The legendary punk pioneers Buzzcocks were inducted into the Music Walk Of Fame in Camden yesterday, where they took their place alongside illustrious artists such as David Bowie, The Who, Madness and Amy Winehouse. It honours the phenomenal impact that the band have made with their constant, ever-evolving presence over the last 45 years of pop culture – and particularly that of the much-missed Pete Shelley and the band’s remaining member of their classic line-up, Steve Diggle.
The ceremony was hosted by two high-profile Buzzcocks fans: Carl Barât of The Libertines and BBC Radio London presenter Gary Crowley.
Steve Diggle says, “It’s a great honour to be inducted into the Camden Walk of Fame. Camden has always been a magical musical inspiration – like Buzzcocks’ music, the two have walked the path of greatness.”
Carl Barât adds, “Massive congratulations to the Buzzcocks on their inauguration into the Camden Walk of Fame. They are among the true greats and the first of their kind, and it is only fitting that they should embody a part of Camden tangibly as well as culturally.”
Further tributes came from Liam Gallagher and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols.
Liam Gallagher: “Congratulations to Steve Diggle and the Buzzcocks for their inauguration in the Camden Walk of Fame. Love the Buzzcocks, second greatest band to come out of Manchester! MCFC LG x”
Paul Cook: “The Buzzcocks booked the Sex Pistols first show in Manchester telling us we would be hearing about their band very soon and it wasn’t long before the world was bombarded with hit after hit of unique pure punk power pop energy. So a big thanks to Steve and the boys for putting a smile on our faces. A well deserved star on the Camden Walk of Fame.”
Buzzcocks commemorate the achievement by playing the Camden Music Festival today where they will hit the Hawley Crescent Stage at 5pm. They will also return to Camden in 2024 for a special show at KOKO on March 22nd. It will see them perform their seminal ‘Singles Going Steady’ in full, along with a selection of fan favourites. The band proved that their live powers are completely undiminished at Iggy Pop’s Dog Day Afternoon festival this summer, where they attracted a huge cross-generational audience during their set.
There will be much more to come from Buzzcocks in 2024. They will release a 45th Anniversary Edition of their classic compilation ‘Singles Going Steady’ via Domino Records, and are also working on a brand new studio album. Steve Diggle will also share his perspective of the band’s remarkable story with the release of his book ‘Autonomy’.
Buzzcocks immediately set the standard for combining the rush of punk with instantly addictive pop hooks with their first two albums, ‘Another Music in Another Kitchen’ and ‘Love Bites’, but it was their ‘Singles Going Steady’ collection that really cemented their reputation. Songs such as ‘Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)’, ‘Orgasm Addict’ and ‘What Do I Get?’ cast an influence over the subsequent US alt-rock scene of the ‘80s and continues throughout the contemporary pop-punk world. After the tragic loss of Pete Shelley in 2018, Steve Diggle forged ahead to release ‘Sonics In The Soul’, the first Buzzcocks album in eight years. It lived up to the band’s storied legacy, as Classic Rock praised “the sound of a band rebooted and reinvigorated” while Uncut’s review concluded, “there’s easily enough here to steer the trusty old craft into new, uncharted waters, just as Shelley wanted.”
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