Former bassist of legendary Aussie rock band AC/DC Paul Matters dies

Former bassist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC Paul Matters has died. The news of his passing was revealed through a Facebook post on Wednesday from his close friend Rod Wescombe who said the guitarist will be “missed by hall who knew him”.

The post said that Wescombe first met Paul in 1973 when he was playing bass in another band known as Armageddon adding that the pair played together in 1975 after Paul had left AC/DC in a one-off band called Miss Australia Band.

“I recall he could always make me laugh when he was in the mood,” he wrote. “After leaving New South Wales I lost contact with him as did many other people over the years.From all reports he lived a reclusive life in his later years and his early rock n’ roll life style led to ailing health.”

https://www.facebook.com/rod.wescombe/posts/3265077636952523

Matters first joined AC/DC in 1975 following the band’s smash debut record, High Voltage, but was replaced just weeks later by Mark Evans apparently at the request of the band’s late-lead singer Bon Scott. Reports say he quit music after being fired from the band.

Matters was reportedly 64 when he died, according to Perth Now. He is now the third member of from the famous Australian rock band to die, following the passing of co-founder Malcolm Young who died of dementia at age 64 in 2017 and lead singer Bon Scott who died in 1980 at age 33 while he was still in the band.

Tributes to the musician were posted online with one commenter saying: “Another former AC/DC musician has died: bassist Paul Matters. RIP, mate” while another wrote: “I’m pretty certain that i saw Paul on bass, with AC/DC in their very early days. That adds to the experiencing of that historic moment”.