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.
Innocent
Buzzcocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Until I got my fingers burnt
You think me strange and quite peculiar
Let the first appearance fool ya
Even though you're not my mum
I've got to get my washing done
Who calls the tune must pay the piper
Something hesitated in the sky
When I found you
Something emanated from your eyes
My dream came true
I love someone who looks like you
The way you do but isn't you
It's still the same sad sordid story
Suffering sinner slave to glory
Now you say you want someone new
I knew you do you left a clue
The vows of love that you've recanted
Say you're taking me for granted
Something hesitated in the sky
When I found you
Something emanated from your eyes
My dream came true
Innocent, innocent
Something hesitated in the sky
When I found you
Something emanated from your eyes
My dream came true
Innocent, innocent
Something hesitated in the sky
When I found you
Something emanated from your eyes
My dream came true
Something hesitated in your eyes
When I found you
Something emanated from the sky
My dream came true
The Buzzcocks' "Innocent" is a song whose lyrics speak to the idea of being let down by someone who you initially believed to be "innocent". The song appears to be about a relationship in which the singer believed their partner to be pure and genuine, but has since discovered that they are not everything they seemed. The lyric "I thought you were so innocent until I got my fingers burnt" represents this realization, as the singer has been hurt by the discovery of their partner's true nature.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of disappointment and betrayal that is woven into the lyrics. The singer seems to be expressing their frustration with having been deceived, and is grappling with the fact that the person they loved wasn't who they thought they were. Despite this, there is still a sense of longing present in the lyrics - the line "I love someone who looks like you the way you do but isn't you" speaks to this desire for a version of their partner that is the person they had initially believed them to be.
The repeated phrase "something hesitated in the sky when I found you" feels particularly poignant, as it suggests a moment of hesitation or uncertainty that occurred at the beginning of the relationship. The line "my dream came true" that follows each repetition of this phrase is somewhat ironic, given the subsequent discovery of the partner's true nature. Overall, "Innocent" is a song that captures the feeling of disillusionment and heartbreak that comes from discovering that someone you loved was not who you thought they were.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought you were so innocent
Initially, I perceived you as a pure and honest person.
Until I got my fingers burnt
However, my experiences with you have proven otherwise and I have suffered the consequences.
You think me strange and quite peculiar
Perhaps you view me as unconventional and odd.
Let the first appearance fool ya
However, you should not be deceived by first impressions.
Even though you're not my mum
Although you are not my mother,
I've got to get my washing done
I still have everyday tasks to complete, like doing my laundry.
Who calls the tune must pay the piper
The one who takes control must be responsible for the consequences that result from their actions.
Fix the plug and catch the spider
In this case, it means taking care of practical tasks and not shirking responsibilities.
Something hesitated in the sky
There was a moment of hesitation or pause in the atmosphere.
When I found you
At the time that I discovered or met you.
Something emanated from your eyes
There was a strong energy or feeling that was conveyed through your eyes.
My dream came true
At that moment, my deepest desires were fulfilled.
I love someone who looks like you
I have strong feelings for a person who resembles you physically.
The way you do but isn't you
However, they are not you, and there are clear differences between the two of you.
It's still the same sad sordid story
Regardless, the outcome is the same old depressing tale.
Suffering sinner slave to glory
I am a flawed person who is chained to the pursuit of something greater than myself.
Now you say you want someone new
Now, you claim that you desire a new romantic partner.
I knew you do you left a clue
However, I had already picked up on that fact due to hints or clues you left behind.
The vows of love that you've recanted
You have gone back on the promises that you made concerning our relationship.
Say you're taking me for granted
You seem to be implying that you are not valuing me or our connection as you should.
Innocent, innocent
Despite all of this, the idea of innocence is invoked as if it is something to aspire to.
Something hesitated in your eyes
Again, there is a sense of hesitation or uncertainty conveyed through your eyes.
Something emanated from the sky
There was a powerful force or energy transmitted from above.
My dream came true
Once again, my deepest desires were realized.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER SHELLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind