UNDER A ROCK

A memoir by the Blondie co-founder and guitarist.

Founded in 1974 by Debbie Harry and Stein, Blondie was a leading light of the American new wave music scene. In this no-holds-barred memoir, Stein (b. 1950) shares his memories, from his childhood in Brooklyn to his present life, including his early musical and artistic interests, how he and Harry met, the formation and rise of Blondie, his breakup with Harry, his struggles with substance abuse, and details regarding his wife, Barbara, his children, and his enduring friendship with Harry. With a stream-of-consciousness writing style and a talent for storytelling, the author recounts with intriguing specificity the trajectory his life has taken, replete with wild, sometimes unbelievable stories of crazed fans, exhausting gigs, a “disrespectful and borderline abusive” manager, and the many excesses of fame. Among the many notable celebrities that make an appearance are Jimi Hendrix, Tony Sirico, Boz Scaggs, David Bowie, and Andy Warhol. A common theme through much of the narrative is the ever-presence of drugs and alcohol. As Stein contends in the epilogue, “Going into writing all this I hadn’t considered writing about so much addiction and death, but it was unavoidable.” He goes on to candidly discuss his feelings about his daughter’s recent death from an accidental overdose. Acknowledging his “glamorization of addiction” throughout the text, Stein sorrowfully states, “I thought that I presented my own drug experiences in a negative light to our kids, but I’m wracked with guilt that any discussions might have been misconstrued.” The book features a foreword by Harry, in which she describes her feelings and memories regarding her friendship with Stein and being a part of Blondie. “Chris has written a many-layered view with his tireless memory,” she notes.

A fascinating yet cautionary account regarding the hazards of rock ’n’ roll and celebrity.