The Buzzcocks

[Dr Markus]

"One of the most important punks bands ever"

This is the sales pitch on Irish radio right now for their up coming gigs. Well?, One of the most important punks bands ever?

No punk without them? did they push the boundaries? were/are they the living embodiment of punk?

I hate statement likes these

"One of the most important (insert genre) bands ever".

So I guess I'm putting the buzzcocks on trial here or at least this statement about them.

Go.

[jimboo]

I love the Buzzcocks.

[Jimbly]

They were very important.

First diy punk single.

Third punk single ever.

[Fonz]

Loved them.

Now indiff.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

I love the Buzzcocks.

Me too. I can't imagine tiring of them. And yet, every time they come up, people say they are bored with them or Singles Going Steady is all they need. The world is a sad place sometimes.

[Count Machuki]

kitchen vs. tension?

[Jimbly]

Kitchen but Tension is brilliant as well

[Count Machuki]

Kitchen but Tension is brilliant as well

I'd reverse that, but there's not too much between them.

[sloopjohnc]

They were very important.

First diy punk single.

Third punk single ever.

In my opinion, they melded pop and punk as well as the Ramones. Their bastard offspring happen to be older bands like 999 and more current bands like Green Day, Sum 41 and Blink 182. I gotta think Billie Joe Armstrong was trying to fashion a Buzzcocks thing when they started.

I liked Pete Shelley's electronic phase too - Homosapien is a great, great record.

[Minnie the Minx]

They were very important.

First diy punk single.

Third punk single ever.

In my opinion, they melded pop and punk as well as the Ramones. Their bastard offspring happen to be older bands like 999 and more current bands like Green Day, Sum 41 and Blink 182. I gotta think Billie Joe Armstrong was trying to fashion a Buzzcocks thing when they started.

I liked Pete Shelley's electronic phase too - Homosapien is a great, great record.

How are 999 Buzzcocks offspring?

[Dr Markus]

Their bastard offspring happen to be older bands like 999 and more current bands like Green Day, Sum 41 and Blink 182. I gotta think Billie Joe Armstrong was trying to fashion a Buzzcocks thing when they started.

They're to blame for green day, sum 41 and blink 182? How evil can some people be?

[toomanyhatz]

How are 999 Buzzcocks offspring?

The same way Offspring are like 999 Buzzcocks?

[Charlie O.]

It may seem strange to call a band "brave" for writing songs about love and relationships... but it does seem like most if not all of the other British punk bands of that moment may have thought that that was a pretty boring or passe thing to do (the Slits and Raincoats are the only other bands I can think of that did this at all, and they didn't specialize in it to the extent that Buzzcocks did). And Shelley proved them wrong by writing a few dozen really fecking brilliant songs about love and relationships that were also fecking brilliant punk rock records.

I don't know if I could convince anyone that that makes them "important," but I kinda think maybe it does.

[naughty boy]

Kitchen but Tension is brilliant as well

I'd reverse that, but there's not too much between them.

Really? I should spend a bit more time with Tension, then. I think Another Music In A DIfferent Kitchen is one of THE great debut albums (I was going to say the best punk debut but there's some stiff competition there!).

Love Bites is pretty great, too.

[Charlie O.]

Love Bites is my favorite.

[naughty boy]

Good lad.

'Sixteen Again' might be my favourite Buzzcocks track.

[...]

The only important thing that matters is that they made truly timeless music and continue to give great shows. If they're
round your way, DM, I deffo go and see them

Got to see the Undertones (sans Fergal) supporting Elvis C at Galway Fest three or four months back and was gob-smacked
by how good they were - way better than EC's rather lumpen greatest hits set, that's for sure.

[NMB]

It may seem strange to call a band "brave" for writing songs about love and relationships... but it does seem like most if not all of the other British punk bands of that moment may have thought that that was a pretty boring or passe thing to do (the Slits and Raincoats are the only other bands I can think of that did this at all, and they didn't specialize in it to the extent that Buzzcocks did). And Shelley proved them wrong by writing a few dozen really fecking brilliant songs about love and relationships that were also fecking brilliant punk rock records.

I don't know if I could convince anyone that that makes them "important," but I kinda think maybe it does.

I'd go along with that, plus a few vaguely experimental b-sides and album tracks. I'd say they were an embodiment of the spirit of punk in that they did precisely what they wanted to do without worrying whether it fit ant given scene or preconceptions. So important-ish.

But I saw them live last night and walked out after half an hour. Pete Shelley seemed completely uninterested, Steve Diggle was acting the gurning guitar hero and the music was way too loud for the small venue so I couldn't hear it properly anyway. Get the records if you don't already have them but save your cash on the ticket.

[Diamond Dog]

The A & B Side's compilation is, quite simply, one of the greatest singles comps ever released.

Unlike some of the 'punk' scene, they actually wrote some of the greatest pop tunes of the time - which stand up today exactly as they did at the time.

[Dr Markus]

The only important thing that matters is that they made truly timeless music and continue to give great shows. If they're
round your way, DM, I deffo go and see them.

I'm not really a gig person to be honest unless it's radiohead. Even then me and punk don't really get along.