Clem Burke is famous for the impressive drumming he delivered as a founding member of Blondie. The acclaimed musician, who died of cancer on Sunday, April 6, at age 70, played on all of the influential New Wave band’s albums over the course of its nearly 50-year history.
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Burke’s drum style was heavily influenced by The Who’s Keith Moon, but he proved to be a versatile musician able to deftly navigate Blondie’s wide-ranging stylistic variations.
After Blondie broke up in the early 1980s, Clem became The Romantics’ drummer for more than a decade.
He also played in several side projects over the years, including the 1960s-influenced band The Empty Hearts, which also featured Romantics frontman Wally Palmar and Cars guitarist Elliot Easton.
Burke also was an in-demand session musician for a good part of his career, playing on a variety of other famous artists’ recordings.
In homage to Burke and his versatile drumming talents, here’s a look at four cool songs featuring Burke by well-known artists other than Blondie.
“Run Like a Villain” – Iggy Pop (1982)
Burke played drums on Iggy Pop’s 1982 solo album, Zombie Birdhouse. One of the record’s standout tunes is the lead track, “Run Like a Villain.”
Burke’s incessant, kinetic beat powerful drives this dark, ominous post-punk rock song.
“Secondhand Love” – Pete Townshend (1985)
The Who was one of Burke’s favorite bands, so Clem was thrilled when he got the chance to play on guitarist Pete Townshend’s 1985 solo concept album, White City: A Novel. Burke appears on two of the album’s tracks, “Brilliant Blues” and “Secondhand Love.”
Burke contributes a steady, grooving beat to “Secondhand Love,” which Townshend sings from the perspective of a man who knows his romantic partner is stepping out with other men.
In a 1999 interview with Modern Drummer magazine, Clem explained about his collaboration with Townshend, “That was one of the high points for me.”
“Missionary Man” – Eurythmics (1986)
Burke first worked with the Eurythmics on the U.K. duo’s debut album, In the Garden, which was released in 1981. Clem, who was still in Blondie at the time, was featured on several tracks.
He also got to play drums with Eurythmics for a short time while they were touring promoting their hit sophomore album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).
Several years later, Burke again was asked to play drums for Eurythmics, this time on the group’s fifth album, Revenge. Clem is featured throughout the 1985 record, including on the hit “Missionary Man.”
Burke’s rock-steady beat powers “Missionary Man,” which features elements of blues, gospel, and soul.
The song was Eurythmics’ last big chart hit, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987. Eurythmics also won their only Grammy for “Missionary Man,” which took home the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal prize.
In the 1999 Modern Drummer interview, Burke discussed how his approach to drumming was different in the Eurythmics as compared to Blondie.
“With the Eurythmics I became a lot more groove-oriented, but I always wanted to find a balance between Al [Jackson Jr.] of Booker T. & The MG’s—who I listened to continuously—and Keith Moon,” he explained. “The Revenge record is a favorite of mine; I learned so much from working with Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart.”
“Under Your Spell” – Bob Dylan (1986)
Burke’s friendship with the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart also led to him working with Bob Dylan. Stewart had been producing some tracks for Dylan and recommended Clem to play drums.
In the Modern Drummer interview, Burke recalled that he jammed for “a couple of weeks” in the studio with Dylan.
“I was convinced we were making the next Blonde on Blonde,” Clem said. “I thought, ‘This record is going to be great,’ and then one track came out like two years later on the album Knocked Out Loaded.”
The track was a song titled “Under Your Spell,” which Bob had co-written with success pop songwriter Carole Bayer Sager.
The song is a soulful, laid-back tune about a troubled romance that’s heading for a breakup. The track features a simple, straightforward beat from Burke, and some gospel-inspired backing vocals.
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