Blondie Fight for Their Right to Cover Beastie Boys
Blondie closed out the NME Awards show in Austin last night with a short but sweet set of hits and at least one surprise: a cover of Beastie Boys' '(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party).' You can watch the performance here.
The band, which was honored with the Godlike Genius award, played a set filled with its classic hits, like 'Heart of Glass,' 'Atomic' and ' Call Me.' But the biggest thrill came midway through their eight-song performance, when their No. 1 1980 'Rapture' hit suddenly transformed into a cover of the Beasties' 1986 hit.
The raucous tune from the Beastie Boys' debut album, 'Licensed to Ill,' was a perfect fit for fellow New Yorkers Blodnie. Drummer Clem Burke kicked things into high gear as guitarist Chris Stein dished out the song's signature heavy riff. Over the years, Blondie have covered many of their contemporaries in concert, including songs by Television and Ramones.
In addition to their familiar songs, Blondie played a couple of new cuts: 'Mile High' and 'Sugar on the Side.' The band has been working on a new album that's due later this year. This year also marks the band's 40th anniversary, and plans are underway for a tour to commemorate the milestone.