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The mark of a great band is one that truly touches people's lives.
I think that can certainly be said about Buzzcocks.
This month sees the release of a new, eponymously-titled album from
the band on Cherry Red, their latest release since their formation
in Manchester back in 1976.
| "The
new album proves it's business as usual as far as these National
Pop Treasures are concerned..." |
Always
one of my favourite bands of the punk elite, I can remember seeing
them for the first time at the Finsbury Park Rainbow in 1978 with
Joy Division as special guests.
What
a bill and what a night that was - 200mph energy a go go that left
me physically reeling and my ears ringing for days later.
classics
Masters of the 45rpm single ('Singles Going Steady' indeed!), they've
released a smattering of pop punk classics over the past 25 years.
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Catchy
guitar pop meisters: Buzzcocks in 1977/78
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From
'Boredom' to 'Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't Have
Fallen In Love With) to 'Promises'.
Singles
that have epitomised catchy guitar pop and been cited as an influence
on Elastica to Nirvana to Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder to The Strokes
and many others.
The new album is a fine testament to the band's enduring talents,
with Pete Shelley's and Steve Diggle's new songs sounding as fresh
and potent as ever.
With
a clutch of tracks resurrected from the Buzzcocks archives and tackled
again to great effect, standout moments include the barbed wire
pop of 'Keep On', the throbbing 'Driving You Insane' and the punky
'Sick City Sometimes', all proving it's business as usual as far
as these National Pop Treasures are concerned.
riveting
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Between
the covers...Steve Diggle's story is about to appear in print
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I'm
also rather excited about guitarist Steve Diggle's forthcoming autobiography
'Harmony In My Head'.
I've
had the pleasure of sinking a pint or three with Mr Diggle over
the past few years in various West End watering holes and, if the
book's anything like his anecdotes, it should make for a right riveting
read as they say.
Stories
of the band's early days in Manchester to the Sex Pistols Anarchy
gigs to touring with Nirvana will hopefully abound!
The
book is being published by those cool folk at Helter Skelter and
will hopefully be with us by early summer. Meanwhile, look out for
the band's upcoming appearance at the Shepherds Bush Empire on Sunday
27 April - definitely one for the diary!
 listen:
hear
Buzzcocks THEN with 'What Do I Get?' from Radio One's John
Peel show
listen:
hear
Buzzcocks NOW with 'Jerk'
add
your opinion
email me direct at: yourlondon@bbc.co.uk
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