Former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock has criticised TV singing shows for “having no talent”.

Glen, 60, said the talent shows dominated the music charts, leaving little space for anything else.

“Nothing really captures my attention to be honest (in today’s music scene),” he said.

Former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock with cellist Hen Titcombe at the launch of The Anarchy Arias album where the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra collaborated with opera singers to record an album of punk tunes. (Universal Music/Press Association Images)
Former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock with cellist Hen Titcombe at the launch of The Anarchy Arias album (Universal Music/Press Association Images)

“They’ve (talent shows) always been there but it now takes up so much space, it leaves less room for things of consequence to come through… There’s very little of consequence that’s going on today.

“People like Simon Cowell hog all the space and from what I’ve seen of talent shows there’s no talent on them.

“There’s the intro, a one verse chorus and a big cheesy smile at the end.

“It’s supposed to be about music. It’s nothing to do with music. It’s a load of rubbish.

Glen Matlock of The Sex Pistols attending the Q Awards 2015 held at Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday October 19, 2015. See PA Story: SHOWBIZ QAwards. Photo credit should read: Matt Crossick/PA Wire
Glen Matlock (Matt Crossick/PA)

“I’m sure they think they’re all being groundbreaking… There’s no spunk in the music that seems to be successful.”

Glen spoke after the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra collaborated with opera singers to record an album of punk tunes, including Sex Pistols tracks God Save The Queen and Pretty Vacant.

Punk tunes featured in operatic style on The Anarchy Arias also include The Buzzcocks’ Ever Fallen In Love and The Clash’s London Calling.

The Sex Pistols, from left to right; Steve Jones John Lydon, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook in 2002. (PA Archive)
The Sex Pistols, from left to right; Steve Jones John Lydon, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook in 2002. (PA Archive)

“It makes it more pukka somehow,” Glen said of the recordings.

“When you’re playing guitar, you have six strings each playing a different note, allied to a chord. In an orchestra, a string instrument only plays one note at a time, and you have loads of different people, making up those chords.

“It’s not that dissimilar, you just have more people doing it.”

The Anarchy Arias will be released on June 9 on Universal Music.