing we have to look at closely is the seeming paradox whereby after months (years) of rehearsal we take our precious show to a venue and throw ourselves on the mercy of whoever is in charge of the sound system.

Now let me tell you something: next to professional musicians, whose partisan (non) appreciation of musical styles that are (not) in their own field of expertise is legendary, comes the professional venue's sound guy and his professional sound guy's definitive view of music. This is: black and white, good and bad, crap and great. Translation: what I like and what I don't like. Now let me tell you something else: if the man favours the band's musical style he will be bent over the desk all night long, tweaking faders, EQ and effects processors, whilst holding non-stop conferences with the lighting guy - the aim being to produce a sound and light spectacular that they are going to enjoy as much as the audience. The obverse of this coin is of course what, I am sorry to say, most mid-range bands get at most mid-range venues. A sound system that, with luck, is all functioning, and will continue that way throughout the sound-check, though not necessarily the gig. A sound guy who turns up for said sound-check with burger and fries in hand and who studies the band's PA specification, sent weeks before to the venue, with the furrowed brow of one who has clearly never read it through, let alone made preparations for the monitoring requirements presented by the band's personnel. Many compromises later, the sound-check complete, the audience arrive and await the results of thousands of man and woman-hours' labour. The band take the stage. The PA is switched on. The band tremble in fear.

The band are right to tremble in fear. The band are shortly to witness the sonic equivalent of a painter, having completed his masterpiece, watching in horror as the canvas is ripped, the frame broken, the work sprayed with graffiti before being thrown to the ground and jumped on with muddy boots, then raised proudly to the view of a mystified audience. Where is the focus? Where the subject? What does it mean? Like the executioners of old, this man wants paying as well. By us. For torture and heartbreak. Well NO MORE. We shall henceforth bite the bullet and recruit a seventh band member who will travel with us always, and guarantee us a coherent sound mix for each of the musically diverse items in the Blondie song book. Ms Harry and the boys deserve no less, and they shall have it. End of rant.

(Contribution dated September 2001)