Ever fallen in love with the Buzzcocks?
Formed in 1976, and inspired by the waves that were already being made from a band by the name of the Sex Pistols; The Buzzcocks were arguably a better version, that although lacked the instantly accessible songs, certainly were better musicians. So here we have another of those live album affairs that quite frankly I tend not to spend my hard earned cash on for a couple of reasons. Firstly, some live albums are of such poor quality that you think that it's better to remember the band from a greatest hits album or from the original recordings rather than a live shamble that you haven't even got the memory of the gig to help you through. Then there are the live albums that are so polished and over produced with no crowd noise that it could well have been recorded in a studio. 'Buzzcocks: 30' is probably just about good enough to be worth it, albeit possibly for the fans, and not for a newbie.
Pete Shelley shouts and screams his way through the songs, 'You Tear Me Up' and 'Friends' like it was still the 70's and the band only sound a little bit older and rough around the edges. This album was recorded last at London's Forum on their 30 year anniversary, which I'm sure that you already realised by now, what with the title being a bit of a giveaway.
The Buzzcocks were of course pivotal in the pop/punk scene of the 70's, right from their self-financed EP 'Spiral Scratch' through to their successful debut album, 'Another Music In A Different Kitchen', and whereas the Pistols influenced bands that were of the more ferocious punk rocker ilk, moving into what we now regard as Hardcore, The Buzzcocks and The Clash shaped the more melodic punk bands that now give us bands like Rancid to Green Day, and pop/punk bands like Offspring and Blink. Cemented again in the brains of the younger folk with the quiz show, 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks' that sent a new generation out to find out who these guys were, they were also mentioned in The Crimea's song of this year 'Raining Planets'.
All in all there are 28 tracks spanning the band's history, from the great, 'You Say You Don't Love Me', through to 'Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore' and finishing with 'Orgasm Addict', and also including probably the band's most famous, and well covered track, 'Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't Have)'.
The band are about to embark on another tour through the end of November that will see them go from Leeds to London via other cities. This is a nice little package but do yourself an even bigger favour and pick up some of the band's back catalogue, I promise you won't be disappointed.