''Love Bites'' is the second studio album by English punk rock band Buzzcocks. It was released on 22 September 1978, through

United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, ...

. The album peaked at number 13 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

at the time of its release, making ''Love Bites'' their highest-charting album.

Background and production

''Love Bites'' was recorded and mixed by Buzzcocks with producer

Martin Rushent Martin Charles Rushent (11 July 1948 – 4 June 2011) was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and Buzzcocks. Early life Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father ...

over a two-and-a-half-week period in July and August 1978, less than six months after the release of their début album, ''

Another Music in a Different Kitchen ''Another Music in a Different Kitchen'' is the first studio album by the English punk rock band Buzzcocks. It was released in March 1978 by the United Artists record label. This was the third line-up of Buzzcocks, with the guitarist Pete Shelle ...

''. The album was recorded in the midst of an extensive touring schedule. The instrumental track "Late for the Train" was first played and recorded on John Peel's Radio One show, along with bass player

Steve Garvey Steven Patrick Garvey (born December 22, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987. Garvey was the National ...

's instrumental "Walking Distance". Co-writing credits for "Just Lust" were given to Alan Dial, a pen-name for Buzzcocks' then manager

Richard Boon James Richard Boon (born 6 July 1953) is the former manager of Buzzcocks and boss of the record label, New Hormones. Boon, a Leeds Grammar School friend of Howard Devoto, became the manager for seminal punk group Buzzcocks by default, after o ...

. "Nostalgia" was also recorded by Newcastle band Penetration, who in 1978 accompanied Buzzcocks on the "Entertaining Friends" tour of England.

Cover artwork

The hand-drawn script on the album sleeve is a conscious reference to paintings by

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

surrealist Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to ...

artist

René Magritte René François Ghislain Magritte (; 21 November 1898 – 15 August 1967) was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, which often provoked questions about the nature and bound ...

. The sleeve insert airbrush illustrations of the band are by Robin Utracik,

rhythm guitarist In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass gui ...

from The Worst.

Critical reception

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' wrote that the record "demonstrates both the Buzzcocks' perfection of their particular brand of pop and their disillusionment with its restrictions. Producer Martin Rushent clarifies the elements of the sound even further, and Shelley's songwriting continues to improve". In a retrospective review,

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio ...

described it as "an essential purchase for anyone remotely interested in punk's history."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

wrote: "More musically accomplished, more obsessively self-questioning, and with equally energetic yet sometimes gloomy performances, ''Love Bites'' finds the Buzzcocks coming into their own."

CD release

In March 1994, a CD version of the original album was released by

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...

, containing four additional tracks: "Love You More"; "Noise Annoys"; "Promises"; and "Lipstick".

Track listing

Personnel

;Buzzcocks *

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 whe ...

– lead guitar, lead vocals (all but 8) *

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 ...

– rhythm and acoustic guitars, backing and lead (8) vocals *

– bass guitar * John Maher – drums ;Production *

–

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

, mixing * Douglas Bennett – engineering

Notes

References

External links

* * ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'
review
of ''Love Bites'' {{Authority control 1978 albums Buzzcocks albums Albums produced by Martin Rushent I.R.S. Records albums Nettwerk Records albums Parlophone albums United Artists Records albums albums recorded at Olympic Sound Studios