Blondie in Camera 1978 - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Blondie in Camera 1978 beautifully presents the most celebrated photos of the late 1970s' biggest breakthrough band.

Blondie in Camera 1978 is richly illustrated with photographer Martyn Goddard's most famous images of Blondie. Taken during their breakthrough year, these pictures have graced magazines, newspapers, promotional campaigns, posters and even the 'Picture This' single cover and the Best of Blondie album cover.

Blondie's rise to the mainstream surface punctuated the late '70s with a raft of unforgettable New Wave hits. The genre-mashing classic 'Heart of Glass' along with the likes of 'Hanging on a Telephone' and 'Picture This' were as zesty and fresh-faced as the young band members, who soon found superstardom as their singles landed and the strength of their attitude began to resonate. When Goddard traveled to New York in '78 with an assignment to photograph lead-singer Debbie Harry, he couldn't have imagined that Blondie's songs and his images would soon become permanent fixtures on the cultural landscape.

This is the ultimate treasure trove for fans of one of the world's biggest bands.

Review Quotes

"A new coffee-table book collects Martyn Goddard's photographs of Blondie, capturing the pop-punk band at their peak in the hot New York summer of 1978."-- "Air Mail"

"In his new book, Blondie in Camera 1978, photographer MARTYN GODDARD shares a raw, rare look at the legendary band's breakout year - infamous photo shoots, backstage chaos and Debbie Harry at her red-hot coolest. From iconic cover shots (eg: "Picture This" single and Best of Blondie album artworks) to candid snaps with Andy Warhol at after parties, Goddard's stunning photo collection offers a VIP pass into Blondie's world at their prime."-- "Maxim Australia"

"Before he started slumming it with us lot, long-time Octane contributor Martyn Goddard had a career photographing rock stars, and this new, 240-page book of his work documents Blondie's rise to fame in 1978." -- "Octane"

"...a handsome book."-- "BBC's Robert Elms Show"

"Goddard's lens doesn't merely document Blondie's rise; it captures a turning point in music and visual culture."-- "Louder Than War"

"Photographer Martyn Goddard reveals what it was like to shadow Blondie on the cusp of superstardom in 1978."-- "Uncut Magazine"

"Thus, this work is more than a scrapbook; it's a time capsule that revives an era of danger, glamour, and creative revolution. And it's also the perfect excuse to revisit the Blondie phenomenon, the art of photographing rock stars, and why, perhaps, bands aren't "made" like they used to be."-- "GQ Mexico"

"The photographer Martyn Goddard was sent to New York in 1978 for an assignment on the singer Debbie Harry. His new book, Blondie in Camera 1978, charts her band's steady rise up the pop charts."

-- "The Times UK"

About the Author

Martyn Goddard studied photography at Harrow College of Art. After graduating in 1974, he assisted leading Rock photographer Gered Mankowitz before launching his own freelance career with several assignments photographing Queen. He became part of the New Wave music scene of the seventies, working with acts such as Blondie, The Jam, Sham 69 and The Cure to name a few. He has contributed or staged several photography exhibitions, including Blondie in Camera 1978 and The Jam: About the Young Idea 2015. In the late 1970's, he was invited to contribute to the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, where his first major assignment was a cover and feature shoots of Debbie Harry in New York. He went on to shoot some of the great personalities of the music and arts world. In recent years, he has moved to a digital platform, becoming an active photo-blogger and content provider, as well as producing travel features and images for Media groups in UK, Europe and USA, in addition to cataloguing and preserving his extensive archive of rock bands and musicians.