pete shelley
Buzzcocks
For over thirty years the Buzzcocks have been a figurehead of the English punk movement. In all these years the Buzzcocks never made concessions to freaks of fashion or dominant trends. Instead, they remained loyal to their own sound: beautiful songs drenched in punk energy, combining raw guitar riffs with intelligent lyrics.
Buzzcocks was formed in Manchester in the mid-seventies. Guitarist and vocalist Pete Shelley and vocalist Howard Devoto started their first musical project in 1975, inspired by electronic music, Brian Eno and American proto-punk groups like The Stooges. When Shelley and Devoto read an NME review of the first Sex Pistols live performance, the Buzzcocks as we now know them were born. In the spring of 1976 Shelley and Devoto organised two concerts of the Sex Pistols in Manchester’s Lesser Free Trade Hall. The second gig was supported by the Buzzcocks, by now complete with drummer John Maher and bass guitarist Steve Diggle.
Soon the Buzzcocks themselves became one of the most popular punk bands. In late 1976 they issued their debut EP ‘Spiral Scratch’ on their own label ‘New Hormones’. This was a milestone in the punk movement. The EP sounded raw, energetic, repetitive and minimalist and became a guideline for the punk sound. Establishing your own label to issue a record was later often repeated, at the summit of the do-it-yourself attitude of the punk era.
After these first eventful months Devoto left the band to form Magazine. Pete Shelley took over the vocals and Diggle switched from bass to guitar. With Steve Garvay as bass guitarist they signed with United Artists Records in 1977. The first single to be issued on this label was ‘Orgasm Addict’, a song which is still brash today, but caused a real stir in England of the 1970s. The BBC banning the single didn’t damage the sales figures whatsoever. The following albums ‘Another Music In A Different Kitchen’ and ‘Love Bites’ stormed the charts and the Buzzcocks toured all over Europe and America. They issued a third album ‘A Different Kind Of Tension’, before the group split up in 1981. Since 1989 the Buzzcocks have been reunited. The current line-up includes Shelley, Diggle, bass guitarist Chris Remington (who replaced long-standing band member Tony Barber in 2006) and drummer Danny Farrant. The Buzzcocks released their eighth studio album ‘Flat Pack Philosophy’ in 2006. In the 21st century the Buzzcocks are still relevant, not just as an innovative guitar band, but also as a continuing source of inspiration for the younger generation.
Leonor Jonker
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This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com
Why Not Check Out:
Sex Pistols
The Stooges
The Velvet Underground
The History Of Punk
ALVIN STARDUST
Alvin Stardust, born Bernard William Jewry is an English pop singer and actor. His debut appearance was made at the age of four in pantomime. In the 1960s and unknown band called Shane Fenton and The Fentones sent a demo tape to the BBC in the hope of being picked to appear on TV.
Whilst waiting for a reply Shane Fenton died of rheumatic fever and the band split up before receiving a letter asking them to come and audition at the BBC. Fenton’s mother asked the band to stay together and keep the name of the band in memory of her son. Stardust was a roadie for the band at the time and stepped up to become the new Shane Fenton. The band had a number of UK hits in the 1960s before breaking up.
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Ten years had past and Alvin did not have any new material to put out as he was touring the night club circuit. This was until he met songwrighter and producer Pete Shelley when things started to go Alvin's way. Shelley wrote the Alvin Stardust classic 'My Coo-Ca Choo' way before he met him. The reason for the delay in releasing the song was because Shelley wanted to find someone who sung rock n roll but looked mean at the same time. Since the 70s saw the rise of glam rock hit the UK, Shelley wanted someone who was the opposite, that man was Alvin Stardust.
He had a number of hits in a career spanning nearly 25 years including, “Jealous Mind”, “Red Dress", "Tell Me Why", "A Wonderful Time Up There”, "Got a Little Heartache" and "I Feel Like Buddy Holly".
Stardust has also had a successful career in musical theatre including a UK tour in Godspell and playing the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium.
Discography:
Alvin Stardust, Magnet, 1974.
The Untouchable, Magnet, 1974.
Rock with Alvin, Magnet, 1975.
A Picture of You (LP), ZKP RTVL, 1984.
Alvin Stardust and Wild Black Jets, The Rockin' Train, Starfish Music, 2007.
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com
