Buzzcocks: Classic or Dud

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Yeah I thought it was. Blue cover. "Sky Saw"'s an Eno song.

The doc also asserted that the reason why "Homosapien" wasn't the massive hit it should have been in '82 was because the BBC sniffed at the line "homo superior in my interior," interpreted it as meaning buggery and thereupon banned it. But IIRC it was pretty well played to death all over the radio at the time. Certainly should have been a hit.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 09:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

another vote for Lipstick. i love that song so much...

i spent a weird evening with Diggle and pete shelley's irish nephew, who was now in the band, a few years back. a bunch of us went back to a friend's house after a lift to experience show, taking the band with us (steve and i had photographed/interviewed the band for Careless Talk that afternoon). we went via the marathon bar, a great all-night kebab place in chalk farm that sells beer and spirits after hours, and somehow Diggle and the kid tagged along, though they were drunk, and the kid was mouthy. we got back to the flat, and it was a weird scene. the kid kept saying that the Lift boys were queers, and being pretty nasty. ray, the guy who's house it was, was getting agitated, wanted to clock the guy with a baseball hat. i left about 3am, it was going far beyond weird. then, about 5am, steve confronted the guy, said that all this talk about being queer had got him horny and that he was going to fuck ray then and there, and if the kid didn't want to see it he should leave now. Diggle was nice, but sad and drunk and a bit tragic.

― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 09:41 (8 years ago) Permalink

Pete Shelley's Irish nephew? They didn't say anything about that in the documentary, just about these two guys who were fans of theirs and knew their back catalogue backwards and ended up as their new rhythm section. I presume Shelley's nephew didn't last long in the band?

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 09:49 (8 years ago) Permalink

not sure... the way they were talking about it that night he was new to the band - i just assumed the line-up had changed since the reunion...

― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 10:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

"The doc also asserted that the reason why "Homosapien" wasn't the massive hit it should have been in '82 was because the BBC sniffed at the line "homo superior in my interior," interpreted it as meaning buggery and thereupon banned it. But IIRC it was pretty well played to death all over the radio at the time. Certainly should have been a hit."

"Millions Of People (No-One Like You)" and "Telephone Operator" should have been massive hits too IMHO - and they didn't contain any such questionable lyrics - so did they offer any explanation for that?!?

"Pete Shelley's Irish nephew? They didn't say anything about that in the documentary, just about these two guys who were fans of theirs and knew their back catalogue backwards and ended up as their new rhythm section. I presume Shelley's nephew didn't last long in the band?"

Since reforming with the original line-up, the only bassist they've had is Tony Barber (who also plays for Chelsea) and apart from one tour with Mike Joyce (ex Smiths, of course) I'm pretty sure the only drummer they've had is Phil Barker (who's also one of the Stratford Mercenaries and was previously in a band called Lack Of Knowledge with Tony). Neither of these are related to PS as far as I know, but I do know a guy called Joey who's been their roadie since '77 so I'll try to dig his e-mail address out and ask him!

Fwiw they've actually had the current line up for more than 10 years.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 10:49 (8 years ago) Permalink

...wanted to clock the guy with a baseball hat

Easy tiger.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:01 (8 years ago) Permalink

I spotted that new -- and entirely needless -- double singles complilation yesterday. Who do they think is going to buy this (in the wake of all those other comps)? Stick with Singles Going Steady or even Operator's Manual (both readily available sill, I believe).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

Or better still, Product.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:47 (8 years ago) Permalink

Product may have been the best money I've spent on an overpriced import ever.

― Red Panda Sanskrit (ex machina), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:49 (8 years ago) Permalink

product is still available for around £10, and well worth it.

― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:52 (8 years ago) Permalink

Ah yes, Product! Best part of that package was the live Many Parts disc (notably for "Breakdown" and "Time's Up".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:17 (8 years ago) Permalink

Classic, DUH! i still have a mixtape with bizzcocks on side a and th esmiths side b ;classic teenage hormonage!

― kephm, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

Ah, lovely lovely Product, I could go on.

One of my more bemusing claims to relative small time fame is that I think I wrote most of the Buzzcocks reviews on the AMG.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:28 (8 years ago) Permalink

"one of"

― Red Panda Sanskrit (ex machina), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

As opposed to "none of"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

So Why Can't I Touch It?

― Shiggle, Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:17 (8 years ago) Permalink

'Cos I've nothing left at all.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

At all at all at all at all at all at all at all
I’ve nothing left at all.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

I really do think that A Different Kind of Tension is *the best album ever*. Has it ever come out on CD apart from in the Product box?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:33 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yes.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

Unfortunately it's only available as an import but if you look around you'll probably be able to find it cheaper than that.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

I don't really want it - my vinyl is fine. I just wondered.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:47 (8 years ago) Permalink

Did anyone buy the boxset of singles? All the early 7"s and EPs on a CD apiece with the original sleever art. Way overpriced and useless, but kind of cool looking.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 15:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

No, just all the early singles and EP's on vinyl when they first came out.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 15:27 (8 years ago) Permalink

I dunno...I got Singles Going Steady and gave up by about track four. Very disappointing for me.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 21:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

7 months pass...

Ouch! Revive!

Interesting piece on them in this Mojo Punk Special. I envy those of you who got to see those TOTP performances, etc.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 10 April 2005 07:36 (8 years ago) Permalink

Why is there even a thread about this? Barnstorming classic on every level. Singles Going Steady is non-stop awesome and doesn't even have Boredom on it, which is my favourite of their's.

― Nick H (Nick H), Sunday, 10 April 2005 13:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

what's wrong with the descendents?
while descendents may have spawned a slew of hateworthy bands, they themselves make genuine, unpretentious pop in the tradition of buzzcocks.

buzzcocks fans with descendents hate are like
run-dmc fans who hate public enemy. don't hate the playa, hate the game, etc...

― peteshelleygoestocollege, Sunday, 10 April 2005 18:48 (8 years ago) Permalink

Singles Going Steady was quite a bit better upon second listen, but I'm still disappointed. It isn't that the Buzzcocks necessarily fail at anything they attempt; rather, it's that the group doesn't seem very ambitious. But that's punk rock, innit?

Blame it on X-Ray Spex.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Sunday, 10 April 2005 19:42 (8 years ago) Permalink

That was the only Buzzcocks record that I ever owned and I was also not so into it. I think "Ever Fallen Love" is a really good song, but beyond that, it seemed to me that there were a lot of songs that were just okay. (It's been a long time, so maybe I'm wrong.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 10 April 2005 20:01 (8 years ago) Permalink

Speaking of their unfortunate influence: is it just me, or did the strokes rip their entire style from "Everybody's Happy Nowadays?" Take out the chorus and replace the vocals with Julian Casablancas's bad-cell-phone-connection singing and you get every song on "Is This It."

By the way, Buzzcock's are as classic as it gets. A little maudlin sometimes, but aren't we all.

― Fa Fa fa FA, Fa fa Fa fa FA Fa (poop), Sunday, 10 April 2005 20:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

oops. cocks. not cock's. cock cock cock.

― Fa Fa fa FA, Fa fa Fa fa FA Fa (poop), Sunday, 10 April 2005 20:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

Orgasm Addict is pretty neat. I used to think the one part was "Johnny would fuck you always and all ways / He had the energy, you were amazed." Or something like that.

Anyway, I liked my lyrics better. Call Pansy Division. If they haven't already gone to it.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Monday, 11 April 2005 04:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

Is This It has a neat cover. In one nation.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Monday, 11 April 2005 04:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

all this "Singles Going Steady isn't the greatest LP/CD-comp of the '70s"-talk is craziness.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 11 April 2005 04:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

With Devoto: Classic

Another Music in a Different Kitchen / Singles Going Steady: Pretty awesome.

Afterwards, progressively losing the plot.

― Sasha (sgh), Monday, 11 April 2005 07:08 (8 years ago) Permalink

I love the "big" singles, though I sometimes feel a little burned out on them after so many years. Never tire of "I Don't Mind" and "Love You More," though. Which says something to me about the group's total aceness during their first run.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 11 April 2005 07:38 (8 years ago) Permalink

"I Believe" is so my favorite song ever.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 11 April 2005 14:32 (8 years ago) Permalink

"Nostalgia" s my fave Buzzcocks tune, I'd say.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 11 April 2005 16:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

Oh man, for some reason I'd just heard a couple of songs, thought they were good, but nowhere in the league of the Clash / Damned / Stiff Little Fingers...on a whim today I bought Singles Going Steady, and it's a revelation. This isn't going to be news for many of you, but it's fantastic. "Harmony in my Head," "Strange Thing," "Autonomy," "Why Can't I touch it?" all genius.

By the time you get to "Airwaves Dream," you're a million miles from "Orgasm" (one of the few songs I knew) - it's positively Joy Divisionish.

― paulhw (paulhw), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:32 (7 years ago) Permalink

Interesting comparison, and indeed the bands toured together and had many similar fave groups and singers and etc. Glad to see revelation is settling in with yer. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:43 (7 years ago) Permalink

Even old and w/ anonymous new rhythm section, still one of my favorite shows I've ever gone to. "I Believe" was fucking incredible.

"Ever Fallen In Love" might be the my favorite single by a first-wave UK punk band.

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:50 (7 years ago) Permalink

this band broke my summer wide open. when i'd play Fast Cars on my computer, the girlfriend would say to me "I'd like to listen to what I'm playing on my computer, but the song on yours is so much better"

― lemin (lemin), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:52 (7 years ago) Permalink

What was she listening to?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

that's what I asked her. if i remember correctly, she said something along the lines of "it doesn't really matter"

― lemin (lemin), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:55 (7 years ago) Permalink

Killing Joke. Er, wait. *flees*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:55 (7 years ago) Permalink

OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:57 (7 years ago) Permalink

Best listening experience of the Buzzcocks was when I didn't own the records. I'd listen to tracks like ESP at a friends, and try to carry the song in my mind but lose it a day later.

Over-familiarisation with their music ruined the Buzzcocks for me big time.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Thursday, 20 October 2005 22:15 (7 years ago) Permalink

Classic, no question about that. My favourite Buzzcocks tune is "Sixteen Again" maybe.

― zeus (zeus), Thursday, 20 October 2005 22:21 (7 years ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

Classic obviously. Everyone hails the singles album, which I love, but it has it's flaws. Firstly, my vinyl copy has poor sound quality - too many tracks crammed in? Secondly, it misses out some essentials - the spiral scratch stuff and 'You Say You Don't Love Me' (and if that wasn't ever a single, it damn well should have been).
The 3 original studio albums I find it hard to choose between. Bookending 'Another Music' with the boredom riff was a stroke of genius, and that album has some fine shelley songs like Fast Cars, I Don't Mind, Fiction Romance. The 2 guitars on Autonomy are great, though diggle's singing sucks. Pulsebeat has one of my favourite drumbeats ever.
Love Bites is a patchier affair, despite boasting Ever Fallen in Love and Sixteen Again, which is my favourite BUzzcocks tune. some of the other shelley stuff is below par (though his bar was set very high). Side 2 kicks off with a great instrumental, but is a little too flat and samey. Late for the Train is ok, but a poor cousin to Pulsebeat.
I probably play 'A Different Kind of Tension' the most, despite there being too many Diggle songs on side 1 for my taste. However, the Shelley stuff is so good it more than compensates. The link between Mad Mad Judy and Raison D'etre is one of the finest moments that I own on vinyl. Side 2 goes all conceptual, mostly in a good way (though a little too abstract for my taste on the title track, perhaps - was that song an inspriation to radiohead???), but recovers again with the superb 'I Believe'.
I don't own any later stuff. Is Trade Test Transmission any good?

― dr x o'skeleton, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 09:31 (7 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 44 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Everything's Singles Nowadays
(what with itunes, etc...)

I'd put Breakdown, for one. Is there a shorter version of Hollow Inside?

― Philip Nunez, Wednesday, 16 June 2010 21:57 (2 years ago) Permalink

Saw'em in 2003 and they were more than alright.

Saw 'em in 2003 and they had the worst sound mix I have ever heard at any show.

― dyaon't (sic), Thursday, 17 June 2010 06:15 (2 years ago) Permalink

Great Buzzcocks tracks that aren't singles but could be: From the Kitchen I'd pick Get on Our Own, FictionRomance. From Love Bites: Nostalgia, Sixteen Again. From Tension: Raison d'etre, I Believe. There's loads of others.

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Thursday, 17 June 2010 09:06 (2 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

I only have Singles Going Steady. My favorite song on is Why Can't I Touch It? What else by them sounds like that?

― kornrulez6969, Friday, 15 October 2010 14:17 (2 years ago) Permalink

Anybody?

― kornrulez6969, Friday, 15 October 2010 21:32 (2 years ago) Permalink

i keep thinking homosapien has the same tempo as why can't i touch it, but it's got to be faster. maybe autonomy?

― Philip Nunez, Friday, 15 October 2010 21:35 (2 years ago) Permalink

8 months pass...

finally got Singles Going Steady.

fuck Mr Snrub's brayings above...this is so goddamn catchy it's ridiculous.

― Neanderthal, Tuesday, 12 July 2011 02:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

no idea what the vid is on about, but a clean copy of this song on headphones turned to 11 sounds as good as singles going steady imo. something about whatever pedal that they use there- it's a blast.

― fat mantis got sonned by a fred over a strava beef (Hunt3r), Tuesday, 12 July 2011 02:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

Heh, I've been playing the "Product" box set the last few days and reminding myself how freakin' great this band was all the way up to their last 3 singles. Shelly and Diggle were visionary in the way they melded punk energy with pop sensibilities. And in the end I liked Diggle's solo stuff more!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 12 July 2011 02:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

I hate this band. They sound just like Blink 182 and Simple Plan.
― Mr. Snrub, Monday, August 9, 2004 12:41 PM (6 years ago) Bookmark

LOL! I'm such a tool.

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 12 July 2011 04:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

They just released some re-recordings of old songs and I'm not sure why.. I haven't listened to it but just wondering if it's worth my time.

― billstevejim, Tuesday, 12 July 2011 07:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

9 months pass...

No-one's mentioned this before now? Original line-up with Devoto playing gigs in Manchester and London later this month.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 4 May 2012 05:38 (1 year ago) Permalink

It's a 'rewindie'!

They are playing the gig starting with the current line-up, then going to the old classic 4-piece w/ Maher and Garvey, then doing the encore w/ Devoto.

oh, it seems Garth is actually still alive, but he's not involved in this.

― Mark G, Friday, 4 May 2012 08:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

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