Seeing as this week’s Chronicle cover pays tribute to Blondie’s third album, 1978’s Parallel Lines, we asked the group’s iconic frontwoman Deborah Harry for her thoughts on bands such as the Dikes of Holland acknowledging the New York punk and New Wave innovators. “That’s how we put ourselves together: Admiration or trying to learn from whatever we liked. That’s how most bands do it,” reasoned Harry by phone in advance of Blondie’s double bill with Devo at Stubb’s Sept. 18. “You just follow your instincts and try to incorporate them into your sound.” Enthused that Dikes of Holland boast a female focal point, Harry’s amused about the Parallel Lines homage. “Bands just covering material is one thing, but a band that does their own music and cites their influences, it’s very flattering.”

This article appears in August 31 • 2012.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US