Paul Matters — a onetime bassist of AC/DC — has died. The news was confirmed by AC/DC biographer Jesse Fink, as well as friend Rod Wescombe, late yesterday (October 14).
Matters joined AC/DC in 1975 after the recording of the group's debut album High Voltage. However, his stint in the band was short-lived, as he was reportedly given the boot by AC/DC singer Bon Scott only weeks later. Matters was eventually replaced by Mark Evans.
Before joining AC/DC, Matters played bass in the Australian rock group Armageddon.
In a post announcing the sad news of Matters' passing, Westcome 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.
The only recorded interview Matters ever gave about his dismissal from AC/DC was to biographer Jesse Fink, who wrote the 2017 book Bon: The Last Highway. In it, Fink wrote that Matters was "a bit lazy" and "a bit cranky." The author also described Matters as "an uncommonly handsome sight in AC/DC, a kind of hard-rock Chris Hemsworth who could play."
AC/DC's new album POWER UP will arrive November 13 via Columbia.
Matters joined AC/DC in 1975 after the recording of the group's debut album High Voltage. However, his stint in the band was short-lived, as he was reportedly given the boot by AC/DC singer Bon Scott only weeks later. Matters was eventually replaced by Mark Evans.
Before joining AC/DC, Matters played bass in the Australian rock group Armageddon.
In a post announcing the sad news of Matters' passing, Westcome 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.
The only recorded interview Matters ever gave about his dismissal from AC/DC was to biographer Jesse Fink, who wrote the 2017 book Bon: The Last Highway. In it, Fink wrote that Matters was "a bit lazy" and "a bit cranky." The author also described Matters as "an uncommonly handsome sight in AC/DC, a kind of hard-rock Chris Hemsworth who could play."
AC/DC's new album POWER UP will arrive November 13 via Columbia.
