Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie,” the band’s official social media shared on Monday.

Clem Burke, the drummer for Blondie, has died at 70 after privately battling cancer. The iconic New York City rock band, which singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein originally founded in 1974, announced Burke’s death on social media on Monday.

Clem Burke, whose versatile drumming propelled the iconic rock group Blondie during its decades of music that spanned from new-wave punk to disco-infused tunes, has died.