features in: Album Chart of 1978 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die  |
Following the seminal “Spiral Scratch” EP and two cracking non-album singles – “Orgasm Addict” and “What Do I Get” – there was a big sense of anticipation for the debut Buzzcocks long-player. In the fast moving days of the Punk scene, the band had already moved on from the rough and ready incarnation of 76/77 fronted by Howard Devoto, and had developed into a tight and highly skilled 4 piece, with Pete Shelley assuming lead vocals following Devoto’s departure in the fall of 1977. At the time of release in March ’78 they were: Pete Shelley (22, lead guitar, lead vocals); Steve Diggle (22, rhythm guitar, backing vocals); Steve Garvey (20, bass guitar) and John Maher (17, drums, percussion). It was Shelley’s trademark nasally tone combined with a lyrical technique which was highly articulate in the personal style (whenever he chose it to be) which set him (and the band) apart from all others. They matched all the hype and more with this exhilarating and consistent debut – packed full of pop punk gems with no filler. “Fast Cars”, “You Tear Me Up” and “Sixteen” are all bona-fide punk classics in amongst the many highlights. Pete Shelley’s closing rant on “Sixteen” serves succinctly as an album summation: “I hate modern music. Disco, boogie and pop. They go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. How I wish they would STOP!”
The Jukebox Rebel
08–Feb–2006
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [02:26]  Buzzcocks - Fast Cars (Howard Trafford, Peter McNeish, Steve Diggle) Punk |
| A2 | [02:16]  Buzzcocks - No Reply (Peter McNeish) Punk |
| A3 | [02:27]  Buzzcocks - You Tear Me Up (Howard Trafford, Peter McNeish) Punk |
| A4 | [02:26]  Buzzcocks - Get On Your Own (Peter McNeish) New Wave |
| A5 | [02:09]  Buzzcocks - Love Battery (Howard Trafford, Peter McNeish) Punk |
| A6 | [03:38]  Buzzcocks - Sixteen (Peter McNeish) Punk |
| B1 | [02:18]  Buzzcocks - I Don’t Mind (Peter McNeish) Punk |
| B2 | [04:27]  Buzzcocks - Fiction Romance (Peter McNeish) New Wave |
| B3 | [03:43]  Buzzcocks - Autonomy (Steve Diggle) Punk |
| B4 | [02:43] Buzzcocks - I Need (Peter McNeish, Steve Diggle) Punk |
| B5 | [07:06] Buzzcocks - Moving Away From The Pulsebeat (Peter McNeish) New Wave |
