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.
Isolation
Buzzcocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking for something from day to day
There is a searchlight in my heart
There's an empty space where nothing grows
There is no life for the rose
Only a shadow in my heart
I'm living in a world of isolation
Well I've watched the waves come and go
And I can never escape from what I know
There is but water on my heart
But I see you in a special way
It's a sensation on what it says
Because we are living world's apart
I'm living in a world of isolation
I'm living in a world of isolation
[Solo]
I'm living in a world of isolation
I'm living in a world of isolation
Isolation, oh yeah
Isolation, yeah
Iso -
Living my life in a separate way
Living on my own from day to day
Under two nations
In isolation
Oh yeah, living under two nations
In isolation
Oh yeah, living under two nations
In isolation
The song "Isolation" by Buzzcocks speaks of the experience of living life in separation, where the search for something meaningful is an everyday pursuit. The lyrics convey a sense of vacancy and emptiness, where a searchlight in the heart shines on an empty space where nothing grows, with no life for the rose. The heart is rather a shadow, with no light, and the world is a place of isolation, where waves come and go, but nothing changes.
The song's title encapsulates the emotional state of the artist, where there is a sense of being confined to one's mind, separated, and withdrawn from the rest of the world. The words "living in a world of isolation" are repeated throughout the song, imparting a sense of loneliness and disconnection. The artist feels that although they may see the world differently from others, and in a special way, they are ultimately living worlds apart, consigned to exist in a world of isolation.
In conclusion, "Isolation" by Buzzcocks echoes the feelings of isolation, loneliness, and disconnection that many people experience at some point in their lives. The song speaks to the human condition of searching for purpose in life and struggling with feelings of emptiness and isolation. The search for connection and meaning is a continuous pursuit, and the song encourages us to acknowledge and embrace these feelings as part of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm living my life in a separate way
I'm living my life quite differently and uniquely from others around me.
Looking for something from day to day
I'm searching constantly for something to make me feel fulfilled and happy every day.
There is a searchlight in my heart
There's a small beacon of hope and longing within me that's always searching for love or an emotional connection with someone else.
There's an empty space where nothing grows
There's a void within me where love, happiness, or any positive emotion cannot exist or grow.
There is no life for the rose
My heart represents a lifeless desert scape where love may never flourish.
Only a shadow in my heart
Only a slight trace of love still remains in my heart, yet it's a shadow of its former self.
I'm living in a world of isolation
I'm existing and surviving in a lonely world without a sense of closeness or connection with others.
Well I've watched the waves come and go
I'm observing the world around me, experiencing life's natural fluctuations, yet I still remain emotionally stagnant.
And I can never escape from what I know
I'm unable to let go of past pain or disappointments, and it's something that continually haunts me.
There is but water on my heart
My heart is filled with emptiness and apathy, as if it simply contains water instead of love or passion.
But I see you in a special way
Despite feeling emotionally distant and isolated, I still admire and care for you deeply, viewing in you in a unique and meaningful light.
It's a sensation on what it says
It's a difficult feeling to describe so it's more of a sensation than a clear emotion.
Because we are living world's apart
Despite feeling a connection to you, we are separated by distance (literal or emotional) and unable to find a way to be together.
Isolation, oh yeah
I'm caught up in isolation and feeling trapped by it, as if it's something that will never end.
Living my life in a separate way
My life remains separate and different from what I perceive as 'normal', isolating me further from others.
Living on my own from day to day
I continue to go through life without any close connections, devoid of any true sense of companionship.
Under two nations
I find myself stuck between the two nations of love and loneliness, with no apparent way to bridge them.
In isolation
I remain alone with my thoughts, unable to escape from the feeling of isolation and disconnection.
Oh yeah, living under two nations
I'm constantly balancing between the emotional extremes of love and loneliness, with no clear way of resolving the dichotomy.
In isolation
Despite my efforts to find a connection with others, I remain trapped and isolated from others, forever cut off by my own despair.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: STEPHEN DIGGLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind