Glen Matlock

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Glen Matlock


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = Birth date and age|1956|8|27|df=y
Died =
Origin = London, England
Instrument = Bass guitar, guitar
Genre = Rock, punk rock
Label = Virgin Records, Phantom Sound & Vision, Warner Bros., EMI, Peppermint Records, Majestic
Associated_acts = Sex Pistols (1975 - 1977, 1996, 2002 - 2003, 2007 - present)
The Rich Kids (1977 - 1979)
Vicious White Kids (1978)
The Philistines (2004 - 2005)
The Flying Padovani's (2005)
Slinky Vagabond (2007 - present)

Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956 in West London, England) is a bass guitarist most famous for being in the original lineup of the punk rock band Sex Pistols. Drummer Paul Cook has said that Matlock came up with much of the music for the band's songs, while lead singer Johnny Rotten came up with the lyrics. Matlock is credited as a co-author on 10 of the 12 songs on "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols". He also continues to make his own records and tour with various bands, including the Pistols.

Biography

Matlock left the Sex Pistols in late February 1977, the legend being that he was 'thrown out' because he "liked The Beatles." Although Matlock has said that one of his biggest influences is The Faces, the Beatles anecdote is fictional. A claim made by the Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, regarding how he thought it was bizarre that Matlock was "always washing his feet", has also been misquoted and misinterpreted as the cause of Matlock's firing from the group. However, in his autobiography, "I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol," Matlock stated that he left the band of his own volition as he was "sick of all the bullshit." In the 2000 documentary "The Filth and the Fury", the band members generally agree that there was tension between Matlock and Rotten, which Matlock suggests was exacerbated by Malcolm McLaren's attempts to divide the two men. Matlock was replaced by Sid Vicious, and went on to form The Rich Kids, a New Wave power pop band, with Matlock (bass guitarist & singer), Midge Ure (guitarist, singer & keyboard player), Steve New (guitarist & singer) and Rusty Egan (drummer). In John Lydon's autobiography "Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs", Lydon claimed incorrectly that Matlock worked on later Sex Pistols material (including their album "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols") as a paid session musician. Matlock later played bass with Vicious in the short lived band Vicious White Kids. Matlock also played bass on the Iggy Pop album "Soldier" and The Damned album "Not of This Earth". Matlock rejoined the surviving Sex Pistols members for reunion tours in 1996, 2002 and 2003, and again in November 2007. He played bass guitar & sang for a time in the bands The Philistines and The Flying Padovanis. He toured with a loose collective of punk and post-punk stars, Dead Men Walking, which included Mike Peters of The Alarm, Kirk Brandon of Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny, and Pete Wylie of Wah! He now is a member of Slinky Vagabond with Earl Slick, Clem Burke, and Keanan Duffty. Slinky Vagabond played their debut concert at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash in May 2007. [cite web | author= | year=2007| title="Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2007" | work=The Village Voice | url=http://www.villagevoice.com/gallery/0721,21rockshow,76761,3.html?pic=8&total=19| accessdate= | accessyear=2007] One newspaper wrote, comparing the current lifestyles of the Sex Pistols: "Only original bassist Glen Matlock remains touring with his own band, an irony given that he was sacked for being too conservative..." [cite web | author= | year=2006| title="Sex Pistols sell out" | work=theage.com.au | url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/people/sex-pistols-sell-out/2006/03/10/1141701665565.html | accessdate=6 September | accessyear=2006]

The Sex Pistols, including Matlock, played a gig to mark the 30th anniversary of Never Mind The Bollocks at the Brixton Academy, London, on 8 November 2007. Due to popular demand, further gigs were announced for the 9th, 10th, 11th and 14th of November. This demand led to further gigs in Manchester on the 17th and Glasgow on the 18th.

The Sex Pistols will be appearing at the Isle Of Wight Festival 2008 as the headlining act on the Saturday night. They are also due to appear at the Peace and Love Festival in Sweden, and the Live at Loch Lomond Festival in Scotland the same summer.

Matlock appears on the July 2008 (176) edition of Mojo magazine alongside the other surviving Sex Pistols: John Lydon, Paul Cook and Steve Jones.

References

External links

* [http://www.glenmatlock.com Glen Matlock's website]