Blondie’s Clem Burke Awarded Honorary Doctorate

Blondie Drummer Clem Burke is to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Gloucestershire for his groundbreaking involvement in a project that bears his name.

The Clem Burke Drumming Project (CBDP) was launched in July 2008 in collaboration with Clem Burke, the University of Gloucestershire and the University of Chichester. The seminal research revealed that professional drummers had a heart rate profile similar to professional footballers and expended a significant amount of energy per performance.

The award recognises not only his musical excellence, but also the pioneering

work he has undertaken to explore the physical

demands of drumming and the uses of drumming to promote physical and psychological wellbeing.

Clem is delighted with the awards. He said:

“I would never have expected that my work with the Clem Burke Drumming Project would result in such an award. It is truly a great honour and I accept this award on behalf of my

brother drummers everywhere in the world”

The Project is also about to publish data on 15 professional drummers that shows that the initial findings on Clem’s performance are typical.  Darrin Mooney, drummer for Primal Scream, Matt Tong from Bloc Party, and Rob Rolfe of Enter Shikari have also been working with the research team in physiological testing that measures heart rate, oxygen uptake and blood lactate levels in rehearsal testing and during live shows.

More information about the CBDP can be found at www.clemburke drummingproject.com