Although Williamson continued to work with Pop on the initial sessions for "Soldier" (1980) in Wales, he brandished an air pistol and began to drink vodka heavily after failing to acclimate to the singer's new band, which included former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, Patti Smith Band multi-instrumentalist Ivan Kral and Barry Andrews of XTC. Following a squabble with Pop and David Bowie (who Williamson accused of exploiting The Stooges during the "Raw Power" era) over recording methods, he left the project. Subsequently, Williamson and Pop would lose touch for 16 years. Williamson reflected on the experience in 2015: "Fuck Bowie. His showing up was just the last of many frustrations with being there ... In hindsight, I should have never taken that job. It was recorded in a studio I didn't want to be in, with music that was half-baked and with musicians I didn't respect. It was my own damned fault it didn't work out."