The Buzzcocks: The Other One Speaks!
Michael Gray, ZigZag, May 1979
WHEN YOU GO and see Buzzcocks, there are four of them. Up at the back, as high on his rostrum as an Old Bailey judge, there's machinoid schoolboy John Maher doing his phenomenal clockwork manic, out at the side, doing rubber dances with his legs and his bass, in answer to secret inner voices, is Steve Garvey. Up at the front there's the two older, shorter ones, with guitars in their hands: Steve Diggle and Pete Shelley.
Total word count of piece: 3363
Best Databases: RBP is Runner-up in Best Niche category
Video: Johnny Marr talks about Rock's Backpages
RBP on Spotify: The Very Best of 40-year-old Virgin
RBP Album Club, June 13th: Miki Berenyi and Lucy O'Brien celebrate a Blondie classic
Essential Listening: Green Day grilled by Roy Trakin
RBP Album Club, July 11th: Nick Hornby and Nick Coleman celebrate Southside Johnny's debut
Essential Reading: Bud Scoppa's 1971 Byrds classic