"Millions Of People (No-One Like You)" and "Telephone Operator" should have been massive hits too IMHO - and they didn't contain any such questionable lyrics - so did they offer any explanation for that?!?
"Pete Shelley's Irish nephew? They didn't say anything about that in the documentary, just about these two guys who were fans of theirs and knew their back catalogue backwards and ended up as their new rhythm section. I presume Shelley's nephew didn't last long in the band?"
Since reforming with the original line-up, the only bassist they've had is Tony Barber (who also plays for Chelsea) and apart from one tour with Mike Joyce (ex Smiths, of course) I'm pretty sure the only drummer they've had is Phil Barker (who's also one of the Stratford Mercenaries and was previously in a band called Lack Of Knowledge with Tony). Neither of these are related to PS as far as I know, but I do know a guy called Joey who's been their roadie since '77 so I'll try to dig his e-mail address out and ask him!
Fwiw they've actually had the current line up for more than 10 years.
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 10:49 (nineteen years ago) link
Easy tiger.
― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:01 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:44 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― Red Panda Sanskrit (ex machina), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:49 (nineteen years ago) link
― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― kephm, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:26 (nineteen years ago) link
One of my more bemusing claims to relative small time fame is that I think I wrote most of the Buzzcocks reviews on the AMG.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― Red Panda Sanskrit (ex machina), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― Shiggle, Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:25 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:26 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:33 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:46 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 15:26 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 15:27 (nineteen years ago) link
― Atnevon (Atnevon), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 21:10 (nineteen years ago) link
Interesting piece on them in this Mojo Punk Special. I envy those of you who got to see those TOTP performances, etc.
― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 10 April 2005 07:36 (nineteen years ago) link
― Nick H (Nick H), Sunday, 10 April 2005 13:37 (nineteen years ago) link
buzzcocks fans with descendents hate are like run-dmc fans who hate public enemy. don't hate the playa, hate the game, etc...
― peteshelleygoestocollege, Sunday, 10 April 2005 18:48 (nineteen years ago) link
Blame it on X-Ray Spex.
― Atnevon (Atnevon), Sunday, 10 April 2005 19:42 (nineteen years ago) link
― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 10 April 2005 20:01 (nineteen years ago) link
By the way, Buzzcock's are as classic as it gets. A little maudlin sometimes, but aren't we all.
― Fa Fa fa FA, Fa fa Fa fa FA Fa (poop), Sunday, 10 April 2005 20:05 (nineteen years ago) link
― Fa Fa fa FA, Fa fa Fa fa FA Fa (poop), Sunday, 10 April 2005 20:06 (nineteen years ago) link
Anyway, I liked my lyrics better. Call Pansy Division. If they haven't already gone to it.
― Atnevon (Atnevon), Monday, 11 April 2005 04:06 (nineteen years ago) link
― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 11 April 2005 04:31 (nineteen years ago) link
Another Music in a Different Kitchen / Singles Going Steady: Pretty awesome.
Afterwards, progressively losing the plot.
― Sasha (sgh), Monday, 11 April 2005 07:08 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 11 April 2005 07:38 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 11 April 2005 14:32 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 11 April 2005 16:44 (nineteen years ago) link
By the time you get to "Airwaves Dream," you're a million miles from "Orgasm" (one of the few songs I knew) - it's positively Joy Divisionish.
― paulhw (paulhw), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:32 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:43 (eighteen years ago) link
"Ever Fallen In Love" might be the my favorite single by a first-wave UK punk band.
― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:50 (eighteen years ago) link
― lemin (lemin), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:53 (eighteen years ago) link
― lemin (lemin), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:55 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:55 (eighteen years ago) link
OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!!!
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 20 October 2005 21:57 (eighteen years ago) link
Over-familiarisation with their music ruined the Buzzcocks for me big time.
― Bob Six (bobbysix), Thursday, 20 October 2005 22:15 (eighteen years ago) link
― zeus (zeus), Thursday, 20 October 2005 22:21 (eighteen years ago) link
― dr x o'skeleton, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 09:31 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 09:55 (eighteen years ago) link
― dr x o'skeleton, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 10:35 (eighteen years ago) link
Try the Fastbacks. "The Question Is NO" is their "Singles Going Steady" (and is just as good says me).
― drench, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 14:48 (eighteen years ago) link
Get the fuck in, Peter Shelley. What a band.
― Venga (Venga), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 23:26 (eighteen years ago) link
Happy birthday, Pete, 61 today!
http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/gfx/HiRes-12335.jpg
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Sunday, 17 April 2016 12:38 (eight years ago) link
Happy Birthday, Pete!
― Freakshow At The Barn Dance (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 17 April 2016 16:06 (eight years ago) link
This band is so good.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 15 January 2018 01:50 (six years ago) link
Yes.
― Mark G, Monday, 15 January 2018 08:03 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfKdzpta-Ss
― What Do I Blecch? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 December 2018 13:39 (five years ago) link
Anyone rep for the post-reunion stuff? I could go for a nice cherry picking of the best bits.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 10 December 2018 16:05 (five years ago) link
Why did they break up after A Different Kind of Tension? Never heard much of a story about this.
― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Monday, 10 December 2018 20:03 (five years ago) link
They did three (double A-side?) singles after that. Substance problems was one contributing factor.
― What Do I Blecch? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 December 2018 20:20 (five years ago) link
Discussion of the end of the first run here: Buzzcocks Are Everything
― What Do I Blecch? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 December 2018 21:06 (five years ago) link