Sex Pistols’ bassist Glen Matlock played an updated version of ‘God Save The Queen’ yesterday (May 6) to coincide with King Charles III’s coronation.
The show took place at London’s 100 Club to support the release of his new album ‘Consequences Coming‘, which was released last week. Announcing the gig, Matlock wrote: “I wonder what kind of warrant I’ll get?! Come on down to the 100 Club this Saturday and find out.”
Ahead of the show the bassist said that he would not be changing the lyrics to Sex Pistols’ iconic protest anthem ‘God Save The Queen’ because it was proving tricky to make the new lines rhyme. But it seems that Matlock found a way.
Introducing the reworked song, Matlock said it was for “one night only” before singing the opening line, “We’re gonna save the King/ It ain’t just old thing”. See footage of him playing ‘God Save The King’ below:
The Sex Pistols’ ‘God Save the Queen’ has been updated to reflect Charles’ coronation.
Bassist Glen Matlock gives a preview to Channel 4 News ahead of a performance in central London. pic.twitter.com/T2DAqLvgFq
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 6, 2023
Great way to end the day by hearing “God save the King” @100clubLondon @GlenMatlock #CoronationDay pic.twitter.com/rsmcIJoYVB
— Murad Qureshi (@MuradQureshiLDN) May 6, 2023
Speaking to Channel 4 before the show, Matlock said it was a “bit weird” singing ‘God Save The Queen’ when she is “not around anymore”.
“Instead of just changing that one word [king], you’ve got to change a good few of them to make it all work. I’m just doing it one time, for a laugh,” he explained. “I’m not re-recording the song and putting it out, that would be a whole publishing nightmare. I’m doing it for the people who are there, at that moment in time and why not? It’s a laugh. I like poking fun at the establishment”
Last year, Sex Pistols reissued ‘God Save The Queen’ to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Matlock shared his thoughts about the coronation in a recent interview with The Guardian. “There’s just so many people in destitution at the moment in this country. I think it’s kind of rubbing their noses in it a little bit. It’s all a distraction, but that’s the country we live in.
“Things are bleak for a lot of people and I think the royal family is pretty much the same as Love Island or The X Factor. They’re kind of the opium of the masses, just keeping people quiet. This is England and that’s the way it is, what can I do about it? I just can rail against it every now and then.”
Yesterday also saw The Cure’s Robert Smith share a cartoon that poked fun at the coronation of King Charles III while his views on the British Monarchy went viral.
In the footage, Smith said: “I fucking hate Royalty. Any kind of hereditary privilege is just wrong. It’s not just anti-democracy, it’s just inherently wrong. They’ve never done anything, they’re fucking idiots. I should be King.”