Although he'll always be the "former Sex Pistols bassist" in the history books, GLEN MATLOCK has had a fascinating and varied career in the years since those heady Punk days of anarchy and excess. He's made a great lost new wave album with Rich Kids, toured with Iggy Pop and Johnny Thunders and formed his own band The Philistines. These days, he's also a crucial part of rock 'supergroup' DEAD MEN WALKING, who also comprise Mike Peters, Kirk Brandon, Bruce Watson and Stray Cat Slim Jim Phantom.
Dead Men Walking are about to set out an extensive UK tour playing every town they can think of from Folkestone to Edinburgh during September and October in support of their "Live At Leeds" CD and W&H thought they'd mark the occasion by having a chat with the legendary Mr.Matlock.
This proves easier said than done as Glen's been twiddling his thumbs at the BBC (they let him in these days) doing a separate interview with Phill Jupitus. What should have been a leisurely interview at home becomes a chaotic one as W&H finally get hold of Glen in London's West End. He's on his mobile and - as he picks up - appears to be chatting a girl up. Class. Once a Sex Pistol, always a Sex Pistol, eh?
Glen, put that girl down and talk to us, man! Mike (Peters) told us he'd talked you into joining Dead Men Walking when you went to see one of their early gigs in London. Is that how you remember it?
"No, not really," says Glen. "No, no. We linked up 'cos I knew (Pete) Wylie really. I've known him for ages, love his songs. Him being in the original version of the band was important. But I knew Kirk and Mike from way back....not Bruce (Watson, ex-Big Country) so much, but he's a nice geezer. No, we all started doin' it for a laugh really."
"The thing is," he continues, before W&H can get a word in edgeways, "What's cool about DMW is that we still see ourselves very much as contemporary artists, and with DMW we can all play old and new songs, it's great. Everyone's got great songs to choose from and they're ours to play at the end of the day, ain't they? I mean, we've all got track records, why not celebrate them. I think we're like The Spinners but with swear words."
Genius. But what about Slim Jim Phantom, the Stray Cats drummer. Did you know him prior to Dead Men Walking?
"Yeah, yeah, I knew him from years back, we used to drink together sometimes," recalls Glen.
"He owns a club in LA called The Cat Club. Best night out in LA, that. The Stray Cats play there...they don't have to tour, people come and see 'em play there. Jim got involved 'cos DMW was originally just an acoustic guitar thing, but they wanted me to come in and play bass. I don't like playing bass without a drummer, so we got Jim and his half drum kit in...."
Does he stil play standing up, then?
"Yeah, he does," laughs Glen. "With all his millions, he still ain't bought a drum stool, the tight fisted bastard(laughs)".
As a concept, the idea of an all-singing, all-hit covering supergroup sounds cool, but you're certainly polarising opinion. Some people think of you as cabaret - or worse - karaoke. How do you feel about those sort of accusations?
"Everyone's entitled to their opinion, ain't they," Glen fires back, but I think he's a bit piqued.
"I mean, we wrote the songs we play and the bloke he wrote it, meant it, right?"
Well, theoretically, yeah, I guess...
"Well there you go. And all the songs we play stand the test of time, don't they?"
In terms of tunes like "Pretty Vacant", "Burning Sounds", "Spirit Of '76" and Brandon's "Never Take Me Alive", no I can't argue that fact...
"Yeah, well only the artist who writes a song really invests it with the original meaning, you know what mean?" replies Glen.
"Even if you go back to singers like Clodagh Rodgers an' all them, y'know. Whoever the fuck you like. I mean, sure, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but I'll tell you one thing, mate: no-one leaves our shows without a smile on their face, know what I mean?"
Hmm, I think I get yer drift, yeah. But what about DMW as a long-term project? I hear you've been playng with The Pistols again recently, in the States. Is that reunion still ongoing?
"Dunno, depends on how good the offers are," leers Matlock, with a filthy lucre timbre in his voice.
"The offers still come in, that's for sure. The great thing about the Pistols songs is because we didn't play those songs for so long they still feel fresh as daisies when we play 'em now, y;know? I mean, back in the day the Pistols didn't do that many gigs, so the stuffing never got knocked outta the songs."
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At this point, your reviewer is recalling a story relating to Glen and a, er, 'doctored' sandwich the Pistols gave to him featuring what Glen took to be mayonnaise. Let's not go there. Instead, I diplomatically ask him: Do you get on with the other Pistols these days?
"We've come to an accomodation with each other," replies Glen in a voice not unlike Boycie from "Only Fools & Horses."
Go on, you've got plenty of time...say something scandalous. Like what did you really think about John Lydon's exploits in the jungle on "I'm A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here"?
"I didn't think much of it," sniffs Glen.
"I only watched a bit of it, though I gotta admit John was the only one with any charisma in there. I got fucking sick of Fleet Street tailing me to me door trying to get me to spill the beans on him, though."
You didn't squawk, presumably?
"Course I didn't. You don't shit in your own backyard, do ya?" replies Matlock with some venom.
But not only are you doing DMW and - on occasion - The Sex Pistols - but you've got your own band The Philistines too. You have a new album called "On Something" due on - the irony - EMI in October. What can we expect from that?
"Well, I've still got Steve New (ex-Rich Kids) on board and we're supporting Blondie this week at Shepherd's Buch Empire. You comin' to that?"
I might if you give us a guest list.
"Yeah, well I was gonna call the new album "S.O.S" meaning "Same Old Shit," says Glen with typically chirpy Cockney swagger, "but it ain't. It's got fukcing good songs on it, tight playing, like you'd expect. I'd describe it as Small Faces meets Ramones. You might not agree...I dunno."
I'll tell you when I hear it. God, you're a busy bloke aintcha? Any other projects on the go?
"Yeah, I've been writing for Patti Palladin. Remember her?"
Snatch and Flying Lizards, right?
"That's the girl! I really like her. She's doin' a new album and I'm writing songs for her. Bloody hell, ain't that enough projects for yer?"
Whew. Reckon so. But let's talk about your back catalogue for a moment. The Rich Kids' album "Ghosts Of Princes In Towers" (from 1978) is a bit of a lost classic to these ears. How do you feel about that band and the record now?
"Pretty good, yeah," replies Glen.
"I mean, it woulda been easy to form a cash-in punk band that was like a Xerox of the Pistols, but I didn't...I stuck my neck out instead. I mean, even the name The Rich Kids was meant in an entirely sarcastic way, y'know? I'm proud of the Rich Kids album - "Ghosts of Princes In Towers" is one of the best songs I've ever written. It's a good, consistent hard pop album. I love writing to this day - it;s all about plugging away and getting to new ideas."
Admirable attitude, old son. But do you feel so positive about the current London scene. I know you're well acquainted with Alan McGee, so presumably you know all about The Libertines. What do you think about people dubbing them the 'new Pistols'?
"I don't get them at all, to be honest," says Matlock.
"Mick Jones (Clash guitarist and Libs' producer) obviously does, but I don't think they're happening at all. Don't see what the fuss is all about. I dunno...they're in the tabloids like we were, but y'know we never set out to be controversial in the Pistols, we just told the truth and the press started following us around."
"I mean, with the Pistols we just had something to say and made a good racket. But I do agree with one thing: all the best bands always come out of London, that's my yardstick. It's obvious ain't it - The Kinks, Rollng Stones, The Pistols, The Clash, that's the lineage, I still don't see anyone challenging that."
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