Buzzcocks: Classic or Dud

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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)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Monday, 11 April 2005 04:06 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

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 (twenty-one years ago)

"I Believe" is so my favorite song ever.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 11 April 2005 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

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

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 11 April 2005 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

six 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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

What was she listening to?

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

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 (twenty years ago)

Killing Joke. Er, wait. *flees*

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

http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/wonderland/queen2a.gif

OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!!!

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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

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

five 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 (twenty years ago)

Yes, great songs (Crystal Night, Palm Of Your Hand, Innocent) but production is poor. The recent reissue might be the best bet as the sharper sound may help the muddy production. I say *may* because I haven't heard the reissue.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 09:55 (twenty years ago)

thanx Dr C. Think I'll soulseek these tracks first before investing in TTC

― dr x o'skeleton, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 10:35 (twenty years ago)

Can't think of their imitators who moved me at all

Try the Fastbacks. "The Question Is NO" is their "Singles Going Steady" (and is just as good says me).

― drench, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 14:48 (twenty years ago)

"The aim of existence is to offer resistance to the flow of time."

Get the fuck in, Peter Shelley. What a band.

― Venga (Venga), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 23:26 (twenty years ago)

"I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit"

Devoto

― dr x o'skeleton, Wednesday, 29 March 2006 12:56 (twenty years ago)

"Never Mind The Buzzcocks"

Right, they've done Jonathan Ross and Simon thingy as guest presenters.

Let's be having Pete Shelley up next you bbc you.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 13:00 (twenty years ago)

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

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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