Paul Matters, the rocker who previously played bass guitar for AC/DC, has passed away.

Announcing the death of the bass guitarist who went on to live a reclusive life following the end of his music career was his friend, Rod Wescombe, who claimed that Paul’s rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle led to health complications in his late life.

“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,” Wescombe wrote in his Facebook tribute.

“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.”

Matters was active in the music industry from 1968 to 1975 when he joined AC/DC as a bass guitarist. Just weeks after joining the legendary rock band, Matters was sacked by former lead singer Bon Scott.

Shortly after his dismissal from the band, Matters gave up on his music career and went on to live a “reclusive life.”

Back in 2017, the guitarist opened up about the time he got fired from AC/DC in an interview for ‘Bon: The Last Highway: The Untold Story of Bon Scott and AC/DC’s Back in Black’.

“Bon got out of the back of the truck and told me I wasn’t going back to Melbourne with them,” he recalled.

“We were up in Sydney doing a concert for school kids. So I didn’t play that day. I just turned around and didn’t say a word to him. I turned around and walked out.”

May he rest in peace.

 

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