Every now and again the topic of so called personalities that follow the R’s is discussed. What about so and so, he used to be seen at Loftus Road, does he still go ? Some years ago, I picked up a copy of the ‘Metro’ and inside was a short interview with Glen Matlock, one time Sex Pistol who proudly proclaimed his allegiance to the Superhoops. The following year, the flyer for the Olympia Record Fair stated that he would make a personal appearance on both weekend days of the Fair. The Saturday also happened to be Cup Final day, but I was committed to doing the Fair and meeting him.
So I joined the line of old and new Punks, queuing up for their Pistols LP’s and photos to be autographed. My turn eventually came, and I surprised him by remarking that I didn’t want anything signed, I just wanted to have a chat about the Rangers.
He was born in Kensal Green and attended Clement Danes School. I was pleased to hear that he’s also a big fan of the Small Faces. As we were chatting the procession continued. I stood aside for a moment as one young guy asked for his CD to be signed. “Who should I sign it to ?” he enquired. “Just write fxxk off” came the reply !!!
I also took the opportunity to get a few publicity pictures signed with ‘Come On You R’s’ to pass on and I even kept one for myself. I’m not really a fan of the Pistols, but I thought the least I could do was hand over a tenner for a ‘Philistines’ CD titled ‘Open Mind’ that was strategically placed on the table and then returned to my stall to eagerly await his mini live set scheduled in about an hour or so.
His solo set more or less coincided with kick-off time. Some previously unfamiliar tunes followed such as, ‘Burning Sound’, ‘Different World’ and ‘Sad Meal For One’, a song from the ‘Open Mind’ CD which was about Yuppie types who buy their microwave meals in the Edgware Road. He stopped abruptly mid-way through one number yelling: “Its Cup Final day but I don’t care, I’m QPR” which provoked a response from yours truly of ‘UR’ssss’ from behind the Punk ensemble. The Punks didn’t know what was going on of course, but I did and it was wonderful. He belted out another song from what was then his current album, which was all about having ‘shit for brains’ and titled appropriately ‘Idiot’. The mini set concluded with the classic Pistols number ‘Pretty Vacant’ with as you can imagine, the chorus of ‘And We Don’t Care’ was sung by all and sundry, young and old. In his intro, he had termed the set, ‘Acoustic Punk’ and it really was pretty special even for a non-believer.
He returned the following day for another signing session, plus of course more talk about the R’s before setting off for a gig in Liverpool. He told me that he couldn’t get down to Loftus Road as often as he would have liked because of his band commitments and seeing his kids at weekends but he added that Gary Crowley was a fan. I had to tell him that I had respect for him and Mick Jones and contempt for people like Phil Collins. I gave him a badge which he proudly pinned on his shirt and he left me with a wonderful football and music related story. He was at Loftus Road on one occasion and during the half-time interval, he was hanging around with Mick Jones and he clocked a very attractive young girl eyeing them up and down. Eventually she came over, but upon arrival, she pointed to a much older guy situated near them and said to their amazement. “Is that Bruce Welch of the Shadows standing over there ? ”
Glen Matlock is most definitely one of our own.
Steve Russell
Hi Steve,
It always surprises me that Glen Matlock is always mentioned as being an ‘R’ and yet no one ever seems to mention Paul Cook and Steve Jones. Both Bush boys who went to Christopher Wren in Bloemfontein Rd. Cookie lived up one of the roads leading from Uxbridge road. Godolphin Rd maybe but certainly one of those.
Paul was the most unlikely punk rocker I have ever met. He was a lovely kid and the last time I met him he was on a Friday afternoon bus going from Fulham Palace Rd to the Bush.
I thought he looked a bit scruffy and thought he must be out of work so I said come to the Springbok tonight and I will see you alright.
He didn’t show but in the paper on Sunday there was a big splash about the next great thing, The Sex pistols.
My mate married his sister who was drop dead gorgeous but also one of the nicest kids I can recall.
As for Jonesy, the last time I saw him I can only say it was in circumstances of a very dubious nature but curiously or perhaps not as I spent far too many nights of my late teens there, it was outside the Springbok.
Lucky the Pistols kicked off because he was a young rascal that I think anything might have happened to.
Anyways, both born in the Bush Rs.
Bill
ps, sorry if this has already been mentioned, think they call it alzheimers, now what was I doing?
Nice piece Steve! I remember there was an interview in 4-4-2 about 10 years ago where Glen talked a lot about his memories of following Rangers. His book “I was a Teenage Sex Pistol” is a very good read and it mentions the Rs in the foreward, although the rest of the book is all about growing up in West London and how the Pistols came about. I suspect Paul Cook and Steve Jones may well have been Rs as kids as they lived on the White City estate but they have now gone over to the dark side of Chelsea! I saw Glen with what looked like his dad and his son at the Palace home game in April 2009. Football watching as it should be with 3 generations. Good to see that he still goes.
Glad you liked it Martin. I bought that book the next time I saw him about 3 years ago, which was in Ruislip. A very good read mate. Another acoustic set and he even did ‘All Or Nothing’ that night. Wonderful !
Nice read Steve. Thanks.
Once again a great read and great insight on not only the article, but the responses it produces on a website that is 2nd to none.
I love hearing these Stories about old West London boys who made their mark in musical History….
It’s a nice touch that no matter how much success these fellas had,they always stayed true to their roots…..
YOU RRRRSSSSSSSS
Paul Cook supports Chelsea, his dad’s an R, they still live near Hammersmith and used to drink in the Andover Arms, but, sadly, Cook supports C*&$%&a (couldn’t say it again!).
I remember on the Saturday after that Metro newspaper interview that both Glenn Matlock and Mick Jones were both at Loftus Road for a QPR home game.
They were both standing outside the lower loft entrance and were both very chatty and approachable and had gathered quite a crowd.
I can’t even begin to recall who we were playing that day but the memory of meeting both these musical legends will live on a whole lot longer.
Great article as usual Steve!
Just found a lovely quote from Glen Matlock on the Gooner Lydon!:
“Johnny Rotten would always get pissed off when we started talking football,” recalls former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, a QPR fan.
“He couldn’t get his head round it. He would say things like, ‘What’s so special about 22 grown men kicking a football around a muddy field? It’s crap.’
“And then, with Euro ‚Äò96 and football suddenly becoming a fairly credible sport again, all of a sudden he‚Äôs saying, ‚ÄòOh yeah, I‚Äôm a massive Arsenal fan. I‚Äôve always been a massive Arsenal fan.‚Äù