When one has accomplished as much as Blondie has, it is difficult to foresee how else the bar can be set higher. The band has quelled that curiosity today as they announced the official box set Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982 is set to release on August 26. It will include 124 tracks, 36 of which were never released, remastered versions of the original analog tapes, a 120-page illustrated discography, and hundreds of photographs.
“It really is a treat to see how far we have come when I listen to these early attempts to capture our ideas on relatively primitive equipment. Fortunately, the essence of being in a band in the early ’70s held some of the anti-social, counter-culture energies of the groups that were the influencers of the ’60s,” Debbie Harry said about the momentous occasion. “I am excited about this special collection. When I listen to these old tracks, it puts me there like I am a time traveler. As bad as it was sometimes, it was also equally as good. No regrets. More music.”
The box set will be available in four formats: Super Deluxe Collector’s Edition, Deluxe 4LP, Deluxe 8CD, and 3CD. A special part of this comes in the form of liner notes from every member of the band, namely frontwoman Debbie Harry, guitarist Chris Stein, drummer Clem Burke, keyboardist Jimmy Destri, bassist Gary Valentine, guitarist Frank Infante and bassist Nigel Harrison. This marks the New York trailblazers’ first-ever authorized and in-depth archive of their historic 50-year career, including six studio albums and over 40 million records sold worldwide.
Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982 is out 08/26 via UMe and The Numero Group. Pre-order it here.