:''Not to be confused with Canadian ice-hockey player Rod Gilbert.''

name	Rhod Gilbert
birth name	Rhodri Gilbert
birth date	October 18, 1968
birth place	Carmarthen, Wales
medium	Stand-up, Television, Radio
nationality	Welsh
active	2002-present
genre	Observational comedy, Deadpan
subject	Everyday life
notable work	''Walk on the Wild Side''''Live At The Apollo
website	MySpace site
britishcomedyawards	}}

Rhodri "Rhod" Gilbert, (born 18 October 1968) is a Welsh comedian who was nominated in 2005 for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award. In 2008, he was nominated for the main if.comedy (as the Edinburgh Comedy Awards were then branded).

He appears on television and radio panel shows, has performed stand-up on the Royal Variety Performance, and hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio Wales.

Early life

Gilbert was born in Carmarthen, Wales and studied languages at Exeter University. For the first three weeks, such was his painful shyness that Gilbert was unable to eat with other students in the canteen or even make friends with the student in the next room.

After graduating, Gilbert travelled for a year and a half around Australia and Asia before returning to Carmarthen and working as an admin assistant for the Welsh Office. After this he worked as a qualitative researcher for a number of different market research agencies in London.

Career

Stand-up comedy

Gilbert got into professional comedy in 2002, after taking a comedy workshop course, but only "thanks to a girlfriend’s constant nagging". Within 18 months, Gilbert had already won several different talent competitions. and was nominated for the ''Perrier Newcomer'' award for his first solo show in 2005 at Edinburgh Fringe entitled ''1984.'' He has since performed worldwide.

Many of Gilbert's stories are based around real life events, and his life in the wholly fictionalised village of Llanbobl. Originally invented to ensure an English heckler had nothing real to grasp on to, it has since been geographically defined as being situated between "Wrexham and Holyhead, just north of Newtown, Powys," and a sort of "grown-up Thomas the Tank Engine" location. Gilbert has described the number of audience members that come up to him at the end of shows, and say they have been to Llanbobl for holidays, and even that an English rugby union team "hammered" the Llanbobl team. Gilbert also admitted that he "may have 'accidentally' sent the rugby player that told him on a 7 hour goose-chase" to come back to Llanbobl and meet him. In 2008, Gilbert wrote a sitcom around life in Llanbobl, which featured on BBC Radio 2.

In his 2006 Edinburgh Fringe show ''Knocking on Heaven's Door'', Gilbert told stories from his life, weighing up whether he would be admitted to heaven. His 2007 show, ''Who's Eaten Gilbert's Grape?'' saw Gilbert return to Llanbobl and pick up the story following the ''1984'' show narrative. His 2008 show, ''Rhod Gilbert and the Award-Winning Mince Pie'', saw Gilbert question his sanity, his career and his life after suffering a mental breakdown brought on by the award-winning mince pie at a motorway services.

On 17 December 2008 he appeared at the 80th Royal Variety Performance.

Gilbert's 2009/10 show, entitled ''Rhod Gilbert And The Cat That Looked Like Nicholas Lyndhurst,'' was announced on 5 April. Titled so that it would stop an obsessive fan in Canterbury, Kent, coincidentally named Alex Gilbert (no relation), bringing him presents. The show previewed around the UK in small venues, before being performed at the Edinburgh Festival. The show toured UK theatres from September 2009.

On 18–19 June 2009, Gilbert made the last performances of ''Rhod Gilbert And The Award-Winning Mince Pie'' show at the Bloomsbury Theatre, which was recorded and released as a DVD on 16 November 2009. The DVD also contains several special features, including his infamous rant about lost luggage, outtakes from the performance and a mockumentary called ''Back To Llanbobl'' in which Gilbert shows the viewer around his fictional home town.

From September 2009 to April 2010 he toured the UK with a new show titled ''Rhod Gilbert and the Cat that Looked Like Nicholas Lyndhurst''; the tour included dates at many prestigious theatres such as London's HMV Hammersmith Apollo. A DVD of the tour was released on 15 November 2010.

On 14 October 2010, Gilbert cancelled a stand up show in Swindon after coming down with pneumonia. In 2011 he is beginning a series of warm-up/new material gigs across the country. One of the first is happening in Machynlleth, as part of the Machynlleth Comedy Festival. After his 150 date 2009/2010 tour, Rhod is taking a break from stand-up but has revealed he plans to tour again in 2012.

Television

Gilbert has appeared three times on the BBC2 show ''Mock The Week'', and has presented an episode of ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' in October 2009 and an episode of ''Have I Got News for You'' in April 2011. He has also appeared as a guest on Channel 4's ''8 Out of Ten Cats'', and has used his comedy talents to write and narrate BBC Three's 2007 ''Goals Galore'', ''Pranks Galore'', ''Football Gaffes Galore'' and ''TV Gaffes Galore'' programmes. He has also presented BBC 2W's, ''Rhod Gilbert's Teen Tribes'', providing an insight into the teen tribal worlds of "Emos", "Chavs" and "Goths".

Gilbert was Paramount Comedy's continuity writer and announcer between September 2005 and April 2006, providing end-credit voice-overs for their peaktime programme schedule.

In December 2008 Gilbert was signed for an advertising campaign to further promote tourism in Wales and became the official Voice Of Wales for the country's tourist-board, fronting the 2009 Visit Wales television advertising.

Gilbert has done reports for the BBC One current affairs/ human interest show ''The One Show''.

In November 2008, Gilbert appeared on the BBC's ''Live at the Apollo'' as a guest. In December 2009, he hosted the show, introducing fellow comedian John Bishop. On 6 June 2009 Gilbert appeared as the headline act on ''Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow'' on BBC One, and he guested on ''8 out of 10 Cats'' on 17 July 2009. He also provided voiceover material for the sketch show ''Walk on the Wild Side''.

On 19 January 2010, ''Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience'' aired on BBC One Wales. Zipline Creative Limited worked freelance as producer/directors, editors and also camera and sound on the series for Presentable RDF. The four part series saw Gilbert attempt a number of jobs including hairdresser, refuse collector, soldier and parent. Following the show's success on BBC One Wales, the series will air nationally on BBC2 from 10 March. Rhod will be producing a documentary on Welsh comedy for BBC Wales in the new year.

In August 2010, the BBC commissioned eight episodes of ''Ask Rhod Gilbert'' following a successful pilot earlier in 2010. The show features Gilbert, Greg Davies and Lloyd Langford answering random trivia questions, such as ‘Who would win in a race, Usain Bolt or a grizzly bear?', posed by the public and celebrities.

Radio

In 2006, he hosted the BBC Radio Wales comedy panel show ''Jest a Minute'', live from The Comedy Store in London.

The second series of ''Jest a Minute'' was recorded in late 2008 in Cardiff's Glee Club, hosted by Gilbert and featuring regular team captains Chris Corcoran and Lloyd Langford, and guests from the comedy circuit such as Greg Davies, Lucy Porter and Jon Richardson.

Gilbert was also the host of BBC Radio 4's ''4 Stands Up'' comedy series which aired in the Autumn of 2008, and has also appeared twice on Radio Four's ''Just a Minute'', Radio 2's ''Does the Team Think?'', and BBC Radio 4s ''Act your Age''.

In December 2008, a pilot of his sitcom, ''Rhod Gilbert's Leaving Llanbobl'' was broadcast on BBC Radio Two; the sitcom was written and starred Rhod Gilbert and Greg Davies, with additional writing by Sian Harries. Lloyd Langford played Gilbert's amiable younger brother Emrys, Di Botcher played Brenda, a gossipy hairdresser, and Mike Hayward played Gilbert's father Gurnos. The show was produced by Ed Morrish. He has hinted in interviews that the sitcom is likely to move to TV when it is completed as he found that he was "seeing it" as he wrote it.

Rhod has also made several appearances on the BBC Radio 4 comedy program The Unbelievable Truth.

Gilbert currently fronts his own radio show ''"The Rhod Gilbert Radio Show"'', broadcast by BBC Radio Wales on Saturdays between 11am and 1pm, alongside fellow Welsh stand-up comedian Chris Corcoran.

Rhod has finished recording a new radio show for BBC Radio 2 called Rhod Gilbert's Bulging Barrel of Laughs with comedians Lloyd Langford, Greg Davies and Sarah Millican. Each show also features live music from bands such as Athlete, Scouting for Girls, Kid British and The Hoosiers. This will be broadcast in late August.

Awards

;2002

Finalist in ''So You Think You're Funny''.

;2003

Winner of the ''Leicester Mercury'' comedian of the year as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival

Winner of the Paramount ''Gift Of The Gag'' competition

Chortle Award nominee for best new act

Winner of the BBC New Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Runner-up in the Hackney Empire ''New Act of The Year competition''

Winner of the Metro and Jongleurs ''Spike Award for New Talent'', South East

Winner of the ''National Talent Hunt'' at the York Festival

;2005

Chortle award for ''Best Breakthrough Act''

Nominated for ''The List and Writers Guild Comedy Award'' for ''"Rhod Gilbert's 1984"''

Perrier nominated for ''Best Newcomer'' for "Rhod Gilbert's 1984."

;2006

Placed in The Times ''Top 50 comedians''

Named one of The Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy's top 50 icons.

;2008

Nominated for the main IF.COM Eddies (formerly Perrier award) at the Edinburgh fringe for "Rhod Gilbert and the Award-winning Mince Pie"

Winner of the Time Out 'Comic of the Year'

Winner of the Time Out 'Best Show of the Year' for "Rhod Gilbert and the Award-winning Mince Pie"

Winner of the Time Out 'Breakthrough Act'

Nominated for the Celtic Media awards 'Best Radio Personality' for the "Rhod Gilbert Radio Show" on BBC Radio Wales

;2009

Nominated for the Times/South Bank Show Awards, 'Breakthrough Act'

Winner of Chortle award for 'Best Headliner'

Winner of "Comics Comic" Chortle award

Nominated for the Chortle award for ''Best Show'' for "Rhod Gilbert and the Award-winning Mince Pie"

;2010

Winner of 'Wales' Sexiest male'

Stand-Up DVDs

!Title	!Released	!Notes
''The Award-Winning Mince Pie''	16 November 2009	Live at London's Bloomsbury Theatre
''The Cat That Looked Like Nicholas Lyndhurst''	15 November 2010	Live at London's HMV Hammersmith Apollo

References

External links

Rhod Gilbert BBC radio show

Review and details of awards

Funny Money film shorts with Rhod Gilbert for BBC raw money

Llanbobl on Facebook

Rhod Gilbert Show on Twitter

Category:1968 births Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter Category:Living people Category:People from Carmarthen Category:Welsh comedians Category:Welsh stand-up comedians

cy:Rhod Gilbert

name	Michael McIntyre
birth name	Michael Hazen James McIntyre
birth date	February 21, 1976
birth place	Merton, London, England
medium	Stand-up, television
nationality	British
active	1999—present
genre	Social satire, observational comedy
notable work	''That's So Last Week''''Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow''''Britain's Got Talent''
website
spouse	Kitty McIntyre (2003–present) }}

Michael Hazen James McIntyre (born 21 February 1976) is an English stand-up comedian. He is well known for appearing at many British stand-up comedy events and for several roles on television stand-up programmes such as ''Live at the Apollo'' and his own show, ''Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow''. McIntyre has also appeared on television panel shows including ''Mock the Week'', ''8 out of 10 Cats'' and ''Have I Got News for You'', and has additionally appeared on radio.

McIntyre has released two stand-up DVDs. ''Live and Laughing'' was released in 2008 and featured material from his first nationwide tour, and ''Michael McIntyre: Hello Wembley'' was released in November 2009 and featured his routine at Wembley Arena. ''Live and Laughing'' was the fastest selling debut stand-up DVD ever and ''Michael McIntyre: Hello Wembley'' became the fastest selling stand-up DVD ever by selling over one million copies and topping the DVD chart for Christmas 2009. In 2009 McIntyre performed live to half a million people and won Best Live Stand-up at the British Comedy Awards.

In 2010, McIntyre released his autobiography, ''Life and Laughing: My Story'', and also became the youngest-ever host of the Royal Variety Performance. He started as a judge on the fifth series of ''Britain's Got Talent'' in April 2011 and in 2012 he will embark on his second nationwide tour, comprising 58 dates in eleven cities.

Early life

McIntyre was born in Merton, southwest London, and raised in Hampstead. McIntyre's parents were both in show business: his Canadian father, Ray Cameron (19 April 1938 – 27 December 1993), né Thomas Cameron McIntyre, was a writer on ''The Kenny Everett Television Show'', and his Hungarian mother, Kati, was a dancer. McIntyre's parents divorced when he was seven. Both his parents remarried and went on to have other children with their new spouses. Ray Cameron relocated to Los Angeles, where he died of a heart attack in 1993, aged 55.

Education

McIntyre went to Arnold House Prep School and then attended Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood for three years before transferring to local state school Woodhouse College for financial reasons. McIntyre later attended Edinburgh University for one year before dropping out to pursue a career in script writing. He has said that he cannot remember whether it was biology or chemistry that he studied while there.

Career

McIntyre's first DVD, ''Live & Laughing'', is the fastest-selling debut stand-up DVD. In 2008 he was the fastest-selling comedian at the Edinburgh Festival and sold out five nights at London's 3,600 capacity Hammersmith Apollo.

He was nominated in the Comedy category of the 2009 ''South Bank Show'' Awards. In 2009 he won Best Live Stand-up at the British Comedy Awards, having also been nominated in that category the previous year.

McIntyre performed for an estimated total of 500,000 people on his first tour of the United Kingdom that included a record-breaking six nights at Wembley Arena and four at The O2 Arena. His second DVD, ''Hello Wembley'', was another hit. 58 dates have been announced for his second tour in the autumn of 2012, at arenas in ten UK cities as well as Dublin.

Television and stage

McIntyre has appeared three times on BBC One's ''Live at the Apollo'' and also on the ''Royal Variety Performance'', in 2006, 2008 and 2010. While performing on stage in Wolverhampton in 2008, as he was walking back onto stage for his encore, McIntyre slipped, fell over and dislocated his shoulder. Many of the audience believed this to be part of his act and started to laugh; only after his manager came on stage to assist did they realise it was real.

McIntyre's routine on ''We Are Most Amused'', staged at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 12 November 2008 in aid of The Prince's Trust was televised. This comedy gala celebrated the 60th birthday of Prince Charles, and was performed in the presence of the Prince of Wales and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall.

Among McIntyre's many comedy panel show appearances are ''Chris Moyles' Quiz Night'', ''Mock the Week'', ''8 out of 10 Cats'', ''Have I Got News for You'', ''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year'', ''Would I Lie To You?'', and ''The Apprentice: You're Fired!''. On 13 February 2009, he was a guest on ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross''. On 21 February 2009, McIntyre appeared live as a guest judge alongside head judge Anton du Beke and fellow guest Emma Bunton in the first round of ''Let's Dance for Comic Relief''. He appeared on the show again in the final on 14 March.

From 6 June 2009, McIntyre began hosting ''Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow'', aired on Saturday nights on BBC One. On 5 July 2009, McIntyre appeared on the BBC show ''Top Gear'' as the "star in a reasonably priced car", driving around the Top Gear test track in one minute and 48.7 seconds. During his lap of the track he almost rolled the car while going around the final corner.

In December 2009, McIntyre cancelled a stand-up show at short notice after discovering that he would be performing to debt collectors. He had revealed only weeks earlier how he had struggled with substantial debt only a few years before breaking through in to the mainstream. McIntyre stated that he would have gone against his principles by performing the show.

On 30 March 2010, McIntyre took part in ''Channel 4's Comedy Gala'', a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital, filmed live at London's O2 Arena. Also in 2010 he appeared on the year's edition of ''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year'', partnered with Alan Carr. The other participants were Richard Ayoade, Noel Fielding, Jonathan Ross and Ruth Jones.

On 14 December 2010, it was announced that McIntyre would join the ''Britain's Got Talent'' judges' panel in 2011, alongside David Hasselhoff and Amanda Holden. On 18 March 2011 he was among the hosts of the BBC's ''Red Nose Day''.

Radio

McIntyre's radio appearances have included:

''Does the Team Think?'' (BBC Radio 2)

''Heresy'', ''4 Stands Up'', ''Happy Mondays'', ''The Unbelievable Truth'' (all on BBC Radio 4)

''The Jon Richardson Show'' (BBC 6 Music)

''The Jonathan Ross Show'' (BBC Radio 2)

''The Chris Moyles Show'' (BBC Radio 1)

''Desert Island Discs'' 2011-07-22 (BBC radio 4)

Personal life

McIntyre lives in Hampstead, London with his aromatherapist wife Kitty, a daughter of actor Simon Ward. The couple married in 2003 and have two sons.

He is a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur.

Awards

Year	! Award	! Category
	British Comedy Award		*Best Stand up
	Chortle Awards		*Best Headliner
	Chortle Awards		*Best Headliner (nominated)
	Edinburgh Festival Perrier Award		*Best Newcomer (nominated)

Stand-up appearances

Year	Event
		*Help for Heroes	*''Channel 4's Comedy Gala''
		*''Live & Laughing'' (nationwide tour)	*''Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow''	Live at the Apollo (TV series)>Live At The Apollo''
		*''We Are Most Amused''	*''Live & Laughing'' (nationwide tour)	*Grand Theatre, Lancaster	*Edinburgh Comedy Festival	*Glasgow International Comedy Festival	Reading and Leeds Festivals>Leeds Festival	*Leicester Comedy Festival	*''Live At The Apollo''	*''Royal Variety Performance''
		*Nationwide tour	*Soho Theatre, London	*Lyric Theatre, London	OFS Studio>Old Fire Station Theatre, Oxford	*Edinburgh Festival	*Just For Laughs, Montreal
		*''An Evening with Michael McIntyre'', Edinburgh Festival	*Garrick Theatre, London	Cat Laughs>Kilkenny Comedy Festival	*Brighton Comedy Festival	*Latitude Festival, Southwold	*Royal Variety Performance
		*Edinburgh Festival
		*Edinburgh Festival

2012 tour

McIntyre's next tour has been announced, with dates across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland in the second half of 2012.

Television credits

''Red Nose Day 2011'' (BBC)

''Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow'' (BBC One)

''The Graham Norton Show'' (BBC Two)

''Live at the Apollo'' 2007/2008 (BBC One)

''Royal Variety Performance'' 2006/2008/2010

''Have I Got News For You'' (BBC One)

''8 out of 10 Cats'' (Channel 4)

''The Charlotte Church Show'' (Channel 4)

''Richard & Judy'' (Channel 4)

''The Law of the Playground'' (Channel 4)

''Michael McIntyre Comedy Store Special'' (Paramount)

''The Comedy Store'' (Paramount)

''The World Stands Up'' (Paramount)

''Big Brother's Little Brother'' (E4)

''Big Brother's Big Mouth'' (as guest presenter) (E4)

''Top Gear'' (as special guest) (BBC Two)

''The Apprentice: You're Fired!'' (series four, episode 11) (BBC Two)

''Mock the Week'' (BBC Two)

''Would I Lie To You?'' (BBC One)

''The One Show'' (BBC One)

''We Are Most Amused'' (ITV)

''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year'' (Channel 4)

''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' (BBC One)

''This Morning'' (ITV)

''CBeebies Bedtime Story'' (CBeebies)

DVDs

''Live & Laughing'' (17 November 2008)

''Hello Wembley!'' (16 November 2009)

''Live 2012'' (12 November 2012)

References

External links

Official website

Official Fansite

Chortle page

Tour dates

Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:British people of Hungarian descent Category:Edinburgh Comedy Festival Category:English people of Canadian descent Category:English stand-up comedians Category:Old Merchant Taylors Category:People from Merton (district)

nl:Michael McIntyre no:Michael McIntyre

name	Buzzcocks
landscape	yes
background	group_or_band
origin	Bolton, England
genre	Punk rock, pop punk, New Wave
years active	1976–1981 1989–present
label	United Artists, I.R.S., Cooking Vinyl, ROIR, EMI
associated acts	Flag of ConvenienceMagazine
website
current members	Pete ShelleySteve DiggleChris RemmingtonDanny Farrant
past members	Howard DevotoGarthMick SingletonJohn Maher Barry AdamsonSteve GarveyMike JoyceTony BarberPhil Barker }}

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 success with singles that fused pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on ''Singles Going Steady'', described by critic Ned Raggett as a "punk masterpiece". The widely covered "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" remains one of their best-known songs.

The name "Buzzcocks" was chosen by Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley after reading the headline "it's the buzz, cocks!" in a review of the TV series ''Rock Follies'' in ''Time Out'' magazine. The "buzz" is the excitement of playing on stage; "cock" is Manchester slang meaning "mate" (as in friend/buddy). They thought it captured the excitement of the Sex Pistols and nascent punk scene.

Career

Early years

Howard Trafford, a student at Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton), placed a notice in the college looking for musicians sharing a liking for The Velvet Underground's song "Sister Ray". Peter McNeish, a fellow student at the Institute, responded to the notice. Trafford played electronic music and McNeish had played rock.

McNeish assumed the stage name Pete Shelley, and Trafford named himself Howard Devoto, after a bus driver in Cambridge. In late 1975, Shelley and Devoto recruited a drummer and formed an embryonic version of Buzzcocks that did not perform in front of an audience and which dissolved after a number of rehearsals. The band formed as the Buzzcocks in February 1976 and performed live for the first time on 1 April 1976 at their college. Garth Davies played bass guitar and Mick Singleton played drums. Singleton also played in local band Black Cat Bone.

After reading an ''NME'' review of the Sex Pistols' first performance, Shelley and Devoto travelled to London together to see the Sex Pistols in February 1976. Shelley and Devoto were impressed by what they saw and arranged for the Sex Pistols to come and perform at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester, in June 1976. Buzzcocks intended to play at this concert, but the other musicians dropped out, and Shelley and Devoto were unable to recruit other musicians in time for the gig. Once they had recruited bass guitarist Steve Diggle and drummer John Maher, they made their debut opening for the Sex Pistols' second Manchester concert in July 1976. A brief clip of Devoto-era Buzzcocks performing The Troggs "I Can't Control Myself" appears in the ''Punk: Attitude'' documentary directed by Don Letts. In September 1976 the band travelled to London to perform at the two-day 100 Club Punk Festival, organised by Malcolm McLaren. Other performers included: the Sex Pistols, Subway Sect, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, The Vibrators, The Damned and the French band Stinky Toys.

By the end of the year, Buzzcocks had recorded and released a four-track EP, ''Spiral Scratch'', on their own ''New Hormones'' label, making them one of the first punk groups to establish an independent record label, trailing only The Saints' "(I'm) Stranded". Produced by Martin Hannett, the music was roughly recorded, insistently repetitive, and energetic. "Boredom" announced punk's rebellion against the status quo while templating a strident musical minimalism (the guitar solo consisting of two repeated notes). The demos recorded while Devoto was in the band were later issued officially as Time's Up. Long available as a bootleg, this album includes the alternative takes of all the tracks from the ''Spiral Scratch'' EP as well as early version of tracks that later appeared on the official debut ''Another Music in a Different Kitchen''.

After a few months, Devoto left the group; he returned to college for a year, then formed Magazine. Pete Shelley continued as vocalist; his high-pitched, melodic singing stood in stark contrast to the gruff pub rock vocal stylings of many punk contemporaries. Diggle switched from bass to guitar, and Garth Davies rejoined on bass as Garth Smith or Garth. Garth appeared on the band’s first Radio 1 Peel Session, in September 1977, but due to his alcoholism he was quickly replaced with Steve Garvey, joining Dirty Looks in New York. This new line-up signed with United Artists Records.

Signing to United Artists

Their first UA Buzzcocks single, "Orgasm Addict", was a playful examination of compulsive sexuality that was (and remains) uncommonly bold. The BBC refused to play the song, but the single sold well. Later, more ambiguous songs staked out a territory defined by Shelley's bisexuality and punk's aversion to serious examination of human sexuality. The next single, "What Do I Get?" reached the UK top 40 charts. "Lipstick", the B-side to "Promises," shared the same ascending progression of notes in its chorus as Magazine's first single, "Shot By Both Sides," also released in 1978.

Their original career produced three LPs: ''Another Music in a Different Kitchen'', ''Love Bites'', and ''A Different Kind of Tension'', each supported by extensive touring in Europe and the U.S. Their trademark sound was a marriage of catchy pop melodies with punk guitar energy, backed by an unusually tight and skilled rhythm section. They advanced drastically in musical and lyrical sophistication: by the end they were quoting American writer William S. Burroughs ("A Different Kind of Tension"), declaiming their catechism in the anthem "I Believe", and tuning in to a fantasy radio station on which their songs could be heard ("Radio Nine"). In 1980, Liberty Records signed the band, and three singles were released. However, only one of these, the double 'A' side "Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore/Are Everything" made the Top 75.

In parallel with Buzzcocks, Pete Shelley, formed a more experimental and post-punk band, The Tiller Boys, along with Eric Random and Francis Cookson, while Steve Garvey joined The Teardrops in 1978, along with The Fall's Tony Friel and Karl Burns; both bands were releasing material in late 1970s and broke up at the same time Buzzcocks split up.

Breakup and reunions

After recording demos for a fourth album the group disbanded in 1981, when Shelley took up a solo career. Diggle and Maher formed Flag of Convenience, who released several singles between 1982 and 1989. Garvey formed Motivation and joined Blue Orchids, moving to New York, shortly afterwards, to continue with the first band. Maher joined Wah! by the time Buzzcocks broke up. Shelley and Devoto teamed up in 2002 for the first time since 1976, producing the album Buzzkunst, a play on the German word for 'Art'. The album was a mix of electronic music and punk.

John Maher now owns and runs John Maher Racing, a vintage Volkswagen performance tuning workshop located on the Isle of Harris, Scotland. He has built and raced several Volkswagen Beetles. 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, with Plant, Daltrey, Gilmour, Hook and Jeff Beck at the 2005 UK Music Hall of Fame.

Buzzcocks have reformed several times since 1989, featuring Shelley and Diggle with other musicians; initially with Maher and Garvey for a world tour, then briefly replacing Maher with Smiths drummer Mike Joyce. In 1992, Tony Barber joined on bass and Phil Barker on drums. This line-up toured on one of Nirvana's last-ever tours in 1994. In April 2006, Barker left and was replaced by Danny Farrant. In March 2006, the band released their eighth studio album, ''Flat-Pack Philosophy'', on Cooking Vinyl Records, the supporting tour found them playing on a leg of the mid-2006 Vans Warped Tour.

They made an appearance for Maxïmo Park's homecoming gig in Newcastle upon Tyne on 15 December 2007.

In April 2008, Barber left and was replaced by Chris Remmington.

In January 2009 the band embarked on a UK and European tour, the "Another Bites Tour", in which they played their first two albums in full, as well as an encore of their other hits.

In July 2009, the Buzzcocks played in Serbia for the first time, at the EXIT festival in Novi Sad. Their song, "Why Can't I Touch It" was played in the second episode of the sixth season of TV series ''Entourage''.

On 9 November 2009, Buzzcocks played a very rare performance on a small Balcony overlooking Dame Street in Dublin, for the music viral show BalconyTV.

In December 2009 they will play as the main support act for The Courteeners.

In August 2011 they will headline the first night of The Rhythm Festival in Bedfordshire.

TV show title

Buzzcocks' name was combined with the title of the Sex Pistols' album ''Never Mind the Bollocks'' to create the title of the long-running UK comedy panel game show ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks''. Diggle claimed in his autobiography that he and Shelley had only granted the BBC use of their name under the impression that it would be a one-off, probably unsuccessful pilot, and that they are now mildly disgruntled that the name is more readily associated in Britain with the TV series than with their band. Shelley himself appeared on the programme in 2000, where host Mark Lamarr introduced Shelley by saying without the Buzzcocks "there'd be no Smiths or Radiohead, and this show would be called Never Mind Joan Armatrading!"

Members

Discography

''Another Music in a Different Kitchen'' (1978)

''Love Bites'' (1978)

''A Different Kind of Tension'' (1979)

''Trade Test Transmissions'' (1993)

''All Set'' (1996)

''Modern'' (1999)

''Buzzcocks'' (2003)

''Flat-Pack Philosophy'' (2006)

Notes

External links

* Category:English punk rock groups Category:I.R.S. Records artists Category:Musical groups established in 1975 Category:Musical groups from Lancashire Category:Music from Bolton Category:British New Wave musical groups Category:British pop punk musical groups Category:Reachout International Records recording artists

br:Buzzcocks bg:Бъзкокс (група) cs:Buzzcocks de:Buzzcocks es:Buzzcocks fr:Buzzcocks gl:Buzzcocks it:Buzzcocks he:באזקוקס nl:The Buzzcocks ja:バズコックス pl:Buzzcocks pt:Buzzcocks ro:Buzzcocks ru:Buzzcocks simple:Buzzcocks fi:Buzzcocks sv:Buzzcocks uk:Buzzcocks