Glen Matlock is one of the most respected, if underrated British musicians. In a career that has spanned over thirty years, Glen has made indelible contributions to music as the original bass player with The Sex Pistols, formed the infamous Rich Kids, worked with a variety of artists ranging from Iggy Pop, fellow original School of '76 Brit Punk Rockers The Damned, through to neo-rockabilly singer Robert Gordon, whilst pursuing his own musically distinctive direction where melodic and inventive rock music thrives. To cap it all, 2010 sees Glen release a brand new album - arguably the finest to bear his name - in the shape of Born Running.
After Matlock's departure from The Sex Pistols, he hooked up with old pal, guitarist Steve New, alongside drummer Rusty Egan and guitarist / singer-songwriter Midge Ure, formerly of Scottish pop band Slik, to form The Rich Kids, who signed to EMI and were quickly ushered into a studio to cut the album Ghosts of Princes In Towers with one of Matlock's heroes, Spiders From Mars guitarist Mick Ronson. The Rich Kids failed to live up to their promise, however and after they split, Matlock worked with Iggy Pop on his Soldier album and subsequent tour, and then formed The Spectres with former Tom Robinson Band guitarist Danny Kustow.
Matlock's autobiography, I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol, was published to great critical acclaim in 1990, and updated and reprinted in 1996 with insights and updates following the reformed Sex Pistols 'Filthy Lucre' tour, which revealed that Matlock was also a fine raconteur and witty writer.
Glen's latest album, Born Running, recorded with his band The Philistines, offers up twelve more punchy and direct examples of Matlock's innate ability to craft timeless, melodic rock songs. It has an added poignancy insofar as it features the last recordings of guitarist Steve New, one of Matlock's oldest friends and fellow founder-member of The Rich Kids, who died in 2010. Also in the band's line up is drummer Javier Weyler, the current drumming incumbent with The Stereophonics, as well as guitarist James Stevenson, who, like Matlock, is a musical survivor from the original School of '76 British Punk Rock. The album was produced by Jim Lowe, who has produced numerous hugely successful albums for The Stereophonics. Born Running is the latest salvo from a musician and songwriter who is never satisfied with resting on his considerable musical achievements; there is much more to come from this hugely gifted individual.
