Blondie have released footage of their performance of The Tide is High as featured in the group’s forthcoming ‘Blondie: Vivir En La Habana’ documentary film.
The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, comes accompanied by a soundtrack album, including six recordings from Blondie’s Cuba shows.
In the new footage, directed by Rob Roth, which premiered over on Rolling Stone, band member Clem Burke discusses the challenge of putting together a set for a new audience, while Debbie Harry reflects on the Cuban culture.
Also included is footage of Blondie’s performance of The Tide is High, originally performed by the Jamaican group The Paragons.
Blondie’s trip to Havana allowed the band and a group of fans from the U.S. to visit Cuba, and included museum visits and architecture tours, plus two Blondie shows at Havana’s Teatro Mella, where the band played alongside local acts including Alain Perez, David Torrens and Afro-Cuban progressive rock act Sintesis.
Of the EP, frontwoman Debbie Harry says: “We had wonderful Cuban musicians join us for the performances – vocalists, percussionists, horn players – they added a terrific level of excitement to our songs.
“On The Tide Is High, Síntesis vocalists 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 feel of New York, so it was amazing to finally be able to put a very personal touch on the heartbeat of Cuba. VIVA!”
The EP is available to pre-order/save on digital platforms and Vinyl.
