Glen Matlock Interview October 2024
The new incarnation of the Sex Pistols; Glen, Paul, Steve and Frank Carter, has taken everyone by surprise. They won't change the world, but they've caused a significant enough stir to get everyone talking. It's been a full-on year for Glen which is set to continue when his band hits the road in November.
Glen talks Pistols and solo to Phil Singleton.
Phil: You must be delighted at how the Pistols gigs have gone?
Glen: It's been great, you know, I think it's given us all a new lease of life. I wasn't surprised how well it went down because I'd been rehearsing with the band. I knew it. I knew it was good. I knew Frank's got a good vibe going. It was never supposed to be imitating John, and trying to do John. That was the last thing any of us wanted really. It's just kind of different. Do you know what? I haven't had time to think about it much. Almost all this year, I've been doing my stuff, the Blondie thing, sessions, travelling around, looking after people. Going to Australia, America, Mexico, France, it's been a lot really. My head's going round! I'm knackered!
It was your son Louis who suggested Frank for the Pistols.
What happened was, I was on the phone about this time last year, and the Pistols' manager called me up and asked would I be up for doing the Pistols? I said, "Well, yeah, but we need a singer, I'm not too keen doing it with John." She said, "No, we've got this other idea", but I wasn't that impressed. I was at home on my phone by myself, hands-free, and then my son, Louis, came in, and he overheard the suggestion, and he was going, "No, no, no!" I said, "I'll have to call you back." I said to Louis, "Well, I'm not that keen either, so who do you think we should get?" He said, "Get Carter".
I asked Louis if he knew Frank. Well, Louis and his older brother had a band, Dead, and they supported him. He told me he was a great bloke. He had his number and arranged for us to have a coffee with him. I liked him. And then we played with Paul, and I played guitar, it was just me, Paul, and Frank, I didn't want anybody else involved. Then we told Steve and that was it. We didn't even try anybody else out.
Then I saw Frank performing, it was about Easter time. He did two sold out nights at The Roundhouse, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes. I thought he was great, you know. So, that was it, really. I took some video and sent it to the other guys, they all liked it. So, it was like falling off a log.
I know he's very grateful for the opportunity.
He played it cool when he did the gigs but afterwards he let us know he was over the moon doing it. Even his mum and dad came to the gigs. I call her Mrs Rattlesnake now.
You followed the Bush Hall gigs with a mini tour. I think you knew Bush Hall was going to be a success, really, didn't you?
Yeah, but these gigs that we've just done came in pretty quickly on the back of Bush Hall. We even did a big festival in Italy which people haven't heard about so much. You should have come to that!
I think the four of you are brilliant together, and it seems everyone that's seen you has said exactly the same. You all got huge individual cheers from the crowd. Steve has mentioned he doesn't think it will be the end of it, because it was all too good.
I think next year we're going to be really busy again. I don't know what's going on yet, but I'm waiting to see what unfolds, which should be soonish. I want to know because I'm going to keep doing my thing. I'm really looking forward to opening up for Alice Cooper at Hammersmith Apollo for two nights, so that'll be good. That's coming soon. I saw Alice Cooper play - Blondie and I were on the same bill in Australia - and they've got a pretty tough kind of show. I won't be hiring a snake like Alice though! I'm planning to get there on the Metropolitan Line with my freedom pass, and I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to take snakes on the Tube.
Then we've got 13 dates around the country as well. I just want to be playing really. I'm more interested in playing newer stuff, I must admit, but you can't not play the Pistols stuff with the guys you learned to play together with, you know?
Whenever I do something, I always do it to the best of my ability. I'm just beginning to address what I'm going to do on my shows. I mean, it will be pretty much a similar kind of thing to what I did last time, but I've got a few different songs that I want to put in, songs I haven't played for a bit, like "Piece of The Action" and one called "Rock Chick". I'm going to start rehearsing and see what happens. I always enjoy playing with Musto, with Jim and Neal, it's great. There's a chemistry between everybody and it's a different kind of chemistry, and it's great to get to sing your own songs. I think there's some good songs on the last half a dozen albums I've put out. So there you go. And Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's) is supporting.
So, don't just wait for any further Pistols' confirmations, get out and see Glen and his band deliver their hard hitting unique brand of rock 'n' roll. Just as with the Pistols, no one goes home disappointed.
Text ©Phil Singleton 2024
/ www.sex-pistols.org
Photo ©Tinak Photography
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