Glen Matlock plays bass on Blondie’s new album.
The Sex Pistol replaced bassist Leigh Foxx, who was absent due to a back injury, on the April 2022 UK and US tour of the ‘Heart of Glass’ hitmakers.
And now it’s been revealed that the 66-year-old musician also played bass in their sequel to 2017’s ‘Pollinator’, while Leigh recuperates.
Speaking to Classic Pop magazine, guitarist Chris Stein said: “Glen has just been awesome. Unlike ‘Pollinator’, we mostly keep this album in-house: it’s just the band and Glen playing on it.
“He is perfectly integrated.”
Bandleader Debbie Harry and co have been busy writing new music amid the coronavirus lockdown when their tour was delayed.
Speaking in 2020, drummer Clem Burke said: “We’re working with each other on new material. We wanted to start recording but the lockdown stopped that.
“Really, we created new music to keep you sane. You can do so much on the internet. We’ve collaborated all over the world. We have a great working relationship.”
Blondie released the six-track soundtrack EP, “Blondie: Vivir En La Habana,” last summer.
To accompany the Rob Roth-directed short documenting their iconic first concert of 2019 in Havana, Cuba, the band released the mini album with special guests Carlos Alfonso, Ele Valdés and María del Carmen Ávila of Síntesis de Cuba.
The collection includes performances of “Heart of Glass,” “Rapture,” and renditions of “The Tide is High” and “Wipe Off My Sweat.”
Debbie said: “Wonderful Cuban musicians joined us for the performances – singers, percussionists, horn players – they added a tremendous level of excitement to our songs. On ‘The Tide Is High’, the singers of Síntesis Ele Valdés and Maria del Carmen Avila sang with me and did the original harmonies that John Holt had put on the song, it was incredibly beautiful Latin music has always been part of the New York vibe, so it was amazing to finally be able to put a very personal touch on Cuba’s heartbeat. LONG LIVE!”
“Pollinator” featured contributions from the likes of Johnny Marr, Sia, The Strokes’ Nick Valensi, and Charli XCX.