Pete Shelley
Encyclopedia
Pete Shelley is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the leader of Buzzcocks
.
. Margaret was an ex-mill worker in the town, while John was a fitter at the nearby Astley Green Colliery
. He has a younger brother, Gary.
with Howard Devoto
after the two met at Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton
) in 1975 and subsequently travelled to London to see The Sex Pistols. Buzzcocks debuted in 1976 in Manchester
, opening for the Sex Pistols.
In 1977, Buzzcocks released their first EP
, Spiral Scratch
, on their own independent label
, New Hormones. When Devoto left the group shortly afterwards, Shelley took over as lead vocalist and chief songwriter. Working with producer Martin Rushent
, the band went on to create such quintessential punk/new wave singles of the period as "Orgasm Addict
", "What Do I Get?", and "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
" along with three LPs: Another Music in a Different Kitchen
(1978), Love Bites (1978), and A Different Kind of Tension
(1979). Difficulties with their record company and a dispute with Virgin Publishing over the UK release of their greatest hits record, Singles Going Steady
, brought Buzzcocks to a halt in 1981.
, it has garnered comparisons to krautrock
. Also released on Groovy Records was the soundtrack LP Hangahar by Sally Timms
and Lindsay Lee, which included Shelley as a musician, and an album by artists Eric Random, Barry Adamson
and Francis Cookson under the name "Free Agents." After these releases, Groovy Records never released another album.
In 1981, Shelley released his first solo single, the song "Homosapien", again produced by Martin Rushent. On this recording he returned to his original interests in electronic music
and shifted emphasis from guitar to synthesiser; Rushent's elaborate drum machine and synthesiser programming laid the groundwork for his next production, the chart-topping album Dare! by The Human League
. "Homosapien" was banned
by the BBC
for "explicit reference to gay sex", but this didn't stop it from becoming enormously popular in dance clubs in Europe and North America: On the US dance charts, "Homosapien" peaked at number fourteen. It was also at this time that Pete Shelley also talked about his bisexuality
, which had been implicit in many of the Buzzcocks songs he had written but now came to attention due to "Homosapien" and the BBC ban. The next year saw the controversial single followed by an LP of the same name.
Shelley released his second LP XL1
in 1983 on Genetic Records. In addition to the minor hit "Telephone Operator," the album included a computer program for the ZX Spectrum
which featured lyrics and graphics which displayed in time with the music, an innovative precursor to the visuals of today's media players. XL1 was produced by Martin Rushent
and Shelley.
June 1986 saw Shelley release the darker, edgier Heaven and the Sea, an album that drew comparisons to Love and Rockets
, Gary Numan
and late period Ultravox
. In 1987 he followed the album with a new song, "Do Anything", for the film Some Kind of Wonderful.
In 1989 Shelley recorded a new version of "Homosapien" entitled "Homosapien II." The single featured four mixes of the new recording.
Shelley has also played with various other musicians during his career, including The Invisible Girls
, who backed punk poet John Cooper Clarke
. Shelley also formed bands called The Tiller Boys, and Zip. He briefly reunited with Howard Devoto to make the LP Buzzkunst
, released in 2002.
He also appeared on the 2005 debut EP by the Los Angeles band The Adored
(who toured extensively with Buzzcocks the following year.)
A substantially sped-up club remix of "Telephone Operator" is a standard offering on the Dance Dance Revolution
arcade game.
Recently Pete has been working on producing, he has just produced a single by upcoming band called Redtrack.
in 1993. They continue to tour and record, their most recent release being the CD Flat-Pack Philosophy
in 2006. They toured with bands such as Nirvana, The Adored, The Strays, Lola Ray, and Images. In 2005, Shelley re-recorded "Ever Fallen in Love" with an all-star group, including Roger Daltrey
, David Gilmour
, Peter Hook
, Elton John
, Robert Plant
and several contemporary bands, as a tribute to John Peel
. Proceeds went to Amnesty International
. Shelley also performed the song live at the 2005 UK Music Hall of Fame
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
.
Biography
Shelley was born to Margaret and John McNeish at 48 Milton Street, in LeighLeigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
. Margaret was an ex-mill worker in the town, while John was a fitter at the nearby Astley Green Colliery
Astley Green Colliery
Astley Green Colliery was a coal mine in Astley, Greater Manchester, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England. Sinking commenced in 1908 by the Pilkington Colliery Company, a subsidiary of the Clifton and Kersley Coal Company, at the southern edge of the Manchester Coalfield, working the...
. He has a younger brother, Gary.
Buzzcocks
Shelley formed BuzzcocksBuzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
with Howard Devoto
Howard Devoto
Howard Devoto is an English rock and roll singer-songwriter, who began his career as the frontman for the punk band Buzzcocks, but then left to form Magazine, one of the first post-punk bands...
after the two met at Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton
University of Bolton
The University of Bolton is a university in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It has around 14,000 students across all sites and courses, with 700 academic and professional staff. Around 70% of its students come from Bolton and the North West region...
) in 1975 and subsequently travelled to London to see The Sex Pistols. Buzzcocks debuted in 1976 in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, opening for the Sex Pistols.
In 1977, Buzzcocks released their first EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Spiral Scratch
Spiral Scratch (EP)
Spiral Scratch is a four-track EP by the British punk rock band Buzzcocks, recorded in 1976 and released in January 1977. It was the first punk record to be self-released , and only the third record ever by a British punk band When reissued in 1979, it...
, on their own independent label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, New Hormones. When Devoto left the group shortly afterwards, Shelley took over as lead vocalist and chief songwriter. Working with producer Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
, the band went on to create such quintessential punk/new wave singles of the period as "Orgasm Addict
Orgasm Addict
"Orgasm Addict" is a single by punk rock band Buzzcocks and its B-side is "Whatever Happened To...?" The song later appeared on the album Singles Going Steady and also on CD reissues of Another Music in a Different Kitchen....
", "What Do I Get?", and "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
"Ever Fallen in Love " is a 1978 song written by Pete Shelley and performed by his group, Buzzcocks. It was a number twelve hit on the UK Singles Chart.-Background and writing:...
" along with three LPs: Another Music in a Different Kitchen
Another Music in a Different Kitchen
Another Music in a Different Kitchen was Buzzcocks' first album, released in 1978 and including the hit single "I Don't Mind", which reached #55 in the United Kingdom singles chart in May 1978. The corresponding CD was released in March 1994 on the same record label...
(1978), Love Bites (1978), and A Different Kind of Tension
A Different Kind of Tension
-Personnel:*Pete Shelley – guitar, vocals, keyboards*Steve Diggle – guitar, vocals*Steve Garvey – bass*John Maher – drums-Vinyl information:*A blue vinyl version was re-released around 1986....
(1979). Difficulties with their record company and a dispute with Virgin Publishing over the UK release of their greatest hits record, Singles Going Steady
Singles Going Steady
Singles Going Steady is a compilation album by Buzzcocks, featuring their United Kingdom single releases from 1977–1979, along with their corresponding B-sides...
, brought Buzzcocks to a halt in 1981.
Solo career
Shelley's debut album Sky Yen was recorded in 1974 but remained unheard until March 1980 when it was released on 12" vinyl on Shelley's own label, Groovy Records. It was recorded as one continuous piece of music with a purpose-built oscillator and was notable for its use of layered electronics and playback speed manipulation to achieve its experimental feel. Rooted in electronic musicElectronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, it has garnered comparisons to krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
. Also released on Groovy Records was the soundtrack LP Hangahar by Sally Timms
Sally Timms
Sally Timms is an English singer and songwriter. Timms is best known for her long involvement with the Mekons whom she joined in 1985....
and Lindsay Lee, which included Shelley as a musician, and an album by artists Eric Random, Barry Adamson
Barry Adamson
Barry Adamson is a British rock musician who has worked with rock bands such as Magazine, Visage, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the electronic musicians Pan sonic and Depeche Mode. Adamson created the seven-minute opus "Useless " remix for the latter band in 1997...
and Francis Cookson under the name "Free Agents." After these releases, Groovy Records never released another album.
In 1981, Shelley released his first solo single, the song "Homosapien", again produced by Martin Rushent. On this recording he returned to his original interests in electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
and shifted emphasis from guitar to synthesiser; Rushent's elaborate drum machine and synthesiser programming laid the groundwork for his next production, the chart-topping album Dare! by The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
. "Homosapien" was banned
Ban (law)
A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
for "explicit reference to gay sex", but this didn't stop it from becoming enormously popular in dance clubs in Europe and North America: On the US dance charts, "Homosapien" peaked at number fourteen. It was also at this time that Pete Shelley also talked about his bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
, which had been implicit in many of the Buzzcocks songs he had written but now came to attention due to "Homosapien" and the BBC ban. The next year saw the controversial single followed by an LP of the same name.
Shelley released his second LP XL1
XL1
XL1 was Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley's second solo album. The single "Telephone Operator" charted at #66 in the United Kingdom, making it his biggest single release there...
in 1983 on Genetic Records. In addition to the minor hit "Telephone Operator," the album included a computer program for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
which featured lyrics and graphics which displayed in time with the music, an innovative precursor to the visuals of today's media players. XL1 was produced by Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
and Shelley.
June 1986 saw Shelley release the darker, edgier Heaven and the Sea, an album that drew comparisons to Love and Rockets
Love and Rockets (band)
Love and Rockets were an English alternative rock band formed in 1985 by former Bauhaus members Daniel Ash , David J , and Kevin Haskins . Former Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy had embarked on a solo career after Bauhaus split in 1983...
, Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
and late period Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
. In 1987 he followed the album with a new song, "Do Anything", for the film Some Kind of Wonderful.
In 1989 Shelley recorded a new version of "Homosapien" entitled "Homosapien II." The single featured four mixes of the new recording.
Shelley has also played with various other musicians during his career, including The Invisible Girls
The Invisible Girls
The Invisible Girls were a British rock band, formed in Salford, Greater Manchester in 1978, to provide a musical backdrop to the recorded output of Salford punk poet John Cooper Clarke...
, who backed punk poet John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet"...
. Shelley also formed bands called The Tiller Boys, and Zip. He briefly reunited with Howard Devoto to make the LP Buzzkunst
Buzzkunst
Buzzkunst is an album by former Buzzcocks members Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto under the name ShelleyDevoto.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto# "Can You See Me Shining?"# "Strain of Bacteria"# "Deeper"...
, released in 2002.
He also appeared on the 2005 debut EP by the Los Angeles band The Adored
The Adored
The Adored is a power pop band based in Los Angeles, California. Until 2007, they were signed to V2 Records in North America ....
(who toured extensively with Buzzcocks the following year.)
A substantially sped-up club remix of "Telephone Operator" is a standard offering on the Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution, abbreviated DDR, and previously known as Dancing Stage in Europe and Australasia, is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, Dance Dance Revolution is the...
arcade game.
Recently Pete has been working on producing, he has just produced a single by upcoming band called Redtrack.
Buzzcocks reform
In 1989, Buzzcocks reunited, and released a new full length recording, Trade Test TransmissionsTrade Test Transmissions
Trade Test Transmissions is Buzzcocks fourth album, released in 1993.The album was the band's first studio album in fourteen years. The first track is a hidden track in the sense it is unlisted in the artwork...
in 1993. They continue to tour and record, their most recent release being the CD Flat-Pack Philosophy
Flat-Pack Philosophy
Flat-Pack Philosophy is an album by Buzzcocks, released in 2006. It was arranged and produced by Tony Barber.-Track listing:# "Flat-Pack Philosophy" – 3:06# "Wish I Never Loved You" – 2:38...
in 2006. They toured with bands such as Nirvana, The Adored, The Strays, Lola Ray, and Images. In 2005, Shelley re-recorded "Ever Fallen in Love" with an all-star group, including Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
, David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
, Peter Hook
Peter Hook
Peter Hook is an English bass player, musician and author.He was a co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division along with Bernard Sumner in the mid-1970s. Following the death of lead singer Ian Curtis, the band reformed as New Order, and Hook played bass with them throughout their career until...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
and several contemporary bands, as a tribute to John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
. Proceeds went to Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. Shelley also performed the song live at the 2005 UK Music Hall of Fame
UK Music Hall of Fame
The UK Music Hall of Fame was an awards ceremony to honour musicians, of any nationality, for their lifetime contributions to music in the United Kingdom. The Hall of Fame started in 2004 with the induction of five founder members and five more members selected by a public televote, two from each...
Albums
- Sky Yen (1980) Groovy Records
- Hangahar (1980) Groovy Records
- HomosapienHomosapien (album)Homosapien was Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley's 1981 debut solo album, the title-track of which was released as a UK single the same year. The single was banned by the BBC, but was nevertheless a hit in several countries....
(1981) Genetic-IslandIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
/AristaArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records... - XL1XL1XL1 was Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley's second solo album. The single "Telephone Operator" charted at #66 in the United Kingdom, making it his biggest single release there...
(1983) Island/Arista (UK #42) - Heaven and the Sea (1986) MercuryMercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
- Some Kind of Wonderful
Singles
- "Homosapien" (1981) Genetic-Island/Arista
- "I Don't Know What It Is" (1981) Genetic-Island/Arista
- "Qu'est-Ce Que C'est Que Ça" (1982)
- "Homosapien" (1982) Genetic-Island/Arista
- "Telephone Operator" (1983) Island/Arista (UK #66)
- "Millions Of People (No One Like You)" (1983) (UK #94)
- "Never Again" (1984) Immaculate
- "Waiting For Love" (1986) Mercury
- "On Your Own" (1986) Mercury
- "Blue Eyes" (1986) Mercury
- "I Surrender" (1986) Mercury
- "Your Love" (1988)
- "Homosapien. Pete Shelley Vs. Power, Wonder and Love" (1989) Immaculate