The music world lost two influential players over the past several days, as Blondie drummer Clem Burke passed away today (April 7) at the age of 70 after battling cancer. and Gang of Four bassist Dave Allen died Saturday of dementia complications at the age of 69.
“Clem was not just a drummer — he was the heartbeat of Blondie,” the band wrote of Burke on social media. “His talent, energy and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable. Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”
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New Jersey-native Burke, whose real name was Clement Bozewski, was drafted into Blondie in 1975 by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. He performed on each of the band’s studio releases between 1976 until 2017 and was inducted with his Blondie bandmates into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
Burke also played drums for stints of varying lengths with Iggy Pop, the Ramones, the Go-Go’s, Joan Jett and Eurythmics. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Gloucestershire for his Clem Burke Drumming Project.
“It was all just the greatest time,” Burke told SPIN in 2022 of his tenure with Blondie. “Nowadays we keep it more civilized. With Iggy, it was always decadent rock ‘n roll — it feels different to me now. I haven’t done drugs for a long time, I am very health conscious. But the energy is still there, and we love being on stage. We are now avoiding the chaos as much as possible. These things don’t happen nowadays.”
With vocalist Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill and drummer Hugo Burnham, Allen powered Gang of Four to cult-classic status in the 1980s thanks to brainy, punk-tinged albums such as Entertainment! and Solid Gold. He left the band in 1981 but was present for the first four years of Gang of Four’s reunion period, beginning in 2004.
“Dave had endured the early onset of mixed dementia for some years, which has been a heartbreaking time for his wife Paddy, his children and close friends,” Burhnam wrote on social media. “Our love and thoughts are with them. Jon and I went to see him and spent a lovely afternoon with him and the family. We talked and laughed for hours, sharing rich and vivid memories of good times together — adventures, careers in music, raising families, our interwoven lives spanning half a century. We’ve been so very lucky to have had the Ace of Bass in our lives.”
Following his original period in Gang of Four, Allen formed Shriekback with ex-XTC keyboardist Barry Andrews, played in groups such as Low Pop Suicide and Elastic Purejoy and ran the World Dominations Recordings label. He also worked in consumer digital audio at Intel and in artist relations for Apple Music.
Referencing Gang of Four’s upcoming farewell tour, which finds Gail Greenwood filling in for Allen and Ted Leo playing Gill’s legendary guitar parts, Burnham wrote, “we know that Dave would have wanted nothing more than to step onstage with us again in Portland on our farewell U.S. tour, but it’s now a bridge too far. Goodbye, old friend.”
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