Sex Pistol Glen Matlock and New York Doll Sylvain Sylvain have been on an acoustic tour of the USA together this month. While the idea of an acoustic tour by two punk pioneers, famous for much more cacophonous music than acoustic guitars are generally associated with, might prompt a smirk or two in some circles, they’ve done this together before, and reviews have generally been quite enthusiastic, with much praise for the casual intimacy of the shows, and for Sylvain and Matlock’s easy humor and engaging storytelling. It would seem that with the tour being such a hit, and given the ease of recording such a stripped-down setup, a live album would be in the offing, but Matlock kiboshed the idea in a recent piece in the Michigan entertainment magazine Revue:

When asked whether or not they would be recording any of the shows for sale later, Matlock was more or less pretty sure that wouldn’t be happening.

“We’re just doing it for fun,” Matlock said. “If you want to hear it, you’ve got to come to the show.”

“Well, CRAP,” said this writer, having totally missed the tour’s stop in his city. But the fan videos being posted online tend to shore up the positive consensus. Check out Sylvain at Detroit’s Magic Bag, performing “Teenage News,” a never-recorded Dolls track that he made the lead-off song on his first solo album, posted by rawdetroit:
 

 
Here’s Sylvain on his own again, At the Midway in Boston, posted by Punk Blowfish, telling a great Bo Diddley story and leading a singalong of “Pills.”
 

 
Matlock sang “God Save The Queen” at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where he presumably picked up the trophy he would have already had for years had the Pistols not famously blown off their induction.
 

 
Another one from the Rock Hall, with the pair teaming up for the Dolls’ “Personality Crisis.” Both of these were posted by YouTube user Marlena Weaver.
 

 
Now I’m cheating, this is from last year, but I don’t care because it rules: Sylvain and Matlock, together doing T Rex’s “Bang A Gong (Get It On),” another “Personality Crisis,” and The Pistols’ “Pretty Vacant.” The playfulness and spontaneity on display here are wonderful—these two clearly have a fantastic time doing this. Hat tip to Bicycle Joe for this one.
 

 
Remaining tour dates as of this posting are:

3/20, City Winery, Chicago, IL
3/21, Bell’s Back Room, Kalamazoo, MI
3/22, Bernie’s Distillery, Columbus, OH
3/25, 31st Street Pub, Pittsburgh, PA
3/27, Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
3/28, Boneyard, Atlantic City, NJ
3/29, Live At Drew’s, Mohawk, NJ

Bonus: here’s an interview with Matlock and Sylvain, pre-show at the first stop on the tour.
 

 
Glen Matlock’s new book, Sex Pistols Filthy Lucre Photofile, was published earlier this month by Foruli Codex.