Buzzcocks – ‘Sonics In The Soul’ (Cherry Red Records)

Buzzcocks – ‘Sonics In The Soul’ (Cherry Red Records)

Sure there is an elephant in the room but to get through this album you’re going to have to park that particular beast and just listen to the record a few times purely on its own merit. Sure Pete was/is a huge part of what made Buzzcocks what they were and that element is no longer there. However, Steve is also a massive part of the equation and he is very much still here and on that basis, he has every right to continue under the name Buzzcocks. So, on that note welcome ladies and gentlemen to my five penneth worth on the brand spanking new Buzzcocks record ‘Sonics In The Soul’.

The record was proceeded by a very nice 10″ EP that contained the opening salvo of ‘Senses Out Of Control’. Now, Buzzcocks had two singers and for me two very different styles there was on the one hand Pete’s pop melodies in contrast to Steves’s more aggressive style more confrontational style so if I were to describe ‘Senses Out Of Control’ as a Steve song for the purposes of this review then you should have a decent idea of where I’m coming from. It’s a banger of an opening track with that Buzzsaw riff thrashing away all downstrokes towards the melodic chorus. It’s a call to arms and with some neat walking bass lines going on under the riff it’s getting multiple plays here after I “got it” and it’s a fine blast of fuck you from the legend that is Steve Diggle.

Are we sitting comfortably? ‘Manchester Rain’ is another uptempo blast but this time with a tip of the hat to Shelley with a nice hook on that lead guitar. It was one of those instant tunes that grabbed me from the first play. Loving the guitar work throughout from the shimmering effect to that one string lick that we all associate with Buzzcocks.

What do I get? Well, I get an album that has a whole bunch of excellent tunes and as I went into this with an open mind I feel I’ve been rewarded tenfold. What a great record from Steve, Chris and Danny – it’s always been all about the music and this record is a worthy contender. Buzzcocks – I love ’em.

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Author: Dom Daley

Buzzcocks – ‘Sell You Everything (1991-2004)’ (Cherry Red Records)

Buzzcocks – ‘Sell You Everything (1991-2004)’ (Cherry Red Records)

Buzzcocks should require no introduction. Forever embedded in pop culture of the late ’70s and to the punk and post-punk DIY movements, the group, led by frontman Pete Shelley and co-frontman Steve Diggle, brought an essential pop sensibility and sartorial style to the late last epic youth movement but are also tied to the last big youth explosion that was Grunge and Nirvana in particular.

Having disbanded in 1981, the band re-grouped in 1989 and continue to write, record and perform to this day, despite the saddening and untimely loss of Pete Shelley in 2018. This box set captures the eight albums and numerous singles the band produced with Shelley during a thirty-three year period, alongside previously unheard rarities, demos, outtakes & veritable treasures that lie under the lid.  Dismiss at your peril ‘Sell You Everything’ is an essential purchase as you should make all year.

We’ll start at the beginning of these eight discs and number one sees the band present their 1991 demos of the album some of which made it onto ‘Trade Test Transmission a couple of years later.  Thirteen demos of exceptional quality expanded to make a twenty-one song disc.  Sure there is a small amount of repetition with songs like ‘Alive Tonight’ and ‘Succesful Street’ cropping up a couple of times but very different versions to be fair and different enough to deserve duplicating. Of course, this demo album isn’t up there with the first four albums lets not pretend anything other than what it is but to fans (of which I would consider myself one) it’s fantastic to have all these songs in this format together on the one disc.  right, One down seven to go! Oh before we move on the demo version of ‘Succesful Street’ is far superior to the one on the EP!

Disc two is ‘Trade Test Transmission’ plus a few of Diggle’s home demos songs like ‘Energy’ which gives you a good idea of how the song came together even if this is much more like home recording territory god bless those Tascam4 tracks eh?

Disc Three is ‘All Set’ which was more in keeping with Buzzcocks from the sprightly opener ‘Totally From The Heart’ and I always loved ‘Without You’ it was the return of classic Shelley. As always when Diggle got behind the mic he always dished up a classic or two and his contribution here is the wonderful ‘What Am I Supposed To Do’. I always had a soft spot when Diggle got out the old acoustic as well and his contribution here was the albums closing number ‘Back With You’ but again its the demos at the end that hold the intrigue and a whole bunch of energy especially ‘Your Love’.  Laying fresh ears on this album has been a joy and a bit of guilt for not picking it up sooner over the last decade or so I feel shame for the neglect and won’t let it be another decade before it gets played.

 

Disc Four sees the band hit the tail end of the ’90s and having been back at it for almost a decade by this point and ‘Modern’ hit the shelves.  I loved how about this point the band were being referred to indie rockers and not punk pioneers or post-punk power-pop legends but they still had plenty of fizz on songs like ‘Rendezvous’.  They did test my patience as well I won’t lie.  ‘Don’t Let The Car Crash’ was a weird one as was ‘Doesn’t mean Anything’ and ‘Phone’ as well whilst we’re at it.  I always thought it was better suited to the solo material with all the samples but now looking back maybe I appreciate the band experimenting more. I always loved the more straight aproach of ‘turn Of The Screw’ and ‘Sneaky’.  Probably the lowest point of the band catalogue to be fair although adding the Townsend strum of ‘Autumn Stone’ Steves Buzz is very interesting as Diggle manages to sound hauntingly like Steve Marriott here.

 

The self-titled album of 2003 was a right return to form with fast songs that cut the crap from opener ‘Jerk’ and the thunderous ‘Keep On’ someone or something really lit a fire under the band who also were turning in some fantastic live shows around this time as well.  ‘Sick City Sometimes’ is a blinding track courtesy of Mr. Diggle.  ‘Buzzcocks’ was a stripped back bullshit-free bolt of thunder and lightning from the slashing hack of those guitars to the super-tight rhythm section a real beast of an album.  With only three bonus tracks here one being the demo of ‘Never Believe It’ and the final two cuts being a live rendition of ‘Paradise’ and a haunting bootleg out of the desk take of ‘Oh Shit’ that’ll strip paint if you play it loud enough.

‘Flat Pack Philosophy’ I remember having mixed press around the time and having pledged on a copy I remember it ticking a lot of boxes around the time of its release and listening back here it still stands up with songs like the title track and ‘wish I Never Loved You’ being a pair of belters to open any album never mind the bazillionth album of an illustrious career.  ‘Sell You Everything’ is another slice of Diggle gold but once again fans will be intrigued with the bonus cuts on offer sees ‘See Through You’ and ‘Darker By The Hour’ and its pop beauty before a filthy, raucous ‘Love Battery’ and ‘Sixteen’ – Job done another epic Buxxcocks album made even better by an abundance of additional material.

Now disc seven.  Probably the disc I’ve played over and over again since getting my mitts on this treasure trove of Buzzcocks goodies twenty-Four reworks of classic songs from right across the existence of one of the most exciting innovative and downright brilliant bands ever. I absolutely love it some songs have matured and improved with age and some of the later ones like ‘Turn Of The Screw’ fit in like peas in a pod – bloody brilliant. HAving Shelley bark out the words and melodies on ‘Boredom’ is exciting and don’t get me started on the bass line of ‘Fast Cars’ or the mesmeric qualities of ‘Why Can’t I Touch It’.  Anyone who witnessed the band performing over the last decade would have pretty much witnessed these songs played by this line up in this way and I can’t imagine one single person not bowing down to the majesty power, beauty and downright quality of what was on offer and hearing them rerecorded here gives nothing away as to the age of the songs in large nor is any quarter given by the band.

‘You Say You Don’t Love Me’ nestled next to ‘Turn Of The Screw’ or the bluster of ‘Breakdown’ preceding ‘Promises’ brings a tear to my eye. ‘Love You More’?  I don’t think I could right now and the sadness that washed over me hearing an enthusiastic ‘What do I Get’ knowing I’ll never get that live again but I do have this blistering set to fall back on.  ‘I Believe’ and then finally ‘Love Is Lies’ wraps up the disc that makes all this worth it.  If you had any doubt about picking this up then take a butchers at this running order and tell me its not worth it?  Absolutely bittersweet but sheer brilliance. and there’s still one more to go.

The box set of the year is wrapped up nicely with ‘The Way’ plus seven bonus cuts and the best box set to get released is done.  A real joy to behold from the audio to the packaging its a winner and a must-have not just for the die-hard fans but for anyone whos has ever sung along to a Buzzcocks track at a disco, pub, wedding whatever this is a must-have lovingly compiled and expanded and everything you want from a box set that sells you everything and not just goes through the motions. 160 tracks – 29 previously unreleased, what’s not to want?  Essential, simple as

Buy ‘Sell You Everything’ Here

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Author: Dom Daley

Gone But Not Forgotten – Pete Shelley 1955-2018

Gone But Not Forgotten – Pete Shelley 1955-2018

Photo by Andre Csillag

Today RPM would like to remember Peter Campbell McNeish born on 17 April 1955 but sadly passed away on this day twelve months ago of a suspected heart attack.  Can’t place the name? worry not because you will remember him as Pete Shelly one of the singer-songwriters from Buzzcocks and writer of classic punk tunes such as ‘Ever Fallen In Love (with Someone You Shouldn’t ‘ve?).

Shelley formed Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto after they met at the Bolton Institute of Technology in 1975 and after the pair travelled to High Wycombe, to see the Sex Pistols. The band included bassist Steve Diggle and drummer John Maher; They went on to make their debut supporting the Sex Pistols in their home town of Manchester.  After the band went onto an indefinate hiatus it was touring or being asked to open for Nirvana around North America that sparked a renewed interest in the band and they never looked back.

McNeish changed his name to Shelley after his favourite romantic poet which shouldn’t come as a surprise with the style of songs and the lyrics Pete wrote throughout his career.  From the debut classic ‘Spiral Scratch’ right through his solo years and up until his untimely passing as a member of the reformed Buzzcocks sadly he missed his bands playing at The Royal Albert Hall  Pete Shelley is sadly missed and has left a giant hole in the hearts of many fans around the globe.

The first three albums are regarded as the classic years where Shelly was thrust into the frontman role ably assisted by Diggle but it was Shelly’s melodies on hits like ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ and ‘What Do I Get?’ the band hit something of a wall in 81 after the release of ‘Singles Going Steady’ and a dispute with their then label.  He went on to have a decent solo career until he and Diggle reformed the band in 89 with the release of ‘Trade Test Transmission’.  there were several new albums from Buzzcocks including ‘The Way’ and ‘Flat Pack Philosophy’. His death was broken to the public through his brother Gary via Facebook.

Shelley had moved to Tallinn in Estonia, in 2012 with his second wife, Greta, an Estonian, he sited the less hectic pace there to that he had spent the last thirty years in London. He died in Estonia of a suspected heart attack on the morning of 6 December 2018. His passing rightly made the national news as he had so much left to give and Buzzcocks were still very capable of delivering devastating live performances with so many hits they tried to pack into their live show they never disappointed.  The band were heralded by the likes of John Peel who was synonymous with playing their singles before they were released and helping turn the public onto Shelley penned classics.

 

Shelley left behind a quite remarkable catalogue of records spanning several decades five solo albums, fourteen singles as for Buzzcocks; there were nine studio albums, five live albums, no less than thirteen compilation albums, ten EP’s and twenty-four singles.  It’s hard to believe looking back that the band never achieved a top ten single in the UK when you consider some of their most memorable releases.