About Paul Matters
Lived 1948 – 2020 (aged 72). Paul Matters was an Australian musician.
Paul Matters (14 October 1952 – 14 October 2020) was a bassist for the Australian rock band AC/DC in 1975, joining the group after the recording of their debut album High Voltage. He was fired by lead singer Bon Scott several weeks after joining the group and replaced by Mark Evans.
Career Born in Toronto, New South Wales, Matters was the bassist of Newcastle band Armageddon until parting ways with the group in 1974 over what drummer Les Gully described to AC/DC biographer Jesse Fink as "musical differences". Matters was hired by AC/DC and performed live on tour in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney, but had not taken part in the recording of the group's debut album, which was recorded before his recruitment, and was then sacked from the group.
According to Gully, Matters "didn't fit the values of the Young [brothers] oligarchy. ... He didn't really fit, had strong opinions and sensitivity, and played just what he liked." Matters only gave one press interview following his sacking by AC/DC in 1975, to Fink for the book Bon: The Last Highway, in which he claimed that he was "a bit lazy" and "a bit cranky" but did not have enough money to eat: "I didn't have any food in my stomach. They [management] didn't give us any money to buy food or anything."
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Important facts
People in Paul Matters's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Paul Matters's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Paul Matters?
Australian musician (1948-2020)
When was Paul Matters born?
Paul Matters was born on 2 May 1948 in London.
When did Paul Matters die?
Paul Matters died on 14 October 2020.
What was Paul Matters's occupation?
Paul Matters was a musician.
What nationality was Paul Matters?
Paul Matters was Australian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Paul Matters. https://biography.guide/paul-matters/
MLA: "Paul Matters." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/paul-matters/.
Chicago: "Paul Matters." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/paul-matters/.
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