Art Basel Music: A Sex Pistol in South Beach, December 4

Art Basel week is the time of surreal collaborations and appearances, so when New York mag reported a supposed "Sex Pistols concert on the beach," it seemed plausible. Still, they only got it 25 percent right. One Pistol will, indeed, be performing, at the very swish new Opium Group poolside...

By Arielle Castillo

December 2, 2009

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Art Basel week is the time of surreal collaborations and appearances, so when New York mag reported a supposed "Sex Pistols concert on the beach," it seemed plausible. Still, they only got it 25 percent right. One Pistol will, indeed, be performing, at the very swish new Opium Group poolside venue WET, in the W South Beach -- original bassist Glen Matlock. Sure, everybody knows Sid Vicious as the band's latter-day bassist/walking disaster, but Matlock was there first. Always one of the most musically talented in the band, he's no Peter Best type either. He left the Pistols before the recording of their 1977 debut, Never Mind the Bollocks...., but was re-hired at the end of the sessions to fill in. Vicious was too wasted and, frankly, musically incapable most of the time, so that's Matlock's rhythm you hear on most of Bollocks.

There were no hard feelings, though, as Matlock later played with Sid Vicious after the Pistols' break-up. Later in the '70s he also played with 2009's Miamian of the Year, Iggy Pop, and in the '80s, with the equally cool Johnny Thunders.

In the '90s and beyond, Matlock's released a number of more traditional Brit-style rock albums -- he was into mod rock at the start of the Pistols, after all -- and he remains the only Sex Pistol who consistently tours. Friday night he performs by the pool at WET at the W, alongside locals Hykcast Studios, who do a sort of golden age hip-hop/jazz crossover thing. This promises to be an interesting era/genre mash-up indeed.

Friday, December 4. WET at the W South Beach, 2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. 305-398-3131; wallmiami.com

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