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Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They achieved commercial success with singles that fused pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on ''Singles Going Steady'', an acclaimed compilation album described by music journalist and critic, Ned Raggett, as a "punk masterpiece". Devoto and Shelley chose the name "Buzzcocks" after reading the headline, "It's the Buzz, Cock!", in a review of the TV series ''Rock Follies'' in ''Time Out (company), Time Out'' magazine. The "buzz" is the excitement of playing on stage; "cock" is northern English slang meaning "friend". They thought it captured the excitement of the nascent punk scene, as well as having humorous sexual connotations following ...
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Singles Going Steady
''Singles Going Steady'' is a compilation album by English punk rock band Buzzcocks, first released on I.R.S. Records in the United States on 25 September 1979. Background ''Singles Going Steady'' was the first Buzzcocks album to be released in North America and intended as an introduction to the band for the American public, coinciding with a tour of the US. Side one of the original release of the album featured their eight UK single releases on United Artists Records from 1977 up to the time of ''Singles Going Steady'''s release in 1979 in chronological order, while side two featured their corresponding B-sides, also in chronological order. After healthy sales on import in the UK over the next two years, and following the group's split in early 1981, the album was belatedly released in the band's home country on United Artists Records on 16 November 1981 as a 'greatest hits' album. However, as in the US, the album failed to chart. The album was reissued in expanded form on ...
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Pete Shelley
Pete Shelley (born Peter Campbell McNeish; 17 April 1955 – 6 December 2018) was an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He formed early punk band Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1976, and became the lead singer and guitarist in 1977 when Devoto left. The group released their biggest hit "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" in 1978. The band broke up in 1981 and reformed at the end of the decade. Shelley also had a solo career; his song " Homosapien" charted in the US in 1981. Biography Shelley was born to Margaret and John McNeish at 48 Milton Street, in Leigh, Lancashire. His mother was an ex-mill worker in the town and his father was a fitter at Astley Green Colliery. He had a younger brother, Gary. Shelley's stage name is inspired by Percy Bysshe Shelley, his favourite Romantic poet. Buzzcocks Shelley formed Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto after they met at the Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton) in 1975 and subsequently trave ...
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Steve Diggle
Stephen E Diggle (born 7 May 1955) is an English guitarist and vocalist in the punk band Buzzcocks. Biography Early years Diggle was born on 7 May 1955 at Saint Mary's Hospital in Manchester, and grew up in the Bradford and Rusholme areas of the city, where he was a mod. After attending Oldham College, he got a job, but was dismissed for organising a strike. Buzzcocks He attended the Sex Pistols gig at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall, in June 1976. Their manager Malcolm McLaren introduced him to guitarist Pete Shelley and vocalist Howard Devoto, who were looking for a bassist for their band, Buzzcocks. John Maher joined as drummer and six weeks later, Buzzcocks played their first concert. Steve played bass at several concerts and on the ''Spiral Scratch'' '' EP''. Howard Devoto left Buzzcocks shortly after the EP was released, which prompted the band to reshuffle – Pete Shelley becoming lead vocalist as well as guitarist and Diggle switching from bass to guitar. ...
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Steve Garvey (musician)
Stephen Garvey (born 8 January 1958) is a musician who is known for being the bass guitarist of the punk band Buzzcocks, forming part of the classic line-up of the group, from 1977 to 1981, and, again, from 1989 to 1992. Biography Original Buzzcocks years Garvey was born in Manchester, England. After working in a petrol station, he joined Buzzcocks as bass guitarist in late 1977, replacing erstwhile bassist Garth Smith shortly after the release of the ''Orgasm Addict'' single. He was with Buzzcocks for their first three albums: ''Another Music in a Different Kitchen'', '' Love Bites'' and ''A Different Kind of Tension'', and his work features on the majority of the compilation ''Singles Going Steady''. The group disbanded in 1981. Other bands and collaborations From 1978 to 1980, in parallel with Buzzcocks, he was a member of The Teardrops, which was mostly his school band, along with The Fall's Karl Burns, Martin Bramah and Tony Friel, who released two EPs in 1978, '' In and ...
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Howard Devoto
Howard Devoto (born Howard Andrew Trafford, 15 March 1952) is a retired English singer and songwriter, who began his career as the frontman for punk rock band Buzzcocks, but then left to form Magazine, one of the first post-punk bands. After Magazine, he went solo and later formed indie band Luxuria. His singing has been characterized as a "speak-sing voice that veered between amused croon and panicked yelp". Biography Born in Scunthorpe, Devoto grew up in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and Moortown, Leeds, where he attended Leeds Grammar School and met and befriended future Buzzcocks manager Richard Boon. In 1972, he went to Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton) to study psychology, and, later, humanities. During these college years, he met his future bandmates Pete Shelley and Ben Mandelson. Buzzcocks Inspired by the Sex Pistols, Devoto co-formed Buzzcocks with singer/guitarist Pete Shelley in 1976. He left the band in February 1977 after only one rec ...
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Howard Trafford
Howard Devoto (born Howard Andrew Trafford, 15 March 1952) is a retired English singer and songwriter, who began his career as the frontman for punk rock band Buzzcocks, but then left to form Magazine, one of the first post-punk bands. After Magazine, he went solo and later formed indie band Luxuria. His singing has been characterized as a "speak-sing voice that veered between amused croon and panicked yelp". Biography Born in Scunthorpe, Devoto grew up in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and Moortown, Leeds, where he attended Leeds Grammar School and met and befriended future Buzzcocks manager Richard Boon. In 1972, he went to Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton) to study psychology, and, later, humanities. During these college years, he met his future bandmates Pete Shelley and Ben Mandelson. Buzzcocks Inspired by the Sex Pistols, Devoto co-formed Buzzcocks with singer/guitarist Pete Shelley in 1976. He left the band in February 1977 after only one record ...
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John Maher (Buzzcocks Drummer)
John Maher (born 21 April 1960) is a British musician who was part of the punk and new wave scenes in Manchester, England, most notably as the drummer with Buzzcocks. Music career Maher's father and mother were from Castledermot, Athy, Kildare, Ireland. In 1976, still a 16-year-old schoolboy from St Bede's College, Whalley Range, Manchester, he joined punk band Buzzcocks, then led by Howard Devoto, who was the lead vocalist. After the first Buzzcocks dissolving in 1981, he collaborated with Pauline Murray of The Invisible Girls, and formed along with Steve Diggle (also of Buzzcocks) a band called Flag of Convenience, in 1982, but he quit shortly afterwards. In 1981, he was drumming with Pete Wylie in Wah! Buzzcocks reunited in late 1989 for a month long tour of the US and seven shows in the UK. While the other members of the band decided to continue, Maher left to continue with his VW business (see below). He returned once more in early 1992, when his replacement ( Mike Joy ...
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Pop Punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other punk-variant genres by drawing more heavily from 1960s bands such as the Beatles, the Kinks, and the Beach Boys. The genre has evolved throughout its history, absorbing elements from new wave, college rock, ska, rap, emo, and boy bands. It is sometimes considered interchangeable with power pop and skate punk. Pop punk emerged in the late 1970s with groups such as the Ramones, the Undertones, and the Buzzcocks. 1980s punk bands like Bad Religion, Descendents and the Misfits were influential to pop punk, and it expanded in the 1980s and early 1990s by a host of bands signed to Lookout! Records, including Screeching Weasel, the Queers, and the Mr. T Experience. In the mid–late 1990s, the genre saw a massive widespread popularity increase w ...
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Flag Of Convenience (band)
Flag of Convenience were a rock group formed in 1982 by former Buzzcocks members Steve Diggle and John Maher, along with bassist Dave Farrow and keyboard player D.P.Strong, Martin C. (1999) "The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", Canongate, Through their first two line-ups they were managed by the writer and music critic Michael Gray, shortly after his personal management of Gerry Rafferty. Hence the band's first single was produced by Rafferty's co-producer Hugh Murphy. The band continued with changing line-ups until 1989, with later incarnations releasing records under the names F.O.C. and Buzzcocks F.O.C. The final incarnation of the band included former member of The Stone Roses Andy Couzens and former Inspiral Carpets drummer Chris Goodwin, who both went on to form The High. The band ended when Diggle joined Pete Shelley in a re-formed Buzzcocks, the reunion prompted by controversy over the use of "Buzzcocks" in the billing of Diggle's band.Jack RabidFlag of Convenienc ...
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Danny Farrant
Danny Farrant (born in Weston-super-Mare, England) is the current drummer in the British punk band Buzzcocks, having joined the group following Phil Barker's departure in 2006. Early years He has described the Sex Pistols song "God Save The Queen" as being his biggest inspiration in music. He said: "The energy and venom coming from John Lydon's delivery, coupled with the no-nonsense meat and two veg of the band left everything else in its wake. Every time I hear the intro to that track, the hairs on my neck stand up." As a schoolboy, Farrant was a member of a short-lived new wave group called Safreak – a name that was culled from a half-erased piece of graffiti. After leaving Safreak, Farrant formed a band called Burning Hearts, which appeared in a battle of the bands-style competition on BBC television's ''Going Live''. Other works Farrant also plays guitar, bass and keyboards. He has also played drums for The Alarm, Spear of Destiny, Bad Manners and Grand National. Accor ...
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Garth Smith
Garth Smith (born Garth Davies, 10 December 1955) and sometimes credited as Garth, was known for being one of the bassists of the Bolton formed punk rock band, Buzzcocks. Biography Garth was born in the Lancashire town of Tyldesley on Saturday 10 December 1955. He was named after the village of Garth in mid Wales, near to the town of Builth Wells where his mother was born and raised. Smith was the original bassist of the band, playing in their first show in the Bolton Institute of Technology, where the other founders of the band, guitarist Pete Shelley and vocalist Howard Devoto, were students, on 1 April 1976. He rejoined the band after Devoto left and Shelley took the lead vocalist role, around March 1977, when the band played gigs again. The band recorded and released some material with him, such as ''The Roxy London WC2'' (June 1977), a various artists compilation album of bands who played live at The Roxy; Buzzcocks live at the Roxy album recorded in April 1977, and pla ...
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Tony Barber (bassist)
Anthony 'Tony' Barber (born 20 April 1963, North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton, London, England) is a former bassist of the British pop-punk band Buzzcocks.Gregory, Andy (2002) ''International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002'', Europa, , p. 27 He was a member of post-punk band Lack of Knowledge between 1979 and 1985 and Boys Wonder between 1987 and 1988.Thomas, BryanAirport Biography, Allmusic. Retrieved 1 January 2013 He joined Buzzcocks in 1992. He also played on The T4 Project's 2008 album entitled ''Story-Based Concept Album''.Mason, StewartThe T4 Project Biography, Allmusic. Retrieved 1 January 2013 He has also released solo material under the name Airport, including the ''Lift Off with Airport'' album in 2001 on the Poptones label.Thomas, Bryan''Lift Off with Airport'' Review, Allmusic. Retrieved 1 January 2013 Barber has also produced records for P.P. Arnold and the Soul Destroyers, Denim, and Idha as well as played live in such groups as The Alarm, Alternative TV, The Cr ...
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