"New York • London • Paris • Munich" was recorded in Montreux, Switzerland, at Queen's Mountain Studios, and using their regular engineer, David Richards as well as Julian Scott, Wally Badarou (who would later work with Stevie Winwood, among others) and Brigit Novik. Additional musicians on the LP included drummer Phil Gould (later of Level 42), Gary Barnacle on saxophone and flute, and (at the time) local Montreux resident David Bowie, who did occasional handclaps. Released in the UK at the end of 1979 and on Sire Records in the US, the album sold well.