Sex Pistols Bassist & chief songwriter Glen Matlock returns to Somerset having just played the Pyramid Stage with Blondie for a special one-off up close and personal show!
Forever changing rock ‘n’ roll history as chief songwriter with the Sex Pistols, the evolving path walked by Glen Matlock remains unbound by genre, geography, & task.
His contribution to the Sex Pistols, and thus culture itself, is well documented. Penning the anthem Pretty Vacant, arguably the most famous punk song ever, Glen wrote the music to all the Sex Pistols classics, including Anarchy In The UK and God Save The Queen, creating the benchmarks for any aspiring rock band who followed in their wake. Periodic Sex Pistols reunions have allowed the world the chance to see Glen reaffirm his rightful position as the cornerstone of the Pistols. The Sex Pistols, however, represent only a fraction of Glen’s legacy.
His next band, the Rich Kids, put out one of the most influential albums of the late 70s, Ghosts Of Princes In Towers, packed full of rock ‘n’ pop gems. Working with Iggy Pop, (who recorded Glen’s song Ambition), during the 80s kept him sharp and sought-after with a body of work during this period giving rise to releases by bands such as The Spectres and Hot Club. In the 1990s Glen emerged as a solo force to be reckoned with. His album Who’s he Think he is When he’s at Home? recorded for Creation Records, home of Oasis, was a full-on guitar album, blistering in its intensity, taking everyone by surprise. Not content to kick up his heels, the reinvention continued with a series of fine albums by his band project, The Philistines.
Keen to expand his worldview and experience, Glen has developed a niche in DJ sets guesting in nightclubs in countries as geographically dispersed as Brazil and Italy. In 2018 Glen became one of the first UK musicians to perform in South Korea’s Demilitarized Zone, a feat which brought much attention in the media, including BBC News.
Passing on his vast knowledge and experience to others has become important to Glen (his two sons are making musical waves of their own) and he has latterly embraced college music teaching and motivational speaking. This seems fitting for one of the most famous, yet grounded, musicians to emerge at the forefront of the most turbulent and celebrated musical upheaval in rock ‘n’ roll.
History is, thank God, not what Glen Matlock is about. Embracing the past, but constantly seeking out the new, musically, professionally and personally, keeps Glen out of his comfort zone, and at his best. Alive and alert.
