Buzzcocks: Classic or Dud

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One of my absolute favourites - who had a better starting run of singles? About eight or nine genuine classics in a row, I think. As it happens, I came across a CD I Don't Mind The Buzzcocks, a compilation at £1.99 yesterday which I couldn't resist even though I had all the great stuff already, and was just playing it (Ever Fallen In Love on as I type).

I saw them four times, I think it was, way back when: the White Riot tour with the Clash, Subway Sect and Slits; another with Penetration; another where I can't remember the support, and when Joy Division supported them - pretty memorable, that.

― Martin Skidmore, Tuesday, 2 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

They've been a pretty terrible influence, mind
Weren't the Doughboys fans? And I always though Scratches and Needles by The Nils sounded Buzzcockish.

― Mr Noodles, Tuesday, 2 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

seven months pass...

most underrated buzzcocks song:

"love is lies"

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 20 February 2003 23:16 (twenty-three years ago)

"There...is...no...love...in...this...world... ANY MORE!!"

Classic.

― frank p. jones (frank p. jones), Friday, 21 February 2003 02:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I loved this band until they got back together!
http://images.animfactory.com/animations/war/bombs/dynamite_bomb_md_wht.gif

― wutchootawkinboutwillis (wutchootawkinboutwillis), Friday, 21 February 2003 05:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Wanna re-open the drummer debate, Ned? Actually no need, Maher's the best power-punk-pop drummer of all.

Just as long as Clem Burke has equal footing.

― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Friday, 21 February 2003 07:38 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

Buzzcocks documentary on radio 2. available on Radio On Demand thing for next 5 days or so:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/documentaries/buzzcocks.shtml

(beware: contains Paul Morley)

― koogs (koogs), Monday, 9 August 2004 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I hate this band. They sound just like Blink 182 and Simple Plan.

― Mr. Snrub, Monday, 9 August 2004 12:41 (twenty-one years ago)

:(((((((((((((((

what Buzzcocks are you listening to?

― comme personne (common_person), Monday, 9 August 2004 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Heh, I *like* early Soup Dragons! "Whole Wide World" is a friggin' great song.

But yeah, Buzzcocks = ultra fucking classic. I just got the reissue of Singles Going Steady with Parts 1,2,3 tacked onto it, yum.

― poopy pants, Monday, 9 August 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Absolute total, capital "C", Classic

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 9 August 2004 13:45 (twenty-one years ago)

So classic it hurts. The Sex Pistols or the Saints may have been better bands (debatable), but within the realm of "punk" music there is no finer LP than Singles Going Steady. Who'd have thought that punk could be informed by pop/psychedelia/Krautrock and thrive? I love how "Orgasm Addict" and a few others throw in the occasional weird 7/8 time signature, just so they can hack through a tangled thicket of syllables and arrive at an unforgettable chorus just that much quicker. "Why Can't I Touch It?" could almost pass for a punk version of "Thank You For Talking To Me Africa". As for being a bad influence, maybe; but they were also a GOOD influence on Husker Du, which is alright by me. And Maher was indeed one hell of a drummer. I have a new favourite every time - last time it was "Boredom", next time "I Don't Mind." (Or make that "I Don't Mi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yind"!)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 9 August 2004 23:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I found that BBC2 documentary quite boring and depressing, it might have been because I was tired and it ended with them still being together and had Mark Lamarr being vaguely dismissive towards Howudd.

I can't believe Maher had only been playing drums for a few months when he joined. I was listening to What Do I Get recently to program it into a drum machine and expecting it to be quite easy and simplistic. Damn near made my brain bleed.

― Fergal (Ferg), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 00:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyone who says "dud" should be repeatedly punched in the trachea.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

He has the vote, readers. He is allowed to have children.

Jaz Coleman would have had none of it.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 07:23 (twenty-one years ago)

poopy - they've just released another singles collection, including stuff after the reunion. stick with your copy of Singles Going Steady tho - have bought that album several times, giving copies away and losing copies, and its *still* perfect.

― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 08:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I listened to that Radio 2 documentary. The second half of the story was very depressing, as such histories usually tend to be. I mean I know they've all got to earn a living and reforming the Buzzcocks is probably better than signing on, but all that "a new age was about to start for the band as they found a new rhythm section in long-time fans Tom Cobbles and Norman Spinchter (or whatever they were called)" spin couldn't hide the probability that they really should have chucked it in back in '79. Also typical of Radio 2 that Devoto/A Different Kind Of Tension/Buzzkunst should have got comparatively short shrift, and indeed that Shelley's proto-electronica album from '74 (Sky Saw?) was not mentioned at all. But Morley on the "The" was priceless.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 08:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Lipstick. No-one's mentioned it yet so I will. Awesome tune. And a Devoto/Shelley crossbreeding guitar lick for Shot By Both Sides by Magazine later too.

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 08:53 (twenty-one years ago)

"(Sky Saw?)"

It was Sky Yen IIRC.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 09:33 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

"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 (twenty-one years ago)

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

Easy tiger.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:01 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

Or better still, Product.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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

― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:52 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

"one of"

― Red Panda Sanskrit (ex machina), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

As opposed to "none of"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

So Why Can't I Touch It?

― Shiggle, Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

'Cos I've nothing left at all.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:25 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

seven 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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 75 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

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 (fourteen years ago)

two years pass...

Can't decide what I think about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDWR3VyzLPs

― I Need Andmoreagain (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 22 July 2014 04:10 (eleven years ago)

Know exactly what I think about this though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6TywsL48Ww

― I Need Andmoreagain (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 22 July 2014 04:13 (eleven years ago)

This Spiral Scratch reunion from 2012 makes for uncomfortable viewing, Devoto pretty much phones in his performance and can't wait to get offstage. They mess up the start of "Friends of Mine" and there seems to be tension onstage throughout. I was really excited when I heard about this – see above – but it looks like it was a big letdown.

― goth colouring book (anagram), Tuesday, 22 July 2014 08:13 (eleven years ago)

d'oh, forgot to post the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekZpRkT0HM

― goth colouring book (anagram), Tuesday, 22 July 2014 08:13 (eleven years ago)

I saw them in Brixton, and it was much better than that. No heaviness apparent, felt fun. Fewer guitar problems in evidence, which may be no small part of what went wrong here.

― Three Word Username, Tuesday, 22 July 2014 08:48 (eleven years ago)

one month passes...

current version touring US now

― curmudgeon, Thursday, 4 September 2014 16:08 (eleven years ago)

These promises

― The Wu-Tang Declan (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 4 September 2014 21:18 (eleven years ago)

Woah oh

― curmudgeon, Thursday, 4 September 2014 21:46 (eleven years ago)

How could you ever

― The Wu-Tang Declan (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 4 September 2014 21:58 (eleven years ago)

Down!

― Mark G, Thursday, 4 September 2014 22:17 (eleven years ago)

(sorry, too early)

― Mark G, Thursday, 4 September 2014 22:17 (eleven years ago)

Gonna see them tonight. Never saw 'em before and I'm passing up a chance to see Bob Mould again to do so.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Friday, 5 September 2014 07:20 (eleven years ago)

So glad I finally saw them. Excellent concert!

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Saturday, 6 September 2014 04:57 (eleven years ago)

ex+

I missed them the first time around but saw their first reunion gig, all four present and correct. Senseless Things were support, both excellent.

A perfect reunion gig, exactly as they were before they split, basically.

― Mark G, Sunday, 7 September 2014 12:00 (eleven years ago)

(actually, thinking about it, their first was in Manchester but the audience response was a bit 'cool' according to Pete Shelley, so, 2nd reunion gig. Still have it on cassette)

― Mark G, Sunday, 7 September 2014 12:03 (eleven years ago)

Is anyone seeing Buzzcocks at any of these shows:

13 Chicago RIOT FEST
14 Detroit St. Andrews Hall
17 Los Angeles The Fonda Theatre
18 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up
19 Denver RIOT FEST
20 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory - Bang Fest

I wanted to pick up their new CD in Philly but they sold out before the show was over and the places to get it on import are charging $25+ with shipping.

If someone going to one of those shows doesn't mind picking up a CD for me, I'll PayPal the cost + shipping to send it to me. Please email me if you can assist!

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Friday, 12 September 2014 13:27 (eleven years ago)

I saw them last night in Minneapolis, didn't even check out the merch table. Fun, fun show - a little disconcerting to see bearded, polo-shirted Pete, but they were killin' it. Diggle is my new rock hero.

― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Friday, 12 September 2014 15:47 (eleven years ago)

Buzzcocks ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at50BIRxd5A

― geordie racer, Friday, 12 September 2014 16:08 (eleven years ago)

Wait is this lineup the original four?

― Colossal Propellerhead (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 13 September 2014 13:10 (eleven years ago)

Sorry, the original, post-DeVoto four

― Colossal Propellerhead (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 13 September 2014 13:12 (eleven years ago)

Oh, I see, Mark G was referring to an earlier reunion.

― Colossal Propellerhead (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 13 September 2014 13:13 (eleven years ago)

Diggle is my new rock hero.

Yup, it was Diggle that amazed me with his Townsendesque posturing when I saw them a few years back. Juxtaposed with a not quite sombre, (but getting there) static Shelley, blasting out gem after gem.

Great fun.

― Jessie Fer Ark (Mobbed Up Ping Pong Psychos), Saturday, 13 September 2014 13:41 (eleven years ago)

one year passes...

Happy birthday, Pete, 61 today!

http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/gfx/HiRes-12335.jpg

― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Sunday, 17 April 2016 12:38 (ten years ago)

Happy Birthday, Pete!

― Freakshow At The Barn Dance (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 17 April 2016 16:06 (ten years ago)

one year passes...

This band is so good.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 15 January 2018 01:50 (eight years ago)

Yes.

― Mark G, Monday, 15 January 2018 08:03 (eight years ago)

ten months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfKdzpta-Ss

― What Do I Blecch? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 December 2018 13:39 (seven years ago)

Anyone rep for the post-reunion stuff? I could go for a nice cherry picking of the best bits.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 10 December 2018 16:05 (seven years ago)

Why did they break up after A Different Kind of Tension? Never heard much of a story about this.

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Monday, 10 December 2018 20:03 (seven years ago)

They did three (double A-side?) singles after that. Substance problems was one contributing factor.

― What Do I Blecch? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 December 2018 20:20 (seven years ago)

Discussion of the end of the first run here: Buzzcocks Are Everything

― What Do I Blecch? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 December 2018 21:06 (seven years ago)

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