BUZZCOCKS BIOGRAPHY

Buzzcocks hail from Manchester England. School chums Peter McNeish and Howard Trafford had attended a Sex Pistols concert in London in 1976 and decided it would be fun to start a band. Guitarist Peter and Singer Howard called their band "Jets Of Air." Peter took on the name "Shelley" because (depending on the source you believe) either that's what his parents were going to call him were he born with two "x" chromosomes or out of deference to an author of archaic English literature. Howard took the name Devoto from a Cambridge bus driver. They were soon joined by bassist Garth Smith (real name Gordon Davies). Not long after that they adopted the name "Buzzcocks" reportedly from a "macho-posturing" catch phrase they either used or heard ("Get a Buzz, Cock!").

By the end of 1976 and well into 1977 the line up consisted of Shelley, Devoto, Steve Diggle (bass) and John Maher (drums). In 1977 the quartet recorded their famous Ep, SPIRAL SCRATCH. But Howard Devoto was tiring of the punk scene and felt their band sounded like all the other punk bands flooding the UK music scene. He left in early 1977 and formed the band Magazine. Pete Shelley assumed the duties of vocalist/guitarist and Garth Smith rejoined on Bass, with Diggle now on guitar. In August 1977 they were signed by United Artists Records (UK).

After Garth was dismissed (reportedly for drunkeness), Steve Garvey (no, not the has-been baseball player) joined on bass. This is considered the "classic line up" and indeed remained intact until the 1981 breakup and well into the reunion era nearly a decade later. They recorded their first album ANOTHER MUSIC IN A DIFFERENT KITCHEN in Dec 1977 and January 1978. Their second album LOVE BITES was recorded in August 1978. Neither of these albums had a US release at the time, but IRS did reissue the two on one CD in 1994. In 1979 they released their third album (but second US release), A DIFFERENT KIND OF TENSION. While TENSION is considered by many to be their finest album, a fourth album, SINGLES GOING STEADY is considered a "must-own" album for aficionados of punk/power pop. Consisting of all the odd singles from the "early years" the appropriately entitled SINGLES GOING STEADY was not only Buzzcocks' first US release, it was also the first IRS album!

The next project was a series of singles to be released in sequence as "Part 1", "Part 2", "Part 3" and so on. Unfortunately the band broke up after "Part 3" was recorded. Pete Shelley went solo with what was definitely the biggest hit of any Buzzcock, past or present: "Homosapien." "Homosapien" has long been believed to be one of the tunes intended for "Part 4". Steve Diggle did a solo record for Faulty Products and then formed a new band called Flag Of Convenience (FOC).

It was the marketing of FOC by one venue that many believe is responsible for the reunion of Buzzcocks. Flyers distributed for a concert included the name Buzzcocks, parenthetically, to let would-be concert-goers know that FOC was as close to a Buzzcocks concert as they were going to get. This was because FOC consisted of Diggle and Maher. To make a long story short, legal posturing and clever marketing lead to a reunion of Shelley, Diggle, Maher and Garvey in 1989. Maher agreed to do a reunion tour, but was now more interested in Dragster racing than in rock music and left later in the year to pursue his new hobby. He was replaced by Smiths drummer Mike Joyce. Joyce and Garvey stayed around until 1992 at which time Garvey left to spend more time with his family. They were replaced by Phil Barker on drums and Tony Barber on bass.

Buzzcocks are still playing today and are on a world tour as 1999 winds down. They've also just released a new CD available in the UK only, called MODERN, pictured at right.

BUZZCOCKS IRS DISCOGRAPHY

Albums & EPs

Produced by Martin Rushent
Engineered by Doug Bennett, Alan Winstanley & Martin Rushent
Recorded & mixed At Olympic Studios, TW Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Advision, Marquee Studios, Strawberry Studios and Eden Studios
Art Direction by Malcolm Garrett
Photography by Adrian Boot, Kevin Cummins & Jill Furmanovsky
Licensed from Liberty/United Records (UK)
Digital Mastering for CD by George Peckham

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar and Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums
Garth Smith Bass (on *)

Track Listing:

1. Orgasm Addict * (Shelley/Devoto) 1:58
2. What Do I Get? (Shelley) 2:50
3. I Don't Mind (Shelley) 2:20
4. Love You More (Shelley) 1:45
5. Ever Fallen In Love (Shelley) 2:40
6. Promises (Shelley/Diggle) 2:35
7. Everybody's Happy Nowadays (Shelley) 3:10
8. Harmony In My Head (Diggle) 3:05
9. What Ever Happened To? * (Shelley/Dial) 2:08
10. Oh Shit! (Shelley) 1:32
11. Autonomy (Diggle) 3:52
12. Noise Annoys (Shelley) 2:49
13. Just Lust (Shelley/Dial) 2:57
14. Lipstick (Shelley) 2:35
15. Why Can't I Touch It? (Shelley/Diggle/Garvey/Maher) 6:33
16. Something's Gone Wrong Again (Shelley) 4:30

SINGLES GOING STEADY is a 16-song compilation of the various singles Buzzcocks released prior to their first LP, A DIFFERENT MUSIC IN ANOTHER KITCHEN with only a couple tunes overlapping. SINGLES was not released in the UK, but was seen as a means of introducing Buzzcocks (and punk/power pop) to American shores. The packaging on the original LP was splendid. The inner sleeve shows both sides of the eight singles from which the songs were culled along with critical production info... Although many Buzzcocks fans are split as to which album is the best, this one is considered by many to best represent the style of both Buzzcocks and punk/power pop.

Stand out tracks are the hilarious "Orgasm Addict" and "Oh Shit!", both banned by the BBC (of course). "Something's Gone Wrong Again" with its driving rhythm and "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" (selected by IRS to be the debut single of both Buzzcocks and IRS Records) are two frenetically catching songs. Every IRS fan should compare the original version of "Ever Fallen In Love" with the version covered by Fine Young Cannibals for Jonathan Demme's SOMETHING WILD.

Produced by Martin Rushent
Engineered by Martin Rushent
Recorded At Eden Studios
Mixed at Genetic Sound
Art Direction by Malcolm Garrett
Photos by Jill Furmanovsky, Kevin Cummins, Peter Monks, Gervaise Soeurouge and Judith Wrightson
Licensed from Liberty/United Records (UK)

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar and Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums

Song Listing:

1. Paradise (Shelley) 2:22
2. Sitting Round At Home (Diggle) 2:39
3. You Say You Don't Love Me (Shelley) 2:53
4. You Know You Can't Help It (Diggle) 2:21
5. Mad Mad Judy (Diggle) 3:34
6. Raison d'Etre (Shelley) 3:32
7. I Don't Know What To Do With My Life (Shelley) 2:43
8. Money (Shelley) 2:44
9. Hollow Inside (Shelley) 4:46
10. A Different Kind Of Tension (Shelley) 4:38
11. I Believe (Shelley) 7:08
12. Radio Nine (Shelley) :41

This album, the "classic line-up's" final full length effort, is rich on many levels. Almost a concept album, Diggle's & Shelley's guitar-playing on a number of tunes is restricted 100% to one channel or the other. Hard-panned in audio parlance. Shelley on the left and Diggle on the right. A small hint of the trouble to come: One side of the record is sweetly labelled "The Rose On The Chocolate Box" while the other side warns "The Thorn Beneath The Rose."

Stand out tracks are the Beatlesque "You Say You Don't Love Me" and the coming-of-age near anthem "I Believe" which IRS wisely selected to be the single (despite lack of airplay). The LP also features some wild musical "soundscapes," most notably the title track. Various words and phrases are sung followed immediately by their antonyms (for you uneducated folks, that means "opposites"): "Stay Here", "Go There" etc. Then the third time through, both the phrase or word AND its antonym are sung at the same time in opposing channels. With headphones on the effect is staggeringly surreal.

Rebelliousness and Teen sexual angst are blatantly obvious in Diggle's tunes "Sitting Round At Home" and "You Know You Can't Help It", respectively. In "Sitting" you can almost see the narrator sitting in his lazyboy waiting fate to shine well upon him. In "...Can't Help It" he starts off "You know you can't help it when you see that girl, you know you can't help undressing her..." and goes on from there! And when he rhymes "thighs" with "lies", well, you gotta wonder if Bill Clinton is a Buzzcocks fan! The LP closes with a short ditty "Radio Nine" in which someone is tuning a radio to a station where we hear a few measures of "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" then again to another station where a few bars of "Why Can't I Touch It?" can be heard... Curiously, in its original release (as SP009) the cassette, the first cassette on IRS incidentally, carried the logo of IRS parent company A&M; Records.

Produced by Martin Rushent (*Martin Hannett)

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar and Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums

Song Listing:

1. Are Everything (Shelley) 3:57
2. Strange Thing (Shelley) 4:08
3. What Do You Know* (Shelley) 3:15
4. Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore (Diggle) 2:25
5. Airwaves Dream (Diggle) 3:52
6. Running Free* (Diggle) 3:13

Well, Liberty/United Records and (by license) IRS Records were out one terrific punk/power pop group when Buzzcocks called it quits in 1981. The series of singles they were working on was supposed to go to at least "Part 6", enough to make one new album upon completion of the series. While completing "Part 3" producer Martin Rushent and Buzzcock front man Pete Shelley called it quits, taking one of the tunes for "Part 4" (Part 5 or 6 in some accounts) and made it an international hit, "HomoSapien." Producer Martin Hannett took over completion of "Part 3."

But how could Liberty/United and IRS Records get the most out of their failed investment? Granted, it was Liberty/United that had the most invested... Well the solution was to release PARTS 1-3 as an EP. Surprisingly, this took quite some time to happen "officially." In 1981, IRS packaged up some promotional copies of PARTS 1-3, pressed on red vinyl in a clear plastic sleeve and even numbered them as a "limited edition."

IRS of Canada packaged up the same EP with the number SP9701 and the subtitle "6 Songs/6 Chansons" (Remember, they speak a lot of French up there). To the right you can see what the 12" sleeve for IRS of Canada SP9701 looked like...

Produced by Martin Rushent (*Martin Hannett)
Art Direction by Carl Grasso
Photography by Adrian Boot & Chalkie Davies

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar and Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums

Song Listing:

1. Are Everything (Shelley) 3:57
2. Strange Thing (Shelley) 4:08
3. What Do You Know* (Shelley) 3:15
4. Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore (Diggle) 2:25
5. Airwaves Dream (Diggle) 3:52
6. Running Free* (Diggle) 3:13

Well, three years later PARTS 1-3 received an "official" release in a sleeve stylized after the original three single sleeves. These songs all show Steve Diggle's growing influence on Buzzcocks, nevermind Shelley's departure near the end of production. They also explored more interesting instrumention. Shelley's flirtations with the keyboard on A DIFFERENT KIND OF TENSION became more omnipresent here, but in a positive way. And why not? He followed these sessions with the all-synth hit "HomoSapien." And on "What Do You Know?" someone plays a ripping saxaphone. "Are Everything" is an intersting track in that the song fakes out the listener (and hopefully, radio jocks) by fading out completely, only to come back full bore in the final chorus.

Produced by Martin Rushent & Martin Hannett*
Engineered by Martin Rushent
Recorded At Eden Studios
Mixed at Genetic Sound
Art Direction by Malcolm Garrett & Carl Grasso
Photos by Adrian Boot, Chalkie Davies, Kevin Cummins, Peter Monks, Gervais Soeurouge and Judith Wrightson
Prepared for CD release by John Guarnieri

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar and Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums

Song Listing:

1. Paradise (Shelley) 2:22
2. Sitting Round At Home (Diggle) 2:39
3. You Say You Don't Love Me (Shelley) 2:53
4. You Know You Can't Help It (Diggle) 2:21
5. Mad Mad Judy (Diggle) 3:34
6. Raison d'Etre (Shelley) 3:32
7. I Don't Know What To Do With My Life (Shelley) 2:43
8. Money (Shelley) 2:44
9. Hollow Inside (Shelley) 4:46
10. A Different Kind Of Tension (Shelley) 4:38
11. I Believe (Shelley) 7:08
12. Radio Nine (Shelley) :41
13. Are Everything (Shelley) 3:57
14. Strange Thing (Shelley) 4:08
15. What Do You Know* (Shelley) 3:15
16. Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore (Diggle) 2:25
17. Airwaves Dream (Diggle) 3:52
18. Running Free* (Diggle) 3:13

As record labels scrambled to put out material on CD, this release was part of IRS's final surge of releases from parent company A&M;, as IRS moved on to MCA. EPs on CD were probably seen as risky ventures in the high-tech high-cost world of CD manufacturing, so many IRS EPs were merged with LPs from the same artist to make a "mini-Two-fer" on CD. R.E.M. and The Cramps also received this treatment, usually to fans' wild appreciation! (Which, sadly, is more than can be said for the reissue programs at most of the major label conglomerates today)...

The remastering for CD is quite good, especially clean, considering the music genre. Details can be read in the individual listings for the LP and EP, above.

Produced by Martin Rushent & Martin Hannett
Digitally ReEngineered by Martin Rushent
Recorded At Various Locations
Art Direction by Malcolm Garrett
Photography by Chris Gabrin
Liner Notes by Jon Savage

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar & Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums

Song Listing:

1. Orgasm Addict (Shelley/Devoto) 1:58
2. What Do I Get? (Shelley) 2:50
3. I Don't Mind (Shelley) 2:20
4. Autonomy (Diggle) 3:52
5. Fast Cars (Shelley/Devoto/Diggle) 2:07
6. Get On Our Own (Shelley) 2:31
7. Sixteen (Shelley) 3:50
8. Fiction Romance (Shelley) 4:38
9. Love You More (Shelley) 1:45
10. Noise Annoys (Shelley) 2:49
11. Ever Fallen In Love? (Shelley) 2:40
12. Operator's Manual (Shelley) 3:30
13. Nostalgia (Shelley) 2:51
14. Walking Distance (Garvey) 1:58
15. Nothing Left (Shelley) 4:23
16. ESP (Shelley) 4:39
17. Promises (Shelley) 2:35
18. Lipstick (Shelley) 2:35
19. Everybody's Happy Nowadays (Shelley) 3:10
20. Harmony In My Head (Diggle) 3:05
21. You Say You Don't Love Me (Shelley) 2:53
22. I Don't Know What To Do With My Life (Shelley) 2:43
23. I Believe (Shelley) 7:08
24. Are Everything (Shelley) 3:57
25. Radio Nine (Shelley) :41

An accompanying video, from IRS Video followed in January 1992, containing concert footage and music videos.

Produced by Buzzcocks
Recorded Live At Hammersmith Odeon, 1979

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar & Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums Song Listing:

1. Ever Fallen In Love (Shelley)
2. I Don't Mind (Shelley)
3. Harmony In My Head (Diggle)
4. Promises (Shelley/Diggle)
5. Orgasm Addict (Shelley/Devoto)
6. Breakdown (Shelley)
7. What Do I Get? (Shelley)
8. Fiction Romance (Shelley)
9. Fast Cars(Shelley/Devoto)
10. Oh Shit! (Shelley)
11. Autonomy (Diggle)

Produced by Martin Rushent
Engineered by Doug Bennett
Recorded At Olympic Studios
Art Direction by Malcolm Garrett
Photography by Jill Furmanovsky
Licensed from United Artists Records, UK

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar & Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Steve Garvey Bass
John Maher Drums

Song Listing:

1. Fast Cars (Shelley/Devoto/Diggle) 2:07
2. No Reply (Shelley) 2:07
3. You Tear Me Up (Shelley/Devoto) 2:32
4. Get On Our Own (Shelley) 2:31
5. Love Battery (Shelley/Devoto) 2:16
6. Sixteen (Shelley) 3:50
7. I Don't Mind (Shelley) 2:20
8. Fiction Romance (Shelley) 4:38
9. Autonomy (Diggle) 3:52
10. I Need (Shelley/Diggle) 2:50
11. Moving Away From The Pulsebeat (Shelley) 5:40
12. Real World (Shelley) 3:29
13. Ever Fallen In Love (Shelley) 2:40
14. Operator's Manual (Shelley) 3:30
15. Nostalgia (Shelley) 2:51
16. Just Lust (Shelley/Dial) 2:57
17. Sixteen Again (Shelley) 3:14
18. Walking Distance (Garvey) 1:58
19. Love Is Lies (Diggle) 3:10
20. Nothing Left (Shelley) 4:23
21. E.S.P. (Shelley) 4:39
22. Late For The Train (Shelley/Diggle/Garvey/Maher) 5:51

Stand out cuts include "Fast Cars" (erroneously credited to only Shelley/Devoto on the label), "Autonomy", and "Walking Distance" (one of the very few tunes written by bassist Steve Garvey).

Produced by Tony Barber
Engineered by Derek Fudge & Tony Barber
Recorded Live In Paris At L'Arapaho Club

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar & Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Tony Barber Bass
Phil Barker Drums

Song Listing:

1. I Don't Mind (Shelley)
2. Who'll Help Me To Forget? (Shelley)
3. Get On Our Own (Shelley)
4. Unthinkable (Shelley)
5. Strange Thing (Shelley)
6. What Do I Get? (Shelley)
7. Energy (Shelley)
8. Breakdown (Shelley)
9. Innocent (Shelley)
10. Roll It Over (Shelley)
11. Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore (Diggle)
12. Last To Know? (Shelley)
13. Running Free (Diggle)
14. Libertine Angel (Shelley)
15. Why Can't I Touch It? (Shelley)
16. Noise Annoys (Diggle)
17. Isolation (Shelley)
18. Boredom (Shelley)
19. Do It (Shelley)
20. Harmony In My Head (Shelley)
21. I Believe (Shelley)
22. Orgasm Addict (Shelley/Devoto)
23. Oh Shit! (Shelley)
24. Fast Cars (Shelley/Devoto/Diggle)

Produced by Neill King
Engineered by Neill King and Frank Rinello
Recorded At Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California.
Art Direction by No Credit Given
Photography by No Credit Given
Special Thanks to Nigel Banks

Musicians:
Pete Shelley Guitar & Vocals
Steve Diggle Guitar & Vocals
Tony Barber Bass
Phil Barker Drums
with:Neill King Piano
Jim Push Additioanl Keyboards

Song Listing:

1. Totally From The Heart (Shelley) 2:45
2. Without You (Shelley) 2:59
3. Give It To Me (Shelley) 3:21
4. Your Love (Shelley) 2:22
5. Point Of No Return(Shelley) 2:18
6. Hold Me Close (Shelley) 4:01
7. Kiss'N'Tell (Shelley) 2:34
8. What Am I Supposed To Do (Diggle) 3:20
9. Some Kinda Wonderful (Shelley) 2:17
10. What You Mean To Me (Shelley) 3:18
11. Playing For Time (Diggle) 3:42
12. Pariah (Shelley) 3:14
13. Back With You (Diggle) 4:10

Singles

Produced by Martin Rushent
Sleeve Design by Malcolm Garrett

The very first single from the fledgling IRS Records. The song choices from the LP SINGLES GOING STEADY, show both caution for American pop music sensibilities and an optimism for radio airplay. The A-side is the catchy "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" which indeed garnered some airplay in major cities (like LA's KROQ). The B-side is the overly long and sexually ambiguous "Why Can't I Touch It?" The single's configuration was identical to the UK version on UA Records (from whom IRS licensed The Buzzcock's catalog). There were far catchier and more melodic tunes on the LP, like "Ever Fallen In Love" which was successfully covered by Fine Young Cannibals in 1985. But what radio station would play a tune like "Oh Shit!" or "Orgasm Addict" in 1979? Those tunes (and the band name) got Buzzcocks banned by the BBC in their homeland. As a wise man once said, "This is power pop for now people!"

Produced by Martin Rushent
Sleeve Design by Malcolm Garrett

THe Buzzcocks' second US single should've received airplay. "I Believe" was an excellent 'coming-of-age' tune which captured the 'human side' of the punk generation. "There Is No Love In This World Anymore"... Come On... Say it with me! "There Is No Love In This World Anymore" I knew you could!. The flipside was "Something's Gone Wrong Again" from SINGLES GOING STEADY, perhaps the best tune from that LP.

Produced by Martin Rushent
Sleeve Design by Malcolm Garrett

By the time this single, Part one, came out (simultaneously with Part 2), Buzzcocks were already over, Pete Shelley having left the band to pursue a solo career. This series of singles was marketed and packaged to leave the buyer/listener/radio jock wondering which side was the "A" side. Each in the series features one Pete Shelley tune and one Steve Diggle tune. In general, most people consider the 'Shelley-Side' to be the "A" side. Both these tunes are among the best in this short series.

Produced by Martin Rushent
Sleeve Design by Malcolm Garrett

The second part of the series is not quite as good as the first. In "Airwaves Dream" one wonders if Steve Diggle is dreaming of more airplay for Buzzcocks...

Produced by Martin Hannett
Sleeve Design by Malcolm Garrett

The final word in the "classic Buzzcocks." Neither tune seems like the sort of song with which a band calls it quits. "Running Free", however is probably your humble webmaster's favorite Buzzcock tune...

Produced by Neill King

Released as a CD single in 1996 (and reportedly as a 7" one-sided vinyl single), IRS made the right choice in picking this song from Buzzcocks' ALL SET CD as the single cut. Alas, lack of airplay still keeps Buzzcocks from becoming major players in the UK to US rock invasion...

Compilations & Soundtracks

IRS GREATEST HITS, VOL 1 (IRS SP70950) includes "Are Everything" on side 2
IRS GREATEST HITS, VOLS 2 & 3 (IRS SP70800) includes "You Say You Don't Love Me" on side 4
THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS (IRS 82010) includes "Ever Fallen In Love"

BUZZCOCKS LINKS & OTHER COOL STUFF

There are a number of websites devoted to Buzzcocks, the best being the "Official Buzzcocks Website" maintained by Pete Shelley himself! It tops the list below as well as some fan sites. Buzz on in to each of 'em!

Buzzcocks.com (The Official website)
An awsome fan site in Japan!

Secret Public
11 Lammy Drive
Omagh, Co. Tyrone
BT78 5JB. N Ireland