Jimmy Destri
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Destri is an American musician. He played keyboards
in the rock
band
Blondie
, and is one of the principal songwriters for the band along with Chris Stein
and Deborah Harry
. Destri stopped touring with the band in 2004, but remained an official member of the band for several more years. He released a solo album, Heart on a Wall
, in 1981.
Destri became interested in music in the late 50s and early 60s due to his uncle being a drummer in Joey Lee and the Starlighters. He played in a group named Milk and Cookies in the early 70s, but was dismissed from the band just before they relocated to the UK. He joined Blondie in 1975, a few months after Clem Burke
, using the Farfisa
organ as his main instrument. .
As Blondie's career progressed, Destri became increasingly interested in synthesizers, and added them along with his Farfisa to the overall band's sound.
His sister, Donna Destri, also sang back up on the Blondie song "Living in the Real World."
After the band's break-up in 1982, Destri ran a company that bought, renovated, and sold old buildings. He also produced
records
and remix
ed material for artists like Prince
and INXS
. He and the rest of the band reunited in 1997, and Destri remained with the reunited Blondie through 2004. At that time, he retired from live performances with the band, though he intended to keep working with them in the studio. However, he played no part in the writing or recording of their first post-2004 album, 2011's Panic of Girls.
He has a daughter named Eileen (b.October 26, 1985) and a son named Jimmy (b.September 2, 1997) with his first wife Eileen. He then married Roberta (Robbie), and they have a daughter named Riënna (b.August 31, 2005).
Destri composed
or co-wrote several song
s for Blondie, among them some of their biggest hits:
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
in the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, and is one of the principal songwriters for the band along with Chris Stein
Chris Stein
Christopher "Chris" Stein is co-founder and guitarist in the New Wave band, Blondie. He is also a producer and performer for the classic soundtrack of the hip hop film Wild Style....
and Deborah Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
. Destri stopped touring with the band in 2004, but remained an official member of the band for several more years. He released a solo album, Heart on a Wall
Heart on a Wall
Heart on a Wall is a solo album by Blondie keyboardist and composer Jimmy Destri, released on Chrysalis Records in 1981.After Blondie's 1980 album Autoamerican, the band members took a break from both recording and touring as a group...
, in 1981.
Destri became interested in music in the late 50s and early 60s due to his uncle being a drummer in Joey Lee and the Starlighters. He played in a group named Milk and Cookies in the early 70s, but was dismissed from the band just before they relocated to the UK. He joined Blondie in 1975, a few months after Clem Burke
Clem Burke
Clem Burke is an American musician who is the drummer for the band Blondie. Recruited by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry when they were first forming Blondie, Burke remained with the band through its first stage and later returned for its late 1990s reunion and then its extensive 2009 tour.Following...
, using the Farfisa
Farfisa
Farfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy.The Farfisa brand name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organs, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizers. At the height of its production, Farfisa operated three factories to produce instruments, in...
organ as his main instrument. .
As Blondie's career progressed, Destri became increasingly interested in synthesizers, and added them along with his Farfisa to the overall band's sound.
His sister, Donna Destri, also sang back up on the Blondie song "Living in the Real World."
After the band's break-up in 1982, Destri ran a company that bought, renovated, and sold old buildings. He also produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
and remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed material for artists like Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
. He and the rest of the band reunited in 1997, and Destri remained with the reunited Blondie through 2004. At that time, he retired from live performances with the band, though he intended to keep working with them in the studio. However, he played no part in the writing or recording of their first post-2004 album, 2011's Panic of Girls.
He has a daughter named Eileen (b.October 26, 1985) and a son named Jimmy (b.September 2, 1997) with his first wife Eileen. He then married Roberta (Robbie), and they have a daughter named Riënna (b.August 31, 2005).
Destri composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
or co-wrote several song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s for Blondie, among them some of their biggest hits:
- "Look Good In Blue", "A Shark In Jet's Clothing" and "Kung Fu Girls" for debut album BlondieBlondie (album)Blondie is the eponymous debut album by American New Wave band Blondie, released in 1976 on Private Stock Records. The first single "X Offender" was originally entitled "Sex Offender" but since radio stations would not play a song with such a controversial title, the band renamed the song...
(1976) - "Fan Mail", "Contact in Red Square", "No Imagination", "Kidnapper", "Detroit 442" and "Poets Problem" for album Plastic LettersPlastic LettersPlastic Letters is the second studio album by American New Wave band Blondie, released in February 1978 on Chrysalis Records. It was the second and final Blondie album to be produced by Richard Gottehrer...
(1977) - "Picture ThisPicture This (song)"Picture This" is track number 3 from the 1978 album Parallel Lines by Blondie, the first collaboration with producer Mike Chapman, and was also the fourth single release from Chrysalis Records...
" and "11:59" for Parallel LinesParallel LinesParallel Lines is the third studio album by American New Wave band Blondie, released in 1978 by Chrysalis Records. Their most popular and best-selling effort, Parallel Lines was the first Blondie album to be produced by Mike Chapman. The album reached number one in the United Kingdom in February 1979...
(1978) - "Accidents Never Happen", "Slow Motion", "AtomicAtomic (song)"Atomic" is a song by the American New Wave band Blondie, written by Debbie Harry and Jimmy Destri and produced by Mike Chapman. It was released as the third single from the band's 1979 album Eat to the Beat.-Song information:...
" and "Living in the Real World" for Eat to the BeatEat to the BeatEat to the Beat is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Blondie. It reached no.1 on the UK album charts in October 1979, no.9 in Australia and no.17 in the US.-History:...
(1979) - "Angels on the Balcony", "Do the Dark" and "Walk Like Me" for AutoamericanAutoamericanAutoamerican is the fifth studio album by the US new wave band Blondie. It was released in November 1980 and reached #3 in the UK charts, #8 in Australia and #7 in the US....
(1980) - "Danceway" and "(Can I) Find The Right Words (To Say)" for The Hunter (1982)
- "MariaMaria (Blondie song)"Maria" is a song by the American band Blondie, taken from their 1999 album No Exit. This song was Blondie's comeback single, their first since "War Child" in July 1982. In the UK, it was the band's sixth no.1 single, topping the charts exactly 20 years after their first UK no.1 "Heart of Glass" in...
", "Nothing Is Real but the GirlNothing Is Real but the Girl"Nothing Is Real but the Girl" is a song from Blondie's 1999 comeback album No Exit. Written by the band's keyboardist Jimmy Destri, the song was released as a single in the UK on June 12, 1999 in various formats. A promotional video for the song was also produced.Due to the incredible success of...
", "No ExitNo Exit (song)"No Exit" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie. It was the title track from their seventh studio album in 1999 and was released as a single in the U.S. and parts of Europe, but not the U.K.....
" and "Dig up the Conjo" for No ExitNo Exit (Blondie album)No Exit is the seventh studio album by the US rock/new wave group Blondie. It was released in February 1999 and marked the first time the band recorded or performed together since 1982, when they released their previous studio album The Hunter....
(1998). - "Rules for Living", "Background Melody (The Only One)", "Last One in the World" and "Diamond Bridge" for The Curse of BlondieThe Curse of BlondieThe Curse of Blondie is the eighth studio album from the US rock band Blondie. It was released in October 2003, and peaked at no.36 in the U.K..The band departed from bankrupt Beyond Records and signed with Sony Music...
(2003)