They are commonly regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement and the punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock genres in general. They are primarily remembered for their singles, a string of would-be hits that combined a strong grasp of pop song craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on Singles Going Steady, described by critic Ned Raggett as a "punk masterpiece" The widely covered "Ever Fallen in Love?" remains one of their best-known songs.
The name "Buzzcocks" partially comes from the Manchester slang term cock meaning youngster, and its use in the 1970s ITV drama serial Rock Follies which included the catch phrases "that's the buzz, cocks" and "give me a buzz, cock!"
Buzzcocks were one of the key first generation British punk rock bands to form in the wake of the Sex Pistols in 1976. They were founded by Mancunians Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, however Devoto left soon after the group released their Spiral Scratch EP (on their own independent label), leaving Shelley to take over vocals.
They are best known for their catchy, poppy punk sound, which has been widely influential, which was adopted as Peter Shelley took over on the vocals, singing about what the whole punk rock scene opted not to sing about: love. Devoto in the meanwhile formed Magazine.
They rehearsed in a friend's kitchen and played at the all-day 100 club punk "festival", in London. At the end of 1977 the band signed to United Artists and released "Orgasm Addict", with Shelley's high-pitched vocal delivery and Ramones-esque fuzz-guitar sound ensuring the controversial single would be played over again. Later came "What Do I Get?" which hit the UK charts and showed Shelley's brilliance in songwriting.
An LP was then released, Another Music in a Different Kitchen which came with its own carrier bag, labelled "Product". In 1978-79 five chart-hitting singles were released including "Ever Fallen in Love?" and had captured a pop-loving audience by this time. Love Bites, their second LP was released later on, which had less excitement than the last album, though it did sell well, with Steve Diggle taking over lyric-writing.
October 1979 saw A Different Kind of Tension which was panned by some critics, quite unfairly, as it contains some excellent songs, the title track being the stand-out. It perhaps suffered from being the second album to be released that year, with the record company keen to capitalise on the band's chart success at the time.
3 more singles followed in 1980, but the spark had clearly gone out for a while. Musical differences and the long slog behind them led to the band splitting in early 1981. Pete Shelley embarked in a solo career..
He released three dance/electronic influenced solo albums: Homosapien, XL1 and Heaven and The Sea - all with the same fine songwriting skills. Meanwhile, Steve Diggle formed Flag of Convenience - a power pop combo - and toured with some success.
A 5 album/CD set was released in 1989 called Product, which contained all the albums to date, plus the greatest hits and B sides album, Singles Going Steady, and the last non-album singles, Why She's A Girl From the Chainstore, Airwaves Dream and Running Free, plus the B sides
In 1992 the Buzzcocks reformed, without original drummer John Maher and bassist Steve Garvey, and releasd Trade Test Transmissions in 1993, quite different from their earlier material, with nods to the power pop scene popular at the time. All Set in 1996 saw a return to form with familiar riffs and pin sharp lyrics pop-punk. Next year Chronology was released, the missing album, including outtakes from the three United Artists albums. In 1999 they released Modern, which saw Shelley in reflective mode and Steve Diggle taking over more of the vocal duties.
Then followed another brief break in 2000, with Shelley teaming up with old band-mate Howard Devoto to release a largely disappointing album, Buzzkunst. Compilations followed, including Inventory in 2003, which contained every single to date, and 30 in 2005 to celebrate 30 years performing
2005 saw the Buzzcocks back touring and in 2007 they released the superb Flat Pack Philosophy, widely agreed to rank up with the best of Buzzcocks output
2008/9 saw a short tour where the band played tracks from Another Music and Love Bites.
In August 2011 they headlined the first night of The Rhythm Festival in Bedfordshire.
In November 2011 it was announced they would be playing two shows in 2012 that would feature the original line-up as well as the classic line-up of the band reunited for the first time in many years; these shows took place on 25 May 2012 in Manchester at the O2 Apollo and on 26 May in Brixton at the O2 Academy. It was announced on 26 May 2012 that, for the first time, they would headline Thursday night in the Empress Ballroom at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool sharing the stage with the likes of Rancid, Public Image Limited and Social Distortion.
On 1 May 2014 Buzzcocks released the album The Way via PledgeMusic. On 13 September 2014 Buzzcocks played "a brief but triumphant set" at Riot Fest 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. In October 2014 Buzzcocks toured the U.K. for three weeks with The Dollyrots as main support.
In 2016, the band embarked on their 40th-anniversary tour (dubbed "Buzzcocks 40"). In 2017, "Why Can't I Touch It" was featured in the opening segment of the Telltale game 'Guardians of the Galaxy.
Buzzcocks continue to be a huge influence on many bands and are still enjoyed by a large, and very loyal, fanbase.
Pete Shelley died on 6 December 2018.
Autonomy
Buzzcocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes I would
Buys you your life sir
If it could
I
I want you
Autonomy
It leaves us all wondering
And it should
This awkward something
For the good
I
I want you
Autonomy
I
I want you
Autonomy
It leaves us all wondering
And it should
This awkward something
For the good
I
I want you
Autonomy
Yes, I
I want you
Autonomy
The lyrics to Buzzcocks's song Autonomy are quite straightforward yet enigmatic. The song primarily deals with the concept of autonomy and its significance. The lines "It's a thing that's worth having, Yes, I would, Buys you your life sir, If it could" suggest that autonomy is a value worth pursuing, one that can define one's existence. The lyrics also seem to indicate that autonomy can be costly, but it's a price worth paying.
The repeated line "I want you, Autonomy" highlights the singer's desire for autonomy, which he sees as a desirable goal. The line "It leaves us all wondering" suggests that this search for autonomy is a universal quest that resonates with many people. The closing lines of the song reinforce this point, "Yes, I want you, Autonomy."
Overall, the song is an introspective and philosophical reflection on the importance of autonomy, both as an individual and as a society. It questions the nature of personal and societal freedom and how they relate to our sense of self and meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a thing that's worth having
Autonomy, the ability to make choices and decisions for oneself, is valuable and desirable.
Yes I would
The singer expresses their agreement with the idea that autonomy is worth having.
Buys you your life sir
Having autonomy means having control over one's own life.
If it could
The artist acknowledges that while autonomy is desirable, it may not always be possible to achieve.
I
The artist is emphasizing their own desire and need for autonomy.
I want you
The singer is addressing the concept of autonomy directly, expressing their desire for it.
Autonomy
The singer is repeating the central concept of the song, autonomy.
It leaves us all wondering
The idea of autonomy raises questions and uncertainties for us all.
And it should
The artist believes that questioning and exploring the idea of autonomy is important.
This awkward something
The artist acknowledges that there is a sense of discomfort or uncertainty around autonomy.
For the good
However, the singer believes that embracing autonomy is ultimately beneficial.
Yes, I
The artist reiterates their personal desire and commitment to autonomy.
I want you
The singer addresses autonomy once again, underscoring its importance to them.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephen Diggle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mickey Martinez
It's a thing that's worth having
Yes, I would
Buys you your life sir
If it could
I, I want you
Autonomy
It leaves us all wondering
And it should
This awkward something
For the good
I, I want you
Autonomy
I, I want you
Autonomy
It leaves us all wondering
And it should
This awkward something
For the good
I, I want you
Autonomy
Yes, I, I want you
Autonomy
Bartholomew Jojo
Every twist and turn in this song is awesome, like a fast car chase. Loved it back then, and it is still fresh.
AV9000
>like a fast car chase
I hate fast cars
juveale29
For this song to end up on a b-side shows you how great the Buzzcocks were. Going Steady is one of the best single collections ever
Pauleymack
juveale29 I think this was a double A side with I don't mind.
Pauleymack
Just checked, yeah it was the B side.
BoudicaJones
No, it was a b-side
Pinball Dave
Was originally on Another Music In Another Kitchen
Maria
Favourite song of theirs. Rest in peace, Pete
Martin Farrington
Steve Diggle - fekkin HEY !!! Amazing guitarist lyrisist and vocalist. NEVER acknowledged by the critics. Proves they no FOOK ALL about anything. The man is a genius and to me one of the main reasons why the Buzzcocks ARE still as relevant today as they were in the day. He's inspired thousands and thousands from ALL generations over the years, almost all of whom who don't even know it was him who he gave them that inspiration. If you are ever privileged to see them live, he's fist on the stage and last off and will shake hands and chat to everyone. Thats a superstar !
sonic jet
like the Offspring :) good cover of this song