In truth, he was little more than a junkie who was in the right place at the right time. He wasn’t much of a bassist and, unlike Matlock, added nothing to the band’s songwriting catalog. But it’s also obvious that Vicious had little (if any) musical ability. Even Rotten told the noted UK music journalist Jon Savage, “Glen was… the best musician out of the lot of us.” His replacement, Sid Vicious, certainly added to the Pistols’ legend - and there’s no question that his attitude was more in line with their punk rock ethos. What’s also clear is that with all due respect to the Pistols, the band suffered musically from Matlock’s departure. The Rich Kids unveiled their debut album, Ghosts of Princes In Towers, in 1978. Bearing in mind that there are three sides to every story, the bassist’s claim that he left the Pistols by choice is substantiated, among other things, by the fact that he had already started another band. While the relationship between Rotten (or Lydon) and Matlock has been bumpy over the years, it’s also clear that the popular narrative isn’t factual. The popular narrative, of course, is that Matlock didn’t actually leave - that he was sacked by Johnny Rotten and company for liking The Beatles and for not being “punk” enough. Additional reading at this fan site and at his Facebook page.Īmong the many “what if” questions that abound in rock and roll’s 65-year history, it’s interesting to wonder what might have happened if Glen Matlock had not left The Sex Pistols. But if you put a three-legged one, it stays there.” The erstwhile Sex Pistol, Rich Kid, Philistine, and more has never been unsteady, that’s for sure… Mr. It was a funny and fascinating evening with some cracking songs from an enigmatic and long lasting icon in British music.Rock musician quote of the year: “If you put a four-legged table on rough ground, it’s wobbly. After all, this was not just about the Sex Pistols, nor was it just a gig.
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His style was very relaxed and much more rock than punk, but it had been pure enjoyment from the off. It was a great show that was electric when Matlock sung and was funny and fascinating when he was talking. With an audience on their feet, clapping and singing along to the likes of A Different World and the Rich Kids’ Ghosts Of Princes In Towers, the set was brought to a rapturous close with a cover of The Small Faces’ All Or Nothing with Matlock admitting that they were his favourite group.
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For the blues we were treated to Matlock’s tribute to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins with Hook In You before an outstanding version of On Something. Following on was a great cover of The Monkees’ (I’m Not) Your Steppin’ Stone, as well as showcasing his own compositions with brilliant opener Someway Somehow and the raucous Sexy Beast. There was the Pistol’s greats God Save The Queen and Pretty Vacant and a great performance of Ambition from Iggy Pop’s album Soldier. After the interval it was just Matlock and his guitar with the help from this appreciative audience. The first part of the show was taken up with Matlock reading from his 2012 book, I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol, as he regaled with amusing stories such as Johnny Rotten auditioning for the band by miming to an Alice Cooper track, and his belief that Sid Vicious was innocent of the murder of Nancy Spungen.īut promising an evening of “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blues”, he did not disappoint.
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This was more than evident last night as he entertained a sell-out crowd on the Theatre Royal’s Third Stage. Glen Matlock was sacked for liking The Beatles, according to manager Malcolm Mclaren and replaced by someone who couldn’t play, but the bassist will always be a part of that infamous band. It seems that you can take the boy out of the Sex Pistols but you can’t take the Sex Pistols out of the boy.