page_title: Buzzcocks
hierarchical_section_title: Buzzcocks
caption_attribution_description: English: The Buzzcocks performing at the Rave/Eagles venue in Milwaukee, WI L-R:Steve Diggle, Pete Shelley, Danny Farrant, Chris Remmington
context_page_description: Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They achieved commercial success with singles that fused pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on Singles Going Steady, described by critic Ned Raggett as a "punk masterpiece".
  Devoto and Shelley chose the name "Buzzcocks" after reading the headline, "It's the Buzz, Cock!", in a review of the TV series Rock Follies in Time Out magazine. The "buzz" is the excitement of playing on stage; "cock" is northern English slang meaning "friend". They thought it captured the excitement of the nascent punk scene, as well as having humorous sexual connotations following Peter Shelley's time working in a Bolton adult shop. Per the band, there is no "the" in Buzzcocks.
  Devoto left the band in 1977, after which Pete Shelley became the principal singer-songwriter.
context_section_description: Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They achieved commercial success with singles that fused pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on Singles Going Steady, described by critic Ned Raggett as a "punk masterpiece".
  Devoto and Shelley chose the name "Buzzcocks" after reading the headline, "It's the Buzz, Cock!", in a review of the TV series Rock Follies in Time Out magazine. The "buzz" is the excitement of playing on stage; "cock" is northern English slang meaning "friend". They thought it captured the excitement of the nascent punk scene, as well as having humorous sexual connotations following Peter Shelley's time working in a Bolton adult shop. Per the band, there is no "the" in Buzzcocks.
  Devoto left the band in 1977, after which Pete Shelley became the principal singer-songwriter.  Shelley died on 6 December 2018, but the band has remained active with guitarist and co-founding member Steve Diggle assuming lead vocal duties. They added a new guitarist Mani Perazzoli. They are still touring and draw in large crowds from around the world.
caption: Buzzcocks in 2014
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