Reprinted from Cheap Date, no. 3, 2000
Debbie and Anita discuss, among other things, Ted Bundy, American and British punk, Debbie's early days in NYC, Max's Kansas City, the Rolling Stones, the New York Dolls, girl groups, William Burroughs, Chris Stein, rap and hip hop, the beatnik scene, and, appropriately enough, Debbie as a "legend."--Ed.
ANITA: Are the English right in their criticism of American Punk, or are they just being snooty and English? They always put it down don't they?
DEBBIE: I don't know, you know? I always thought that they were somehow linked. The only difference I felt was that with the English punks it was more of a political movement, and in the States it was more of a musical counterculture that was against the powers that be. We couldn't get record deals, we couldn't get airplay. In the UK, up and coming music gets more favorably treated, it gets looked at with real sort of interest by the music community and by radio. The major difference was that over here it was not so much to do with a political statement. You know Ari [Upp, aka Arri UpBed.] was here the other night from the Slits and that was kind of exciting.
ANITA: Is it New York that's fun, or is it the company that one keeps in New York that is fun?
DEBBIE: I think it's New York that can be fun. You know New York has a specific thing about it. There's always so much going on. For me now it's really my friends, I really treasure my friends. But I can always go to a club and see somebody I know, so I guess it's a combination of those things....
Image source: Deborah Harry Index of Galleries