Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock has opened up about the band’s new vocalist Frank Carter, explaining how the singer has reinvigorated the group, in an interview published on Ultimate Classic Rock.
Matlock reflected on what it has been like working with Carter and drew a comparison to the band’s early days with John Lydon. He also addressed the possibility of writing new material together.
When asked about the chapter the band has opened with Frank Carter and the fun they seem to be having, Matlock was candid in his response.
“Yeah, Frank’s great. I hadn’t really thought this through before, but working with him, it was kind of like working with John, [who] did write the most fantastic lyrics. Frank writes lyrics and all, but we haven’t got to that stage with him yet,” he said.
Matlock went on to describe the energy Carter has brought back to the group, likening it to the band’s earliest and most raw period.
“But it was like we was full of youthful exuberance with John before he got his face in the newspapers, there’s a kind of a bit more of an open honesty. He’s kind of revitalized us, really, you know? I think he’s the right man for the job,” he continued.
On the subject of potentially writing new songs with Carter, Matlock acknowledged both the excitement and the complications that come with it.
“Maybe [we could write new songs with Frank], but he’s a lot younger than us. I’ve got some ideas, [if] everybody wants to do it, and then you know, there’s [the question of] who owns the name of the Sex Pistols. It’s more complicated than just doing it. Who knows?” he added.
The comments highlight the renewed momentum the Sex Pistols appear to have found with Carter. They also point to the unresolved questions surrounding the band’s future direction.
Carter’s arrival marks a significant turning point for a band that has navigated decades of internal conflict, legal disputes, and lineup changes. Understanding the full picture of how the Sex Pistols arrived at this moment requires a look back at the history that shaped the group’s complicated relationship with its own identity.
Frank Carter is best known as the frontman of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, a British punk band he formed in 2015 after departing from Gallows, where he had served as lead vocalist. As Kerrang! reported, Carter built a reputation as one of the most electrifying live performers in the modern punk scene. He was known for his raw intensity and deeply personal songwriting — qualities that clearly resonated with the surviving members of the Sex Pistols.
The question of who fronts the Sex Pistols has been a contentious one for years. John Lydon, who performed under the stage name Johnny Rotten, was effectively sidelined from the band’s reunion activities after losing a legal battle in 2022 over the use of Sex Pistols songs in the Danny Boyle-directed television series Pistol. BBC News reported that a UK judge ruled against Lydon, finding that a band agreement required majority consent for licensing decisions. The ruling deepened the rift between him and his former bandmates.
Glen Matlock himself has a long and layered history with the Sex Pistols. He was the band’s original bassist and a key contributor to their musical foundation before being replaced by Sid Vicious in 1977. Rolling Stone noted that Matlock has long been credited with writing much of the melodic backbone of the band’s landmark debut album Never Mind the Bollocks. This makes his perspective on songwriting and creative collaboration particularly significant when he speaks about the potential for new material with Carter.
The mention of who owns the Sex Pistols name adds another layer of complexity to any future plans. The band’s legacy has been entangled in legal and commercial disputes for much of its post-punk existence. Matlock’s candid acknowledgment of those complications suggests that any new chapter with Carter will require more than just musical chemistry to move forward. For now, the focus appears to remain on the live experience — and by all accounts, Carter is delivering exactly the kind of charged, unpredictable energy the Sex Pistols have always stood for.
