Paisley Buddies are being invited to come together this week to remember a musician from the town with the “warmest heart”.
William Alexander Matthews, known to many as Wambo, died in August of this year after a tragic accident aged just 57. On Friday, his fiancé, children, family and huge circle of friends will come together for a gig to pay tribute to a man who made time for everyone.
Held at Venue, the event will see performances from those who have worked with William over the years in various bands’ including Ghostmaker.
His long-term partner Kathleen said she hoped the gig would bring together all those who knew and loved the Paisley-born dad.
“He had a huge personality and was a larger-than-life guy,” Kathleen told the Paisley Daily Express. “He had the warmest heart you could ever come across, and that is one of the main things people talk about when they speak about him.
“William always had time in his day to speak to family, friends and customers. The response after his very sudden death spoke volumes of the sense of loss from people from all walks of Williams’s life.”
William and Kat got together later in life and they were due to be married in 2025. Kathleen said: “It is still so difficult to process that he is no longer with us.
“His love for his family and close ones was huge. He was dad to Wredd, Olivia, Anna and William and his love for his kids was the deepest. It is impossible to describe the loss of William. The loss for all who loved him will always be felt.”
In addition to his music, William was also known to many through his plastering business, WAM coatings, with his van a familiar site around the town.
He trained as a plasterer with his uncle Jim Quigley but always pursued his music. William had returned to Paisley aged 16, having spent some time living in the Scottish Borders and East Ayrshire. He was also the son of Paisley icon William “Jukebox” Matthews, who died in 2013.
Throughout his career, William sang with various bands’ such as Bedrock Buskers, Ghostmaker, Defender and punk rock covers band The Monitors from Paisley, with members from nearby towns.
The last four years were when he got back together with Ghostmaker, and the song writing process began again.
Kathleen added: “They started getting together, practising over Zoom, and writing music again. Unfortunately, the album didn’t get completed but I’m hoping there might still be a release on some of that material in the future.”
The tribute night, dubbed ‘Wambo’, has been created by William’s band members from the Monitors, Jim, Colin and Neil. Recently, Neil passed away, and the night will be used to remember both men.
Proceeds from the night will be given to a charity called MusicAll Scotland which supports disabled and neurodivergent young people to achieve their full potential through music-making.
Described as a “brilliant charity”, Kat said she knows it is a cause that William would have supported in any way he could.
“The heartache of him and Neil not being here is very overwhelming,” she said. “I still get messages about how wonderful a person he was and how sorely he is missed. We will all come together to pay tribute and show our love for the legend that was and always will be William Alexander Matthews.”
Tickets for the gig cost £5 plus booking fee and can be found at www.citizenticket.com/events/kathleen-wishart/the-wambo-memorial-and-charity-night/
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