Buzzcocks | Artist

Buzzcocks is an English rock band formed 1976 in Bolton, UK by singer-songwriter and guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a major influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, and post punk. Howard Trafford (Devoto) and Peter McNeish (Shelley) met as students at Bolton Institute of Technology and started playing gigs at the College in April '76. They recruited Steve Diggle (bass) and John Maher (drums) to complete the lineup and supported Sex Pistols at their second Manchester Lesser Free Hall gig in June '76. By the end of '76 they recorded the Spiral Scratch EP, produced by Martin Hannett, which is regarded as one of the seminal Punk recordings. The band made a name for themselves with their first single "Orgasm Addict" and their brilliant debut album Another Music in a Different Kitchen released in '78. Howard Devoto soon left the band and formed the Art-Punk-New Wave band Magazine. Shelly carried on with Buzzcocks and released solo works in the '80s. The first three Buzzcocks albums: Another Music in a Different Kitchen, Love Bites, A Different Kind of Tension and the Spiral Scratch EP are classics. Other outstanding releases include The Peel Sessions, Time's Up archival material and the brilliant Singles Going Steady compilation.

Artist Website: buzzcocks.com

Featured Albums: Buzzcocks

Related Artists: Pete Shelley, Magazine, Sex Pistols, Martin Hannett