One of the most successful bands to emerge from the late '70s New York punk/new-wave scene, Blondie are gearing up to release a reunion album in February 1999.

"When a band like Blondie re-forms, you wish them the best," said Joey Ramone, a friend and contemporary of Blondie during his years with punk legends the Ramones.

The 14-track album, No Exit, was recorded by four original groupmembers: singer Deborah Harry, guitarist Chris Stein, drummer Clem Burke and keyboardist Jimmy Destri.

In a nod to one of the band's most successful early '80s hits, the pioneering dance/pop/rap crossover song "Rapture," which featured blonde-bombshell singer Harry rapping her lines along with an MC, the group hooked up with L.A. rhymer Coolio for the album's title track.

The first single from the album will be the song "Maria."

Also included on the album, produced by Craig Leon (Ramones), are the songs "Screaming Skin," "Forgive and Forget," "No Exit" (featuring Coolio), "Double Take," "Nothing Is Real But the Girl," "Boom Boom in the Zoom Zoom Room," "Night Wind Sent," "Under the Gun," "Out in the Street," "Happy Dog," "Dreams Lost On Me," "Divine" and "Big Up Bonjo."

Band manager Ed Thomas said earlier this year that the band -- best known for its influential 1978 album, Parallel Lines -- initially had been asked to compile a greatest-hits record. However, after convening in its SoHo studio, the members soon decided to work on an album of all-new material.

"They decided they didn't want to put out a greatest-hits album," Thomas said. "They wanted to make a record that doesn't feel like a comeback record. They wanted to make an album that sounds like a Blondie record taken to the next level, the next chapter."

The new-wave act emerged out of the New York club-scene in the late '70s and made a name for itself with Harry's sensual soprano-vocals and a genre-bending style that fused pop, punk and hip-hop. Blondie released six albums over six years before disbanding in 1982. In that time, the group enjoyed several #1 hits along the way, including the smash "Heart of Glass" (RealAudio excerpt), "Rapture" and a cover of John Holt's "The Tide Is High."

Ramone, whose band also was playing the New York scene in the '70s, said he was excited about the reunion. "Because they were a great band and there's so much sh-- out there, you hope something good comes of this thing."

Blondie are continuing to tour Europe despite a lawsuit filed earlier this year by two former members of the band that cited alleged financial wrongdoing. The suit was an attempt to block the band's founding members from touring under the "Blondie" name.

A representative for Blondie's management firm, Left Bank, who requested anonymity, would not comment on the status of the lawsuit.

Former rhythm guitarist Frank Infante and bassist Nigel Harrison, neither of whom are founding members of the group, filed a lawsuit in New York County Supreme Court, claiming $1 million in damages for alleged financial misconduct by the band's reunited original members.

At the time of the filing, the group's reunited members said in a press release that they "deny any claim of wrongdoing against Harrison and Infante and are confident that they are fully entitled to proceed with their current plans, including the use of the name 'Blondie.' "

Blondie originally reconvened last year to compile a greatest-hits album, which quickly turned into a reunion and tour.

"The band had always remained close," Thomas said earlier this year. "And after getting back together, they discovered they had a lot of pent-up ideas that could be translated to songs."