Fred Lammers/Wicked Cool Records/The OrchardBlondie‘s Debbie Harry and E Street Band guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt are among the guest musicians featured on Come Spy with Me, a new album by veteran garage rocker Palmyra Delran and her latest group The Doppel Gang.
Harry and Van Zandt both appear on the album’s title track, while Debbie also lends backing vocals to a song called “Happy Birthday Middle Child,” which has been released as the latest single from Come Spy with Me. Delran, who fronted the popular all-female garage-rock act The Friggs throughout the 1990s, calls Harry “the most punk rock person I know.”
In a new interview with Parade, Palmyra says working with Debbie on “Happy Birthday Middle Child” was a great experience.
“I think Debbie Harry was a perfect fit to sing on that song because her voice is so dreamy,” Delran explains. “We had a great time that day in the studio — she’s quick and hears lots of cool options.”
She reveals that Harry unwittingly made an important musical contribution to the track when she requested to sing a harmony part during a section intended for a guitar solo.
“[Studio engineer] Geoff Sanoff and I were in the control room quietly freaking out at what she was adding,” Delran recalls. “It became obvious that what she was singing would be the solo.”
A variety of other veteran musicians also contributed to the album, including Fleshtones singer Peter Zaremba, Dictators frontman Handsome Dick Manitoba, ex-Pogues bassist Cait O’Riordan, Plimsouls guitarist Eddie Munoz and singer/producer Genya Ravan.
Come Spy with Me is available now as a CD, a digital download, a limited-edition clear-vinyl LP and via streaming services.
Here’s the list of songs on the album, along with the guest artists who are featured on the tracks:
“Come Spy With Me” — featuring Little Steven Van Zandt, Debbie Harry, John Carlucci
“Happy Birthday Middle Child” — featuring Debbie Harry
“Tape a Nickel to the Tonearm” — featuring Ben Vaughn, Peter Zaremba, Mike Edison
“I’m Satisfied” — featuring Genya Ravan
“If You’d Like to Make a Call Please Hang Up” — featuring Paul Collins
“Walk Away” — featuring Kim Shattuck, Matt Clarke
“I Thought You Said That You Were Gonna Kill Yourself”
“Chica Ye Ye” — featuring Rachelle Garniez
“Tragedy Ann” — featuring Betsy Todd
“Shortest Longest Story” — featuring Cait O’Riordan, Eddie Munoz
“Ballad of Madface and the Baby” — featuring Handsome Dick Manitoba, Charlie Nieland
“Song of Love”
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