Steve Diggle - Buzzcocks (05/04/2013)
Calling from his London home, Steve Diggle had just woken up to a cold English morning as the sun had just set from my Melbourne window.
With a tour of Australia in April, Steve Diggle delved in excitement when discussing the band’s upcoming trip to Australia, “It’s been a while since we’ve been there but we are looking forward to it.”
With a career spanning four decades, Buzzcocks has attained a legion of loyal fans, which in it’s own right creates an expectation for each show they play. With eight albums since their formation in the seventies, the raw material that the Buzzcocks can choose from remains almost limitless. “The Buzzcocks have always had a kind of electricity and magic when were playing,” says Diggle. “This is partly to do with the nature of the songs. The die-hard Buzzcock fans know what to expect from that. I mean you get those buzz soul guitars and the great melodies and tunes, so it always makes it an exciting show”.
With songs covering more than ‘three generations’, fans that have only recently caught onto to the Buzzcocks is not a rarity, “We get a lot of new kids discovering the Buzzcocks at different times, which is amazing.” But when discussing their old fans, Diggle feels completely different, instead more with a sense of pride and familiarity. “We have the old die-hard following still around the world which is great as well. They been on the journey with us since the beginning, so they have a special place in my heart’.
Formed in 1976 as the birth child of Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, the Buzzcocks had intentionally planned to play at the Lesser Free Trade Hall alongside The Sex Pistols, but were forced to drop out when two members left abruptly. Recruiting Diggle and drummer John Maher into the band, the Buzzcocks made their debut as the opening act of The Sex Pistols second concert in Manchester in July 1976. As Diggle elaborates “Well, essentially its been me and Pete all the way through.” Breaking up in 1981, Shelley had decided to pursue a solo career while Diggle and Maher formed their own band called the ‘Flag Of Convenience’. “We split up in the 80s and we did our own thing. Pete did that, I had Flag Of Convenience, I had John Maher play the drums under one record and I had that band through the 80s. Then we got back in 89’ and we been back ever since”. He continues, “Essentially me and Pete like our songs and the two guitars featured in them are the central core of the Buzzcocks, but our band is very close and it doesn’t mean it was different in a way to the first band. But like I said me and Pete have been on for the whole ride.”
Releasing their first four track EP named ‘Spiral, Scratch’ in 76’, the emerging punk sound that made the Buzzcocks famous has changed vastly since the release of their latest album, ‘Flat-Pack Philosophy’. “Well, ‘Spiral, Scatch’ had a very unusual sound, like a very rough and punky sound. When were in the studio recording it, we had a guy called Martin Hannett working on it and then when the engineers made the sound right, it sounded completely different, so it has a really unique sound to it.” He continues, “From there it got a bit more tuneful and we got better production when we moved to a studio called Olympic Studios in Barnes.” With bands like ‘The Who’ and ‘The Rolling Stones’ recording there, “The sounds really lent themselves to the Buzzcocks.” As Diggle elaborates, “From there the songs became more tuneful, with their little riffs and melodies and we had the avant-garde side with stuff dealing with autonomy and other similar issues, so that experimental, angler side of Buzzcocks was still there.” He continues, “So there has always been a double thing with our catchy three-minute punk songs and then the other ones great songs like ‘Why Can’t I Touch It’, which is a groove”.
Considered as one of the forefathers in the punk genre, the Buzzcocks are still kindly regarded as one of the bands that laid out the foundations of punk music today. “In one way we were working in the dark, we really didn’t know much in the beginning. Punk was quite different and we wouldn’t have gotten to the way we got, without it. There were many guidelines, but a lot of things come from our experience of life more so than music as well. So we were working in the dark but that was what was exciting about it.”
“It was almost as if the rule bit had been written up and ripped apart and sometimes from that you discover a lot, pretty much from that internal search of yourself. But it was partly to do with the attitude, that kind of ‘we want a sense of excitement when were on stage’ and short songs that mean something to people that was the thing back in 76’, something that was relevant to you. So, from there that kind of became the guideline, to search for the excitement of life”.
With the bands history and legacy, I asked the most generic but if not most important question interviewers often ask their famed interviewees. Had there been a moment in their 40-year career that they still remember vividly today, a moment that bares the most significance not only to Diggle, but to the band as a whole as well. “There are millions of them really. Every moment offers something to the band in a way, for the good or the bad, it makes your strong. It teaches you the way and then you go completely opposite and then you think to yourself, what the hell did that all mean.”
He continues to respond in simpler terms that music is the conveyer of messages and emotions. “You will go through many emotions with all this, because your trying to make music and your trying to relate to people but at the same time trying to relate to yourself. So its quite a complex business when it comes to music but there is magic when were on the stage and were able to connect with people. So that makes a massive difference, its all about understanding and communication”.
With a long history, but also a bright future, the Buzzcocks have a full schedule mixed with touring and a new album. “We have been doing some new demos, but we have been on the road a lot. We got a lot of shows around the world, but we have been working on some new stuff, its just been taking it’s time really”.
With Pete Shelley now living in Estonia, the prospects of a new album despite the promises from the Buzzcocks still seems further down the road. As Diggle explains, “Were not even in the same country anymore, so it’s not as easy and quick to get an album together these days. But there will be one some point.” He continues, “But at the time being we have fifty songs to choose from, but it’s still hard to choose a set out of those songs. But I think our live set has gotten better and that’s what great about touring all these years, getting live experience, but hopefully in the future, a new Buzzcock album comes out”.
Make sure you catch the Buzzcocks’ Australian Tour from April 18th to 25th; they will be playing in all Australian capital cities.
Jason Cheung
With a tour of Australia in April, Steve Diggle delved in excitement when discussing the band’s upcoming trip to Australia, “It’s been a while since we’ve been there but we are looking forward to it.”
With a career spanning four decades, Buzzcocks has attained a legion of loyal fans, which in it’s own right creates an expectation for each show they play. With eight albums since their formation in the seventies, the raw material that the Buzzcocks can choose from remains almost limitless. “The Buzzcocks have always had a kind of electricity and magic when were playing,” says Diggle. “This is partly to do with the nature of the songs. The die-hard Buzzcock fans know what to expect from that. I mean you get those buzz soul guitars and the great melodies and tunes, so it always makes it an exciting show”.
With songs covering more than ‘three generations’, fans that have only recently caught onto to the Buzzcocks is not a rarity, “We get a lot of new kids discovering the Buzzcocks at different times, which is amazing.” But when discussing their old fans, Diggle feels completely different, instead more with a sense of pride and familiarity. “We have the old die-hard following still around the world which is great as well. They been on the journey with us since the beginning, so they have a special place in my heart’.
Formed in 1976 as the birth child of Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, the Buzzcocks had intentionally planned to play at the Lesser Free Trade Hall alongside The Sex Pistols, but were forced to drop out when two members left abruptly. Recruiting Diggle and drummer John Maher into the band, the Buzzcocks made their debut as the opening act of The Sex Pistols second concert in Manchester in July 1976. As Diggle elaborates “Well, essentially its been me and Pete all the way through.” Breaking up in 1981, Shelley had decided to pursue a solo career while Diggle and Maher formed their own band called the ‘Flag Of Convenience’. “We split up in the 80s and we did our own thing. Pete did that, I had Flag Of Convenience, I had John Maher play the drums under one record and I had that band through the 80s. Then we got back in 89’ and we been back ever since”. He continues, “Essentially me and Pete like our songs and the two guitars featured in them are the central core of the Buzzcocks, but our band is very close and it doesn’t mean it was different in a way to the first band. But like I said me and Pete have been on for the whole ride.”
Releasing their first four track EP named ‘Spiral, Scratch’ in 76’, the emerging punk sound that made the Buzzcocks famous has changed vastly since the release of their latest album, ‘Flat-Pack Philosophy’. “Well, ‘Spiral, Scatch’ had a very unusual sound, like a very rough and punky sound. When were in the studio recording it, we had a guy called Martin Hannett working on it and then when the engineers made the sound right, it sounded completely different, so it has a really unique sound to it.” He continues, “From there it got a bit more tuneful and we got better production when we moved to a studio called Olympic Studios in Barnes.” With bands like ‘The Who’ and ‘The Rolling Stones’ recording there, “The sounds really lent themselves to the Buzzcocks.” As Diggle elaborates, “From there the songs became more tuneful, with their little riffs and melodies and we had the avant-garde side with stuff dealing with autonomy and other similar issues, so that experimental, angler side of Buzzcocks was still there.” He continues, “So there has always been a double thing with our catchy three-minute punk songs and then the other ones great songs like ‘Why Can’t I Touch It’, which is a groove”.
Considered as one of the forefathers in the punk genre, the Buzzcocks are still kindly regarded as one of the bands that laid out the foundations of punk music today. “In one way we were working in the dark, we really didn’t know much in the beginning. Punk was quite different and we wouldn’t have gotten to the way we got, without it. There were many guidelines, but a lot of things come from our experience of life more so than music as well. So we were working in the dark but that was what was exciting about it.”
“It was almost as if the rule bit had been written up and ripped apart and sometimes from that you discover a lot, pretty much from that internal search of yourself. But it was partly to do with the attitude, that kind of ‘we want a sense of excitement when were on stage’ and short songs that mean something to people that was the thing back in 76’, something that was relevant to you. So, from there that kind of became the guideline, to search for the excitement of life”.
With the bands history and legacy, I asked the most generic but if not most important question interviewers often ask their famed interviewees. Had there been a moment in their 40-year career that they still remember vividly today, a moment that bares the most significance not only to Diggle, but to the band as a whole as well. “There are millions of them really. Every moment offers something to the band in a way, for the good or the bad, it makes your strong. It teaches you the way and then you go completely opposite and then you think to yourself, what the hell did that all mean.”
He continues to respond in simpler terms that music is the conveyer of messages and emotions. “You will go through many emotions with all this, because your trying to make music and your trying to relate to people but at the same time trying to relate to yourself. So its quite a complex business when it comes to music but there is magic when were on the stage and were able to connect with people. So that makes a massive difference, its all about understanding and communication”.
With a long history, but also a bright future, the Buzzcocks have a full schedule mixed with touring and a new album. “We have been doing some new demos, but we have been on the road a lot. We got a lot of shows around the world, but we have been working on some new stuff, its just been taking it’s time really”.
With Pete Shelley now living in Estonia, the prospects of a new album despite the promises from the Buzzcocks still seems further down the road. As Diggle explains, “Were not even in the same country anymore, so it’s not as easy and quick to get an album together these days. But there will be one some point.” He continues, “But at the time being we have fifty songs to choose from, but it’s still hard to choose a set out of those songs. But I think our live set has gotten better and that’s what great about touring all these years, getting live experience, but hopefully in the future, a new Buzzcock album comes out”.
Make sure you catch the Buzzcocks’ Australian Tour from April 18th to 25th; they will be playing in all Australian capital cities.
Jason Cheung