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.
Lipstick
Buzzcocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
Will you miss me
In your dreams does your lover have my face?
Ah, when you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
Ah, will you miss me
It's the morning
And the mourning, it is dawning on me too
I had no warning
Just a condolence card to tell me that we're through
Ah, it's the morning
And the mourning, it is dawning on me too
I had no warning
Just a condolence card to tell me that we're through
When you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
When you miss me
In your dreams does my lover have your face?
Ah, when you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
Ah, will you miss me
In your dreams does your lover have my face?
The lyrics of Buzzcocks’ song Lipstick describe a relationship that has ended, and the singer’s heartbreak over the loss. The first stanza is a question to the singer’s former lover, asking if the lipstick on their lips will transfer onto the singer’s face during a kiss. This implies that the singer still yearns for intimacy with their former partner, even though the relationship is over. The second question in the stanza delves further into the singer’s insecurities, asking if their former lover still thinks of them in their dreams. The repetition of this stanza emphasizes the singer’s desperation for answers.
The second stanza reveals that the singer has just received a “condolence card” informing them of the end of their relationship. The word choice of “condolence” usually refers to sympathy for a death, which amplifies the sense of loss felt by the singer. The use of the word “mourning” in the following line also reinforces this sense of sadness.
The final stanza repeats the questions posed in the first, but with a twist. Instead of focusing on their insecurity and desire for intimacy, the singer now seems to be taunting their former lover. They ask if the lipstick will transfer during a kiss and if their former lover dreams of them, but then quickly reverses the perspective by asking if their former lover’s new partner dreams of the singer.
Overall, the lyrics of Lipstick explore themes of heartbreak, insecurity, and jealousy while utilizing repetition to amplify the singer’s feelings of desperation.
Line by Line Meaning
When you kiss me
As we share a kiss, does the lipstick you wear transfer onto my lips and face?
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
I wonder if your kiss will leave a mark of your lipstick on my face as a reminder of you.
Will you miss me
After our separation, will you remember me and feel a sense of longing for me?
In your dreams does your lover have my face?
In your subconscious mind, do you see me instead of your current partner?
Ah, when you kiss me
Expressing a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction when we share a kiss.
Ah, will you miss me
Expressing a feeling of sadness and longing for the person who is no longer around.
It's the morning
A new day has begun.
And the mourning, it is dawning on me too
As the day begins, I'm struck by the realization of my loss and the sadness that comes with it.
I had no warning
I didn't see this coming, and it's a shock to me.
Just a condolence card to tell me that we're through
Notification of our break-up came in the form of a brief and impersonal note of sympathy.
When you miss me
Do you have moments of longing and desire for me after our separation?
In your dreams does my lover have your face?
In my imagination, does my current partner become a replacement for you?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Peter Shelley, Steve Diggle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
matija knezovic
When you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
Will you miss me
In your dreams does your lover have my face?
Ah, when you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
Ah, will you miss me
In your dreams does your lover have my face?
It's the morning
And the mourning, it is dawning on me too
I had no warning
Just a condolence card to tell me that we're through
Ah, it's the morning
And the mourning, it is dawning on me too
I had no warning
Just a condolence card to tell me that we're through
When you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
When you miss me
In your dreams does my lover have your face?
Ah, when you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
Ah, will you miss me
In your dreams does your lover have my face?
비정한세상
When you kiss me
Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?
Will you miss me
In your dreams does your lover have my face?
It's the morning
And the mourning, it is dawning on me too
I had no warning
Just a condolence card to tell me that we're through
When you kiss me
When you miss me
Claude Reigns
Buzzcocks are/were criminally underrated. So many great tracks.
Thurso Berwick
So underrated they named a TV show after them.
Lois Zaremba
They were one of the best punk bands ever! 💜☠️💜
John
@Lois Zaremba Agreed. And John Maher is one of the best drummers of the era.
Michael De Luca
Underrated by who?
Fr Lango
@Michael De Luca i m with you on that one. I m not extra familiar with the band but I had heard this song b4. Amazing musicality. Early bzzcocks are the BEST
Aethelwulf Warlord
RIP Pete Shelley, one of the greatest English songwriters to ever walk the earth
Lois Zaremba
With the Angels! RIP Pete such a loss 😢
dj
True that!!!
tridactmusic
Should have millions of views but so goes the world. Grateful to have discovered them as a teenager