Buzzcocks co-founder Pete Shelley dies at 63
LONDON – Pete Shelley, the singersongwriter and co-founder of the punk band the Buzzcocks, has died at age 63.
On Thursday, the band confirmed “with great sadness” his death on Twitter, calling him “one of the UK’s most influential and prolific songwriters.”
It did not elaborate on the details of Shelley’s death but said that more information would be released later.
The Buzzcocks were part of the punk revolution which began in England in the mid-1970s and also featured such groups as the Sex Pistols and the Clash. Like their contemporaries, the Buzzcocks scorned what they considered the pretensions and bloated style of mainstream groups and turned out brief, stripped down songs, performed at manic speed.
Their singles included “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve),” the explicit “Orgasm Addict” and “What Do I Get?”
Their energy and intensity were worthy of punk, but they also had a melodic streak, with the song “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays” sounding at times like a punk version of the Beach Boys. On Thursday, Mike Mills of R.E.M. tweeted: “Damn. Pete Shelley gone. The Buzzcocks were and are a favorite of mine, and I was fortunate to be able to hang with Pete a few times and tell him so.”
Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan tweeted: “As a lifelong @Buzzcocks fan...I so appreciate the musical influence Pete. Condolences to your family .... ”
Peter Hook, the bassist and co-founder of Joy Division and New Order, tweeted: “Pete Shelley – a true gent! He helped us so much at the start of our career out of a sheer love for all things punk. Without Pete & the Buzzcocks I would probably still be working at the Docks. RIP mate.”