Shelley was born to Margaret and John McNeish at 48 Milton Street, in Leigh. Margaret was an ex-mill worker in the town, while John was a fitter at the nearby Astley Green Colliery. He had a younger brother, Gary.
Shelley formed Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto after the two met at the Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton) in 1975 and subsequently travelled to High Wycombe, near London, to see the Sex Pistols. The Buzzcocks debuted in 1976 in Manchester, opening for the Sex Pistols.
In 1977 the Buzzcocks released their first EP, Spiral Scratch, on their own independent label, New Hormones. When Devoto left the group shortly afterwards—in February 1977—Shelley took over as the lead vocalist and chief songwriter. Working with the producer Martin Rushent, the band went on to create the punk/new wave singles "Orgasm Addict", "What Do I Get?", and "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)", along with three LPs: Another Music in a Different Kitchen (1978), Love Bites (1978), and A Different Kind of Tension (1979). Difficulties with their record company and a dispute with Virgin Publishing over the UK release of their greatest hits record, Singles Going Steady, brought the band to a halt in 1981.
Shelley's debut album Sky Yen was recorded in 1974 but remained unheard until March 1980 when it was released on 12" vinyl on Shelley's own label, Groovy Records. It was recorded as one continuous piece of music with a purpose-built oscillator and was notable for its use of layered electronics and playback speed manipulation to achieve its experimental feel. Rooted in electronic music, it has been compared with krautrock. Also released on Groovy Records was the soundtrack LP Hangahar by Sally Timms and Lindsay Lee, which included Shelley as a musician, and an album by artists Eric Random, Barry Adamson and Francis Cookson under the name Free Agents. After these releases, Groovy Records never released another album.
In 1981 Shelley released his first solo single, the song "Homosapien", again produced by Martin Rushent. On this recording he returned to his original interests in electronic music and shifted emphasis from guitar to synthesiser; Rushent's elaborate drum machine and synthesiser programming laid the groundwork for his next production, the chart-topping album Dare! by The Human League. "Homosapien" was banned by the BBC for "explicit reference to gay sex", but this didn't stop it from becoming enormously popular in dance clubs in Europe and North America: on the US dance charts, "Homosapien" peaked at number fourteen. It was also at this time that Pete Shelley talked about his bisexuality, which had been implicit in many of the Buzzcocks songs he had written but now came to attention due to "Homosapien" and the BBC ban. The next year saw the controversial single followed by an LP of the same name.
Shelley released his second LP XL1 in 1983 on Genetic Records. In addition to the minor hit "Telephone Operator," the album included a computer program for the ZX Spectrum which featured lyrics and graphics which displayed in time with the music, an innovative precursor to the visuals of today's media players. XL1 was produced by Martin Rushent and Shelley.
June 1986 saw Shelley release the darker, edgier Heaven and the Sea, an album that drew comparisons to Love and Rockets, Gary Numan and late period Ultravox. In 1987 he followed the album with a new song, "Do Anything", for the film Some Kind of Wonderful.
In 1989 Shelley recorded a new version of "Homosapien" entitled "Homosapien II". The single featured four mixes of the new recording.
Shelley has also played with various other musicians during his career, including The Invisible Girls, who backed punk poet John Cooper Clarke. Shelley also formed bands called The Tiller Boys, and Zip. He briefly reunited with Howard Devoto to make the LP Buzzkunst, released in 2002.
He also appeared on the 2005 debut EP by the Los Angeles band The Adored (who toured extensively with Buzzcocks the following year.)
A substantially sped-up club remix of "Telephone Operator" is a standard offering on the Dance Dance Revolution arcade game. He produced a single by the band Redtrack.
In 1989, Buzzcocks reunited, and released a new full-length recording, Trade Test Transmissions, in 1993. They continued to tour and record, their most recent release being the CD The Way in 2014. They toured with bands such as Nirvana, the Adored, the Strays, Lola Ray, and Images. In 2005, Shelley re-recorded "Ever Fallen in Love" with an all-star group, including Roger Daltrey, David Gilmour, Peter Hook, Elton John, Robert Plant and several contemporary bands, as a tribute to John Peel. Proceeds went to Amnesty International. Shelley also performed the song live at the 2005 UK Music Hall of Fame.
Shelley composed the theme music for the intro of the Tour de France on Channel 4, which was used from the late 1980s to mid 1990s.
Shelley died on the morning of 6 December, 2018, of a suspected heart attack, in Estonia where he was living. His brother, Gary McNeish, announced his death on Facebook.
Waiting For Love
Pete Shelley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You keep me waiting for love
Sometimes I understand more than I feel
It keeps me in command of what is real
Waiting for love
You keep me waiting for love
But I know it's something that I can't ignore
Waiting for love
You keep me waiting for love
There's no need in your disguise
For I've seen the colour of your eyes
Waiting for love
You keep me waiting for love
There's no need in this disguise
For I've seen the passion in your eyes
All I need is respect
All I want is a love that is real
Is that too much to expect
Am I being unreasonable
All I need is a friend
But more than a friend
But I tend to suspect
I haven't a chance of getting romance
But I guess that it'll make no difference to me
Waiting for love
You keep me waiting for love
You keep me waiting for love
You keep me waiting for love
The central theme of Pete Shelley's song "Waiting for Love" is the struggle to find a true and sincere romantic connection. The lyrics express deep yearning for genuine love, intimacy, and friendship. The singer has been waiting for a significant other to express their love for him, but he feels like he's been waiting for a long time. From the lyrics, we learn that the singer is in search of something real, a love that is not just superficial or a facade, but authentic and matter. He is looking for someone who genuinely loves him and feels passionate about him, but he faces uncertainty in his search, and the hopelessness of his situation weighs him down.
The lines "All I need is respect, all I want is a love that is real, is that too much to expect, am I being unreasonable, all I need is a friend, but more than a friend" highlight the singer's desire for a deeper connection than just friendship, but with mutual respect and honesty. He acknowledges that he's becoming disillusioned with his search for love, and he almost assumes that he won't find love at all, through the line "I haven't a chance of getting romance, but I guess, that it'll make no difference to me."
In summary, "Waiting for Love" carries a message of hopelessness and uncertainty, contrasting with the overwhelming desire for a sincere romantic relationship. Pete Shelley expresses his frustrations through the lyrics of the song, which seem to be a reflection of his personal experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Waiting for love
The singer is patiently waiting for a genuine romantic connection with someone.
You keep me waiting for love
The person the singer desires is making them wait for love and affection.
Sometimes I understand more than I feel
The singer is able to rationalize their emotions and stay grounded in reality.
It keeps me in command of what is real
By understanding their emotions, the artist is able to stay in control of their thoughts and feelings.
I often wonder what I came here for
The artist is questioning their purpose and what led them to this point in their life.
But I know it's something that I can't ignore
Despite their uncertainties, the singer knows that their desire for love is too strong to ignore.
There's no need in your disguise
The person the singer desires is hiding their true feelings, but the singer sees through their facade.
For I've seen the colour of your eyes
The artist has looked into the eyes of the person they desire and can see their true emotions.
All I need is respect
The artist desires to be respected by the person they desire.
All I want is a love that is real
The artist desires a genuine, authentic romantic connection.
Is that too much to expect
The singer questions whether their desire for real love is unrealistic or unreasonable.
Am I being unreasonable
The artist questions whether their desires for love are too much to ask for.
All I need is a friend
The singer desires a close bond and companionship with the person they desire.
But more than a friend
The singer also desires a romantic connection with the person they desire.
But I tend to suspect
Despite their desires, the singer is doubtful that they will ever have a romantic connection with the person they desire.
I haven't a chance of getting romance
The artist believes they have no chance of a romantic connection with the person they desire.
But I guess that it'll make no difference to me
The artist is resigned to the fact that they may never have a romantic connection, and it will not greatly affect them.
You keep me waiting for love
The person the singer desires is making them wait for love and affection, causing frustration and anxiety.
You keep me waiting for love
Reiteration of the frustration and anxiety the singer feels from waiting for love and affection.
You keep me waiting for love
Reiteration of the frustration and anxiety the artist feels from waiting for love and affection.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Peter Mcneish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind