Debbie Harry Painted by H.R. Giger: The Collaboration Behind KooKoo

In the spring of 1980, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, the creative minds behind Blondie, crossed paths with the visionary artist H.R. Giger at the Hansen Gallery in New York City. The gallery was showcasing Giger’s hauntingly surreal Alien paintings, fresh off the back of his Oscar win for Best Visual Effects in Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking film Alien. Giger, already known for his biomechanical designs and dark, otherworldly creations, was riding high on the success of the movie, which had launched him into mainstream recognition.

It was during this momentous event that Giger, Stein, and Harry met for the first time. As Giger later recalled:

"There I was introduced to a very beautiful woman, Debbie Harry, the singer of the group Blondie, and her boyfriend, Chris Stein. They were apparently excited about my work and asked me whether I would be prepared to design the cover of the new Debbie Harry album. I found both of them immediately likeable; so I readily agreed and was greatly pleased to be allowed to create something for such an attractive woman, although I had never heard anything from the group. This was due to the fact that I was more interested in jazz."

Blondie had already achieved massive commercial success by 1980, and Eat to the Beat, their fourth album, had only further solidified their place as new wave pioneers. Yet, both Harry and Stein were feeling disillusioned, fatigued by the relentless touring schedule and the growing pressures of being part of Blondie. In this context, the idea of launching Harry’s solo career took root, with Stein keen to explore new avenues outside of the band's established sound. Giger, though unacquainted with Blondie's music, was intrigued enough by their personalities and Harry’s distinctive image to join the project. Here is a picture of Giger with the early concept art:

Giger said that the idea of the metal spikes derived from a medical procedure he had recently undergone:

“Since I had just had an acupuncture treatment from my friend and doctor, Paul Tobler, the idea of the four needles came to me, in which I saw symbols of the four elements, to be combined with her face. I submitted the suggestions by phone to Debbie and Chris. They liked the idea and, in addition, they commissioned me to make two videoclips (music videos) of the best songs.”

The imagery was bold and arresting, completely in line with Giger’s fascination with the fusion of human flesh and mechanical elements, a concept he had explored in Alien and throughout his artwork. However, not everyone was taken with the provocative cover. In fact, it stirred quite the controversy. British Rail famously banned advertisements featuring the image due to its unsettling nature. The cover represented a significant departure from Harry’s pop-star image, thrusting her into the strange and dystopian world of Giger’s biomechanical horror. It was a far cry from the Blondie of Parallel Lines and Eat to the Beat, and while some admired Harry and Stein for taking such a bold risk, the general public didn’t seem ready for the eerie transformation of their disco-pop queen.

Despite the backlash, the duo remained undeterred. As part of their collaboration with Giger, Harry and Stein invited him to direct two music videos from KooKoo, specifically for the tracks “Now I Know You Know” and “Backfired.” When the hired director failed to show up on set, Giger took over, helming the videos himself. His vision translated seamlessly from the album cover to the visual medium, embedding KooKoo with the same fusion of science fiction and body horror that characterised his most famous work.

Harry and Stein later reflected on their experience working with the Swiss surrealist in an article for Heavy Metal magazine. In the co-authored piece, titled “Strange Encounters of the Swiss Kind,” they discussed Giger’s unique artistry and how it influenced both the album and their creative process:

"Giger is an industrial designer, which is very apparent to you the moment you step into his home. Even something as alien-looking as his chairs is structurally sound. The Alien creature—with its McLuhanesque quality of being the machine as an extension of the organic—makes sense biologically. The face hugger, with its air sacs, isn’t just decorative. Giger’s work has a subconscious effect: it engenders the fear of being turned into metal. It’s awesome—the work of an ultimate perfectionist, a true obsessive."

For Harry and Stein, Giger's obsessive attention to detail and his ability to merge the mechanical with the biological had a profound impact on their approach to KooKoo. The album, however, was not the commercial success they had hoped for. While the songs “Backfired” and “The Jam Was Moving” received some attention, it was clear that the experimental and avant-garde nature of the project alienated much of Blondie’s pop audience. The album's dark, futuristic artwork and the visceral images in the music videos were unsettling for a mainstream audience who had been accustomed to Blondie’s upbeat and catchy tunes.

Still, KooKoo stands as a testament to Harry’s willingness to push boundaries and challenge her public image. The collaboration with Giger may not have been the commercial triumph they had envisioned, but it remains an iconic moment in both Harry’s career and Giger’s oeuvre. The artwork, with its haunting, impaled beauty, has since become a cult favourite, embraced by fans of both Harry and Giger for its daring combination of two radically different artistic visions.

Here are some intriguing shots of Harry wearing a unique Giger bodysuit and other moments behind the scenes: