Punk trailblazers Buzzcocks celebrate 40 years in Dolanโs this Wednesday. Limerick Post Newspaper looks at theย band’s enduring legacy withย Professor Eoin Devereux, University of Limerick
FORMED in 1976, Manchesterโs Buzzcocks were at the forefront of punk delivering pop tunes with raw energy. Their album โSingles Going Steadyโ was a compilation album released by IRS to introduce Buzzcocks to a US audience. The collection featured the bandโs eight singles and B-sides compiled in chronological order. NME reviewed it, stating it was โthe best album Buzzcocks never made.โ

The songs on this punk masterpiece are as vital today as they were in โ79.
โOrgasm Addictโ, โWhat Do I Get?โ, โLove You Moreโ, โEver Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldnโtโve)โ, โPromisesโ and โHarmony in My Headโ make up just some of the bandโs current setlist.
Limerick Post talked to Professor Eoin Devereux of the Popular Music and Popular Culture Research Cluster in University of Limerick to talk about howย Buzzcocks rate among the legion of punk bands that emerged from the late โ70s.
โ With the Pistols and The Clash, Buzzcocks are in the Top Three of the most influential punk bands of all time. Their fast paced melodic punk and intelligent lyrics have lasted the test of time. Their decision to make their own record – the โSpiral Scratchโ EP – is heralded by so many other bands like Joy Division and The Fall as being one of the most influential factors in them deciding to make and record music themselves.ย The two founding members of Buzzcocks (Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley) invited the Sex Pistols to play in Manchester and the rest, as they say, is punk history.โ
But did Buzzcocks make an impact beyond their own shores and here in Ireland?
โAs their touring roster in the last few years demonstrates, the reach of Buzzcocks extends well beyond the UK and Europe.ย The bandย deservedly continue to have a significant following all over the world. ย Their songs have appeared in major movies like Shrek as well as in media campaigns for McDonaldโs. ย The bandโs distinctive artwork – designed by Linder Sterling and others – remains fresh and interesting. ย I have seen Buzzcocks play in recent years and their music is as vibrant and as important as ever.ย It is great to welcome them back to Limerick. They played upstairs in the old Savoy in a now legendary gig.โ
The current lineup features founder and songwriter Pete Shelley on vocals/ guitar with long term guitarist/ songwriter Steve Diggle. They are joined by Chris Remington on bass and Danny Farrant on drums since the 2000s.
In 1981, the band split and reconvened in 1989. Since then Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle have toured, playing on one of Nirvanaโs last-ever tours in 1994 and opening for Pearl Jam in 2003, and released six well-received studio albums, most recently 2015โs โThe Wayโ.
Buzzcocks played The Savoy in Limerick in 1978 and many of their original fans and new ones will be along to celebrate 40 years of punk.
Dolanโs Warehouse on Wednesday November 2.