BUZZCOCKS FRONTMAN PETE SHELLEY DIES AT 63
TRIBUTES AS BUZZCOCKS FRONTMAN DIES AGED 63
BUZZCOCKS frontman Pete Shelley has died following a suspected heart attack, his brother has confirmed.
Shelley, whose real name was Peter Campbell McNeish, was born in Leigh. He passed away yesterday morning, aged 63.
His brother, Gary McNeish, posted a heartfelt tribute on Facebook.
It read: “This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, is tell you my brother Pete Shelley had a heart attack this morning and passed away.”
Charlatans star Tim Burgess paid his respects to the singer in a tweet. It read: “Farewell, Pete Shelley. The first album I ever owned was Love Bites By Buzzcocks.”
Shelley formed Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1975 after they met at the Bolton Institute of Technology and travelled to London together to see the Sex Pistols.
The punk outfit was best known for its hit single Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).
Shelley also began working on solo material in 1974, but it remained unheard until 1980 when it was released on his own label, Groovy Records.
His Buzzcocks bandmates paid tribute, writing on Twitter: “It’s with great sadness that we confirm the death of Pete Shelley, one of the UK’s most influential and prolific songwriters and co-founder of the seminal original punk band Buzzcocks. Pete’s music has inspired generations of musicians over a career that spanned five decades and with his band and as a solo artist, he was held in the highest regard by the music industry and by his fans around the world.”
Buzzcocks were together until 1981 before reforming in 1989.
Shelley also composed the theme music for the intro to the Tour de France on Channel 4.