Blondie plots tour behind first new album in five years

Debbie Harry leads Blondie on a spring tour of U.S. clubs as the group supports its forthcoming album, "The Curse of Blondie."

The road trip begins at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, CA, on April 16, and dates are set until mid-May. Tickets for a number of shows are on sale now, and additional ticket on-sale and pre-sale information is posted at the band's website.

Ten days before the tour launches, Sanctuary Records issues "The Curse of Blondie," which is the group's first album for the label.

"It's been a standing joke for years," Harry said in a statement of the new album's title. "Every time something weird would happen we would say, 'It's the Curse of Blondie.' A lot of people take it seriously, but it's silly. It's sort of a Vincent Price, horror movie type title. I think it's lucky."

"The Curse of Blondie" features 14 new tracks, including first single "Good Boys" and a hip-hop cut titled "Shakedown."

"I wanted to get a song on 'The Sopranos,' and I figured they'd like it if I did a pro-Jersey rap," Harry said of "Shakedown." "And I'm from New Jersey so I thought I might as well own up to it."

Other songs on the album include "Hello Joe"--which the group dedicated to the late Joey Ramone--and "Magic (Asadoya Yunta)," a rewrite of a traditional Okinawan folk song, according to a press release.

Blondie's previous album, 1999's "No Exit," marked the group's reunion after 16 years apart, and spawned the hit "Maria." The group has been on the road consistently since its release.

Harry and guitarist Chris Stein formed Blondie in 1974. Drummer Clem Burke and keyboard player Jimmy Destri joined the following year.