Glen Matlock, Little Venice, London.
Glen tells a good rock’n’roll yarn. Lots of hilarious stories about the disastrous Soldier album, which helped scupper Iggy’s career around 1979. Glen played a couple of tours with Iggy, as well as contributing several songs to Soldier. This was just at the point that Iggy’s career started to unravel under the pressure of relentless touring, and a couple of uninspired (to say the least) records. Here’s one story that might not make the book.
“There was these three good-looking birds [in Toronto]. And the guys in the band were sitting round having a drink and we’re kinda trying to chat 'em up. Didn’t really get anywhere. And then it kinda dawned on us that at certain times there was always a different one missing. And they’d all been up to Iggy’s room and come back. But we had the last laugh, ‘cos the next morning he was in a foul mood. What happened was one of them had the coil fitted wrong, and it cut his dick up really bad. And when we got to do the gig that night, not only did he get his dick out, which he normally does, but he’d got it wrapped up in Kleenex. And he’s pulling bits of Kleenex off his dick and throwing it into the audience. You know they say the band behind the stripper gets the best view. Well, it was ’orrible.”
And another one:
“In Italy when we did a gig and next morning I came down the stairs and, there may be a bit of artistic licence in the way I remember the story, but I went down the lobby and there was this Italian family having a go, and it boiled down to, Where is our daughter? So I called Henry, said better prepare him, there’s something going on here. Anyway, the girl comes down the stairs, and she’s rrr and they’re having a right go at her. And then Iggy appears at the top of the stairs, and he’s really dressed himself up like a rock star. And he walks down and they have a go at him, Mr Pop Mr Pop, you sleep with out daughter but now you must marry her. And he is, you know, dressed up as a star with a purple jacket and scarf, totally unlike him, and turns round to them [and says], Well I’d like to sir, but she’s a lousy lay! And walks off! And then, as I remember it, they shout at the daughter! That’s how I like to remember it anyway!”