The world lost one of the great pop-punk singer/songwriters when Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley died from a suspected heart attack in December 2018. He was 63. Had he lived Shelley would have celebrated his 70th birthday today (April 17).
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Shelley co-founded the Buzzcocks in Manchester, U.K., suburb of Bolton with singer Howard Devoto. Devoto initially was the band’s frontman with Shelley playing lead guitar and singing backing vocals. The two also co-wrote most of the group’s material. After Devoto exited the Buzzcocks in 1977, Shelley took over as the lead vocalist and the band’s principal songwriter.
The Buzzcocks’ classic lineup also featured rhythm guitarist/singer Steve Diggle, bassist Steve Garvey, and drummer John Maher.
The band was known for its adrenaline-charged and infectiously catchy pop-punk tunes. Shelley’s songs often focused on romantic heartbreak and unrequited love.
Among the many prominent artists who were influenced by Shelley and the Buzzcocks are The Smiths, The Undertones, Oasis, Nirvana, Green Day, Rancid, and The White Stripes.
After the Buzzcocks initial breakup in 1981, Shelley launched a moderately successful solo career. As a solo artist, Pete explored a more synth-driven New Wave sound.
The Buzzcocks re-formed in 1989, and Shelley continue to play with the band until his untimely passing.
In commemoration of Shelley’s milestone birthday, here are four fantastic songs he wrote and sang:
“What Do I Get?” – Buzzcocks (1978)
“What Do I Get?” was the Buzzcocks’ second single, released as a non-album track in February 1978. The melodic punk tune finds Shelley lamenting about his difficulty finding love.
The track begins with the sound of an echoey backwards guitar before charging full-speed ahead into to hard-driving song.
“What Do I Get?” broke into the Top 40 of the U.K. singles chart, peaking at No. 37. The track also was included on the band’s 1978 EP I Am the Amazing Buzzcocks.
“Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve?)” – Buzzcocks (1978)
“Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve?)” was the Buzzcocks’ best-known and most successful song. The tune is sung from the perspective of a guy who’s heading for a breakup with his romantic partner, who just isn’t treating him right.
The song appears on the Buzzcocks’ second full-length album, Love Bites, which was released in September 1978. The single reached No. 12 on the U.K. chart.
Briths music magazine NME ranked “Ever Fallen in Love” at No. 1 on its 1978 Tracks of the Year list.
In a 2006 interview with U.K. newspaper The Guardian, Shelley revealed that he got the idea for “Ever Fallen in Love” while watching the movie musical Guys and Dolls.
“This line leaped out … ‘Have you ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn’t have?’” he recalled. “The next day the van stopped outside a post office and I wrote the lyrics there.”
Shelley later shared that he wrote the song about Francis Cookson, a man whom he lived with for about seven years.
British band Fine Young Cannibals covered “Ever Fallen in Love” in 1986 and had a bigger hit with the tune. Their version peaked at No. 9 on the U.K. singles chart. It also reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play tally.
“You Say You Don’t Love Me” – Buzzcocks (1979)
“You Say You Don’t Love Me” was a catchy pop-punk tune that appeared on the Buzzcocks’ third studio album, A Different Kind of Tension.
In the song, Shelley sings to someone he’s in love with, but who doesn’t share his romantic feelings. The singer assures the object of his affection that he’s OK with his love being unrequited, while holding out hope that the person will change their mind.
Ex-Smiths singer Morrissey released a live cover of “You Say You Don’t Love Me” in 2014.
“Homosapien” – Pete Shelley (1981)
Shelley enjoyed his biggest solo success with the title track of his second album, Homosapien, which was released in 1981.
The synth-pop song, which became an LGBT anthem, features mildly veiled allusions to gay sex (Shelley was bisexual).
“Homosapien” became a Top-10 hit in Australia and Canada, and reached No. 14 on the Billboard dance chart. A music video for the song received moderate airplay on MTV.
Expanded two-LP vinyl versions of Homosapien and Shelley’s first solo album, XL-1, are scheduled to be released on June 6.
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