Tag Archives: Sex Pistols

Notes from the Lust For Life Tour – Feb/Mar 2023

Live reviews, Rock music, , , , , , , ,

The recent Lust For Life tour brought together Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop), Clem Burke (Blondie, Iggy Pop), Katie Puckrik (Pet Shop Boys, Sparks), Kevin Armstrong (Iggy Pop, David Bowie), Luis Correia (Earl Slick) and Florence Sabeva (Heaven 17).

Having had the immense privilege of spending the past few months working on the PR campaign for the tour it was a joy to finally witness the band live, not just in a professional capacity but most importantly as a fan, of both that glorious Iggy Pop album and of the individual players in the band, too.

Why Lust For Life? In the run-up to the tour and following a last-minute change in personnel, Kevin Armstrong explained the thinking behind celebrating the album in this way:

“Well, it’s 45 years since the release of Lust For Life and it just seemed like a great way to celebrate these fantastic landmarks in music with some of the people who were there and some of us who have an Iggy connection. So that was the initial idea and Tony Sales, who played on Lust For Life, was up for it initially. But due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control he’s unable to complete the process. But luckily for us we’ve got Glen Matlock who’s similarly imbued with a connection to Iggy.”

By any criteria this was going to be an impressively strong line-up of musicians but the key test was always going to be how it would all gel together on stage. And what of Katie Puckrik? Many of us seeing this tour would know her from her impressive broadcasting career and would have some very fond memories of Katie bringing some all-American sass to the offbeat and very British irreverence of The Word back in the 1990s. But what would she bring as lead vocalist fronting such an esteemed collection of musical egos?

Both of those questions would be answered pretty conclusively by pretty much everyone witnessing the tour within the opening minutes of the first song (track one, side one of the original album, of course): an absolute triumph. Puckrik instantly proved herself as a compelling, energetic and gloriously charismatic frontwoman. Surely, a late career surge now beckons as an uncompromising rock ‘n’ roll goddess? As Clem Burke told his Twitter followers ahead of the final date on the tour:

“Katie is fantastic and it’s just occurred to me she has joined the ranks of the other brilliant women I’ve been fortunate to play with: Debbie, Annie, Nancy, Wanda, The Go Go’s , & Joan!”

For the first part of the performance the band powered through the Lust For Life album from start to finish. Clem Burke’s rhythmic powerhouse drumming and Glen Matlock’s mean and dirty bass, a joy to witness. Seeing legends like this up on small stages in tiny, intimate venues just a few meters away is a real ‘pinch-me’ experience for many of us. Kevin Armstrong and Luis Correia are both exceptional guitarists and classically-trained Florence Sabeva is an incredibly versatile player as she takes on Bowie’s keyboard parts on the original album. After we’ve all sung along with them to anthems like ‘Some Weird Sin’, The Passenger’ and ‘Success’ before we know it we’re on to the band’s rendition of album’s final track, ‘Fall In Love With Me’, and it’s time for some introductions.

Underlining the gold standard of the musical CVs of the musicians standing in front of us we have filmed segments, both old and new, introducing each member in turn, courtesy of Glen Gregory, Sparks, Steve Norman, David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry.

Then it’s on to an extended ‘career highlights’ package with a brilliantly chosen set of songs from across the individual band members’ careers: Iggy Pop covers like ‘Nightclubbing’ and ‘Ambition’ (the latter with Matlock on vocals); Stooges covers like ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ and ‘No Fun’, Blondie’s ‘Rip Her To Shreds’ and a truly life-affirming version of the Pistol’s ‘Pretty Vacant’. Unforgettable performances from an unforgettable tour.

Although a number of those performing had worked with one another in various guises prior to this, both the tour and the band was initially conceived a one-off project, but let’s just hope this is the start rather than the end of something bigger.  It truly deserves to be. A brilliant way to celebrate one of the truly iconic albums of the past fifty years with an incredible cast of musicians who more than do it justice and then some.  

Photo credits: all live images taken at Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh courtesy of John Scott, Upstage Photography

Website: https://www.lustforlifetour.com/

‘Magic Carpet Ride’ the new single from punk legend, Glen Matlock – album due 28th April

Music news, Rock music, , , , , , ,

Legendary Sex Pistols bass-man, Glen Matlock, has this week released a second single as another taster from his long-awaited new solo album, Consequences Coming, which will be released in April.

Glen Matlock: “Magic Carpet Ride, with its fingers crossed Instant Karma-esque groove, is part of a quartet of songs from my forthcoming album, Consequences Coming. It attempts to deal with the road to nowhere journey we are being whisked on, to who knows where, who knows how and who the blinking flip knows why and is a sincere pleading that it is not the cul de sac that it promises to be, with the only escape route being the garden gate installed for a laugh by the flat earth society.”

He adds: “It also has a great slide guitar by Earl Slick.”

The original bassist and songwriter of the Sex Pistols, Matlock is responsible for co-penning some of history’s most iconic songs, “Anarchy In The UK,” “God Save The Queen” and “Pretty Vacant”.  After his time with The Sex Pistols, Matlock went on to form several well-regarded bands including Rich Kids (with Midge Ure).  He has collaborated with such artists as Iggy Pop, and Primal Scream, and is also a highly in-demand player, playing live with the likes of the legendary reformed Faces.

Matlock’s new deal with the Cooking Vinyl label will additionally see re-releases of two of his previous solo albums: 2010’s Born Running, and 2018’s critically-acclaimed Good To Go.

Credit Danny Clifford

Matlock makes no apologies for the politically-charged flavour of this latest album:

“The album was written and recorded in Britain over the last 18 months or so with a posse of seasoned but on point performers. All done during the debacle that is Brexit and the rise and fall of the turgid Trump episode in the US. These songs reflect my take on the whole sorry mess that has ensued.”

“Now the wheels of the music business can sometimes move at a lugubrious, glacial pace, and sometimes the moment might be lost but seeing no break in the clouds or clear light at the end of the tunnel, surely the only demand on people’s lips should be that there are ‘Consequences Coming’ for the fat headed oafs who have foisted their asinine warped sensibilities on us.”

“The tunes are pretty catchy too…”

It’s a busy month for Glen Matlock who, in addition to his solo work, is also currently touring the UK and Ireland in a celebration of Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life album. Stepping up at the eleventh hour to replace original Lust For Life bassist, Tony Fox Sales, who was unable to tour, Matlock joins legendary Blondie drummer, Clem Burke; broadcaster and Pet Shop Boys dancer, Katie Puckrik on vocals; Iggy Pop and David Bowie collaborator, Kevin Armstrong on guitar;  Luis Correia, who’s toured internationally with Earl Slick on second guitar together with classical pianist, composer, and touring member of Heaven 17, Florence Sabeva on keyboards.

On the eve of the Lust For Life tour, Matlock commented:

“It will be a bit of a challenge stepping into the top player and gentleman Tony Sales’ shoes at the last minute but challenges put hairs on your chest and are not to be shirked. To be on stage with these fellow like-minded guys and gals and celebrate our collective musical ancestries should be a pleasure, so come on down and let’s all hit the roof together.”

The Lust For Life Tour runs from 28th February and until 12th March https://www.lustforlifetour.com/

Consequences Coming is released on 28th April in CD and digital formats http://www.glenmatlock.co.uk/

Header photo credit: Danny Clifford

Related posts:

Glen Matlock, Clem Burke and Katie Puckrik celebrate 45 years of the Lust For Life album with UK tour

Live review: Glen Matlock headlines Hastings Fat Tuesday 2019

Live review: Glen Matlock headlines Hastings Fat Tuesday 5/3/19

Hastings music scene, Live reviews, Rock music, , , , ,

It’s often remarked upon what a uniquely thriving local live music scene Hastings has. Nowhere is this more in evidence than the annual Fat Tuesday extravaganza. Taking in over 250 separate performances from over sixty different bands across more than twenty-five venues over five days simply a whirlwind of live music. And most of these gigs are completely free.

Headlining it all this year is none other than rock ‘n’ roll legend and former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock. Like the other bands performing on the final night – Fat Tuesday itself – Matlock plays several twenty minute sets in several different venues tonight. But, as the main headliner, he also gets an additional forty-minute slot after the other bands have finished, courtesy of the Carlisle.

While Matlock is whizzing around these other venues it gives me the chance to catch another couple of bands in the Carlisle first: the excellent Hastings-based punk-folk outfit Matilda’s Scoundrels and then the Tunbridge Wells outfit Suncharmer with their brand of riffed-up indie rock.

Both bands are well received but the place soon gets properly crammed in time for Matlock. Playing a mix of Sex Pistols classics (‘God Save The Queen’, ‘Pretty Vacant’), recent solo material (‘Keep On Pushing’, ‘Fisherman’s Friends’) and classic cover versions such as Bowie’s ‘John I’m Only Dancing’ and The Small Face’s ‘All Or Nothing’. With a great band behind him (bass, vocals and electric guitar) and Matlock on vocals and acoustic guitar, they cram a pile of great rock’n’roll into their forty-minute set. Matlock’s adulation of the rockabilly era is apparent throughout – but for all the year zero posturing back in the day, punk was always about rediscovering the format of the classic three-minute rock ‘n’ roll song. It’s a superb performance that goes down perfectly with a suitably raucous crowd.

There had been other highlights from the weekend for me, of course. Saturday – branded as the unplugged day – saw me catch more of Matilda’s Scoundrels, some Indie-ish pop-rock from Elephant Radio, a gloriously insane set from Brass Funkeys and an excellent acoustic set from indie-folk singer-songwriter Trevor Moss. But having a genuine legend to headline was a fitting end to the madness that is Fat Tuesday.

A bona fide rock ‘n’ roll icon. Performing in the pub. Free entry. On a Tuesday night. It can only be Hastings…

http://glenmatlock.co.uk/

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