Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956) is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only album, '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'', although he had left the band early in the recording process, credited as bassist and backing vocalist on only two songs on the album, " Anarchy in the U.K." and "

God Save The Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...

". Since leaving the Sex Pistols in 1977, he has performed with several other bands, including

Rich Kids Rich Kids were a short-lived new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from the Sex Pistols. The band also included future Ultravox member Midge Ure and Rusty Egan, who both later founded Visage toget ...

, who scored a UK top 20 hit with the single "Rich Kids" in 1978, as well as presented his own work. After the death of his replacement in the Sex Pistols,

Sid Vicious John Simon Ritchie (10 May 1957 – 2 February 1979), better known by his stage name Sid Vicious, was an English musician, best known as the bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. Despite dying in 1979 at age 21, he remains an icon of the ...

, Matlock has resumed bass guitar duties for subsequent Sex Pistols reunions, including the 1996 Filthy Lucre Tour, the 2002 concert to commemorate the

Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration held in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50 years as ...

, their 2003 North American Piss Off Tour, and their 2007–08 UK and Europe Combine Harvester Tour.

Biography

Sex Pistols

Matlock attended

Saint Martin's School of Art Saint Martin's School of Art was an art college in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1854, initially under the aegis of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Saint Martin's became part of ...

until 1974. He was the original bass player of the Sex Pistols, having been introduced to guitarist Steve Jones and drummer

Paul Cook Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene. Early life and career Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...

while working in

SEX Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...

, Malcolm McLaren's clothing boutique in London. He is credited as co-writer on 10 of the 12 songs appearing on the album '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'', and as bassist and backing vocalist on the song '' Anarchy in the U.K.''. However, his overall contribution to the album has been disputed: Jones said in a 2011 interview he was "tired of Matlock's claims that he had co-written some of the punk icon's biggest tunes", stating that he himself had written as many songs as Matlock, whilst Matlock himself notes in his autobiography, ''I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol'', that the band only wrote two songs after his departure. According to a 2014 interview, he played a big role in writing the songs that appeared on the album. Cook has stated that Matlock actually wrote most of the songs on the album. Additionally, whilst Jones has insisted that Matlock disliked many of

Johnny Rotten John Joseph Lydon (; born 31 January 1956), also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the late-1970s punk band the Sex Pistols, which lasted from 1975 until 1978, and aga ...

's lyrics, Matlock has said that he had no issue with them. Matlock left the band in late February 1977, with contemporary reports (given to news outlets by manager Malcolm McLaren) stating that he was 'thrown out' because he liked

the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

. The claim was fictional, with Steve Huey of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

claiming that Matlock "was even more enamored of

The Faces Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of Small Faces after lead singer and guitarist Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie. The remaining Small Faces—Ian McLagan (keyboards), Ronnie Lane (electric bass, vocals), and Kenn ...

and the mod groups prominently featured on London pirate radio in the late '60s, as were Steve Jones and Paul Cook". Another claim, made at the time by Jones, that he thought it bizarre that Matlock was "always washing his feet", has also been misquoted and misinterpreted as the cause of Matlock's firing from the group. In ''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 Filth and the Fury'' is a 2000 British rockumentary film directed by Julien Temple. It follows the story of punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols from their humble beginnings in London's Shepherd's Bush to their fall at the Winterland Ballr ...

'', the band members generally agree that there was tension between Matlock and Rotten, which Matlock suggests was further aggravated by Malcolm McLaren in an attempt to generate chaos within the band as a creative mechanism. In his autobiography, '' Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs'', John Lydon stated that Matlock worked on Sex Pistols material (including their album '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols''), after he had left the band, as a paid session musician. However, Matlock denied the "session musician" label, stating that all but two of the songs appearing on the album had already been recorded as singles or b-sides before his departure. Jones played bass on the two songs recorded after Matlock's departure and overdubbed some additional parts on other existing songs, with Vicious also contributing to the song "Bodies". Music historian David Howard states that Matlock did not participate in any of the ''Never Mind the Bollocks'' recording sessions. In the 2002

Classic Albums ''Classic Albums'' is a British documentary series about pop, rock and heavy metal albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music. Format The TV ser ...

documentary about ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'', Jones stated that in retrospect, pushing Matlock out of the band was a mistake: "We were what we were. Who cares if he washed his feet? That was him. I'm sure I had things that bugged him". Jones said that the group would have recorded more albums if Matlock had stayed in the band and they had not participated in the television interview with Bill Grundy.

After the Sex Pistols

Matlock went on to form

, a new wave

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and c ...

band, with himself as bass guitarist and singer, Midge Ure (guitarist, singer and keyboard player), Steve New (guitarist and singer) and

Rusty Egan Rusty Egan (born 19 September 1957 in London) is the former drummer for the British new wave band Rich Kids. They were founded by former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock (bass guitarist and backing vocals, occasional lead vocals), with Steve New ( ...

(drummer). They released three singles and one album entitled '' Ghosts of Princes in Towers'' (which reached #51). Matlock and New later played with Vicious in the short-lived band Vicious White Kids. After Rich Kids, he formed the Spectres with

Tom Robinson Band Tom Robinson Band (TRB) are a British rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson. The band's debut single "2-4-6-8 Motorway" was a top five hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and their third single, "Up A ...

guitarist

Danny Kustow Alexander Daniel Kustow (10 May 1955 – 11 March 2019) was an English rock guitarist, known for his dynamic performance style and work with the Tom Robinson Band in the 1970s and 1980s. Early life Kustow was born at Queen Charlotte's and Chel ...

, and subsequently Mick Hanson, and then Hot Club in 1982 with guitarist James Stevenson and singer Steve Allen. Matlock also played bass on the Iggy Pop album ''

Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...

'' and The Damned album '' Not of This Earth''. Under the moniker Rhode-Twinn, Matlock (and Steve New) was brought to play on

Gary Twinn Gary Twinn (born 7 December 1956 in West Ham, London, England) is an English singer-songwriter, musician, TV host and editorial writer, currently fronting punk rock supergroup The International Swingers, which also features Clem Burke, Glen Ma ...

's 1990 single "Bike Boy" on

Bernard Rhodes Bernard Rhodes is a designer, band manager, studio owner, record producer and songwriter who was integral to the development of the punk rock scene in the United Kingdom from the middle 1970s. He is most associated with two of the UK's best kn ...

' own Sacred record label. Twinn and Matlock stayed in touch and began writing and recording with The Damned drummer

Rat Scabies Christopher John Millar (born 30 July 1955), known by his stage name Rat Scabies, is a musician best known as the drummer for English punk rock band the Damned. Career Millar was born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. He played drums with Tor ...

and

Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s a ...

guitarist Bob "Derwood" Andrews as Dead Horse in 1996. A US tour was arranged, but almost immediately Matlock reunited with the Sex Pistols and the group was disbanded. Matlock rejoined the original Sex Pistols members for reunion tours in 1996, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008. He played bass guitar and sang for a time in the bands The Philistines and

The Flying Padovanis Henry (or Henri) Padovani (born 13 October 1952) is a French musician (from the Mediterranean French isle of Corsica), noted for being the original guitarist of English rock band The Police. He was a member of the band from January 1977 to Augu ...

. He toured with a loose collective of punk and post-punk stars,

Dead Men Walking Dead Men Walking are a British based rock supergroup with a multi national line-up, who have toured the UK, Ireland and the United States. From 2001 to 2006 they were led by Mike Peters of the Alarm and Kirk Brandon, of Spear of Destiny, with a ...

, which included Mike Peters of

The Alarm The Alarm are a Welsh rock band that formed in Rhyl, Wales, in 1981. Initially formed as a punk band, the Toilets, in 1977, under lead vocalist Mike Peters, the band soon embraced arena rock and included marked influences from Welsh languag ...

Kirk Brandon Kirk Brandon (born 3 August 1956) is an English musician best known as the leader of the bands Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny and a former lover of Boy George. Musical career Brandon's music career started in 1978, in Clapham, south Lo ...

Theatre of Hate Theatre of Hate are a British post-punk band formed in London, England, in 1980. Led by singer-songwriter Kirk Brandon (formerly of the Pack), the original group also consisted of bassist Stan Stammers (formerly of the Straps and the Epilepti ...

and

Spear of Destiny A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastene ...

, and

Pete Wylie Peter James Wylie (born 22 March 1958) is an English singer/songwriter and guitarist, best known as the leader of the band variously known as Wah!, Wah! Heat, Shambeko! Say Wah!, JF Wah!, The Mighty Wah! and Wah! The Mongrel. Career Early b ...

of Wah! He is now a member of Slinky Vagabond with

Earl Slick Earl Slick (born Frank Madeloni in Brooklyn, New York, October 1, 1952) is a guitarist best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Robert Smith. He has also worked with other artists including John Waite, Tim ...

Clem Burke Clement Burke (born Clement Anthony Bozewski; November 24, 1954) is an American musician who is best known as the drummer for the band Blondie from 1975, shortly after the band formed, throughout the band's entire career. He also played drums f ...

and Keanan Duffty. Slinky Vagabond played their debut concert at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash in May 2007. One newspaper, comparing the current lifestyles of the Sex Pistols, wrote: "Only original bassist Glen Matlock remains touring with his own band, an irony given that he was sacked for being too conservative". In January 2010, Glen Matlock reformed

for a one-off benefit concert in aid of Steve New. He was joined on stage by original members

and Midge Ure, as well as Mick Jones of

The Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...

and

Gary Kemp Gary James Kemp (born 16 October 1959) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and principal songwriter for the New Romantic band Spandau Ballet. Kemp wrote the lyrics and music ...

from

Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet () were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids, playing "European D ...

. New died of cancer on 24 May 2010. Matlock joined a reformed

Faces The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affe ...

, playing at the Vintage at Goodwood festival near

Chichester Chichester () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publi ...

in August 2010. In April 2011, he stood in for

Mani Mani may refer to: Geography * Maní, Casanare, a town and municipality in Casanare Department, Colombia * Mani, Chad, a town and sub-prefecture in Chad * Mani, Evros, a village in northeastern Greece * Mani, Karnataka, a village in Dakshi ...

playing bass for Primal Scream at the Japan Tsunami appeal concert at

Brixton Academy Brixton Academy (originally known as the Astoria Variety Cinema, previously known as Carling Academy Brixton, currently named O2 Academy Brixton as part of a sponsorship deal with the O2 brand) is a mid-sized concert venue located in South Wes ...

in London. In late 2011, The International Swingers, a band comprising Matlock, Clem Burke, James Stevenson and Gary Twinn, was formed. The band, based in Los Angeles, toured Australia and continues to perform occasionally. In 2012, Matlock made his acting debut in British drama film '' The Paddy Lincoln Gang'', performing a docudrama scene at a live

concert. In 2013 and 2014 he toured with the New York Dolls'

Sylvain Sylvain Sylvain Mizrahi (February 14, 1951 – January 13, 2021), known professionally as Sylvain Sylvain, was an American rock guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls. Early years Sylvain was born in Cairo, Egypt, to a Jewish ...

on the Sex Dolls Tour. He has spoken publicly against

Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC ...

. Matlock joined Blondie for their April 2022 UK and US tour, filling in for bassist Leigh Foxx who was unable to tour due to a back injury. Matlock is portrayed by Christian Lees in the 2022

Craig Pearce Craig Pearce is an Australian screenwriter and actor. Pearce's acting credits include a regular role in soap opera '' The Restless Years'' in 1981, guest roles in '' Bellamy'', '' E Street'' and ''G.P.'', and film roles in ''I Can't Get Started ...

Danny Boyle Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer. He is known for his work on films including '' Shallow Grave'', '' Trainspotting'' and its sequel '' T2 Trainspotting'', '' The Beach'', ''28 Days Later'', '' S ...

FX biographical drama miniseries Pistol.

Discography

Sex Pistols

*1977 – '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'' ;Sex Pistols compilations: *1977 – '' Spunk'' *1979 – ''

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'' is a 1980 British mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas. It centres on the British punk rock band Sex Pistols and, most prominently, their manager Malcolm Mc ...

'' *1980 – ''

Flogging a Dead Horse Flogging a dead horse (or beating a dead horse in American English) is an idiom ascribed to Anglophones which means that a particular effort is futile, being a waste of time without a positive outcome, e.g. such as Flagellation, flogging a dead ...

'' *1980 – ''Sex Pack'' *1985 – ''Anarchy in the UK – Live at the 76 Club'' *1992 – '' Kiss This'' *1996 – ''

Filthy Lucre Live ''Filthy Lucre Live'' is a 1996 live album by the reformed Sex Pistols. The album was recorded live at London's Finsbury Park on 23 June 1996 during the band's Filthy Lucre Tour. BBC Radio 1 broadcast the concert live, featuring the complete ...

'' *2002 – ''

Jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...

'' *2002 – ''Sex Pistols Box Set'' *2008 – ''

Agents of Anarchy ''Agents Of Anarchy'' is a compilation album from the Sex Pistols. it was released in August 2008. Track listing Disc one #"Submission" – 4:31 #"Did You No Wrong" – 3:24 #"Whatcha Gonna Do About It" – 4:25 #"Feedback"&n ...

'' *2008 – '' Live & Filthy''

Rich Kids

*1978 – '' Ghosts of Princes in Towers'' ;Rich Kids compilations: *1998 – ''Burning Sounds'' *2003 – ''Best of the Rich Kids''

Vicious White Kids

*1978 – ''

The Vicious White Kids featuring Sid Vicious Vicious White Kids were an English punk rock band from London that formed for only one concert on 15 August 1978, staged at the Electric Ballroom in London. The former bassist of Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious, was the lead singer. It was his fina ...

'' (unreleased until 1991.)

Iggy Pop

*1980 – ''

The Damned

*1995 – '' Not of This Earth''

Glen Matlock & The Philistines

*1996 – ''Who's He Think He Is When He's at Home?'' (Solo album.) *2000 – ''Open Mind'' *2004 – ''On Something'' *2010 – ''Born Running'' *2013 – ''Rattle Your Cage: The Best of Glen Matlock & The Philistines'' *2018 – ''Good to Go''

The International Swingers

*2012 – ''International Swingers EP'' (limited release.) *2013 – ''Gun Control EP'' (limited release.) *2015 – ''Whatever Works Now''

Bibliography

References

External links

The Philistines UKThe International Swingers' official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matlock, Glen 1956 births Living people People educated at St. Clement Danes School English punk rock singers English punk rock bass guitarists English male singer-songwriters English new wave musicians Male new wave singers Musicians from London Sex Pistols members Alumni of Saint Martin's School of Art Faces (band) members English male guitarists English punk rock guitarists Male bass guitarists Dead Men Walking members The International Swingers members Holy Holy (tribute band) members Rich Kids members