BLABBERMOUTH.NET
Former
AC/DC bassist
Paul Matters has died. The news of his passing was revealed by his friend
Rod Wescombe as well as
AC/DC biographer
Jesse Fink, author of the book
"Bon: The Last Highway".
According to
Wikipedia,
Matters joined
AC/DC in 1975 after the recording of the band's debut album,
"High Voltage". Several weeks later, he was reportedly fired by
AC/DC singer
Bon Scott, and was replaced by
Mark Evans.
Prior to joining
AC/DC,
Matters played bass for Newcastle band
ARMAGGEDON which he exited in 1974 over what drummer
Les Gully described to
Fink as "musical differences". He was then fired from
AC/DC, according to
Gully, "because he didn't fit the values of the
Young [brothers] oligarchy. Too pretty, for a start. He didn't really fit, had strong opinions and sensitivity, and played just what he liked."
A recluse,
Matters has only ever given one press interview since his dismissal from
AC/DC, to
Fink for
"Bon: The Last Highway", in which he claimed he was "a bit lazy" and "a bit cranky" but did not have enough money to eat: "I didn't have any food in my stomach. They [management] didn't give us any money to buy food or anything."
In
"Bon: The Last Highway",
Fink called
Matters "an uncommonly handsome sight in
AC/DC, a kind of hard-rock
Chris Hemsworth who could play."
Matters performed live with
AC/DC on a national tour in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney, promoting the band's debut album, but did not record in the studio, where bass duties were performed by
George Young.
Matters quit music after his departure from
AC/DC in 1975 and sold his bass guitar.
Earlier today,
Wescombe wrote: "Shocked and sad to hear of the passing of
Paul Matters.
"I first met
Paul in 1973 when he was playing bass in '
Armageddon' at a gig in Hamilton, Newcastle N.S.W.
"When I was living in Toronto he would drop into the house in the late hours to party and he loved to party.
"In late '75 after he departed
AC/DC we played together in a one off band called '
Miss Australia Band' at a gig on a ferry on Lake Macquarie.
"I moved to Sunshine on the lake further south and
Paul would drop in to chill whenever he was in the area. I recall he could always make me laugh when he was in the mood.
"After leaving New South Wales I lost contact with him as did many other people over the years.
"From all reports he lived a reclusive life in his later years and his early rock n' roll life style led to ailing health.
"He will be missed by all who knew him."
Fink tweeted simply: "Another former
AC/DC musician has died: bassist
Paul Matters. RIP, mate #acdc".
Shocked and sad to hear of the passing of Paul Matters.
I first met Paul in 1973 when he was playing bass in "Armageddon...
Posted by Rod Wescombe on Wednesday, October 14, 2020