buzzcocks / albums

281,165 plays
72 SHARES
447 FAVS
21 fans

- Spiral Scratch
- - 338 plays
  - 1 favs
  - 0 shares
Buzzcocks
Released 1977

Boredom [Take 1, Guitar Dub]
02:51
94 plays

Time's Up [Take 1, Guitar Dub]
03:07
71 plays

Friends of Mine [Take 1, Guitar Dub]
02:15
64 plays

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songs

- 1
- Breakdown [Take 3]
- 01:58
- 109 plays

- 2
- Time's Up [Take 1, Guitar Dub]
- 03:07
- 71 plays

- 3
- Boredom [Take 1, Guitar Dub]
- 02:51
- 94 plays

- 4
- Friends of Mine [Take 1, Guitar Dub]
- 02:15
- 64 plays

album review

The Buzzcocks' self-financed debut is every bit as important as the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" in the establishment of the U.K. punk scene. And playing those two cultural artifacts back to back two decades later, it is the Pistols' effort which sounds more like the museum piece. Spiral Scratch's hand-pressed, blurry black-and-white sleeve housed four tracks -- each one a uniquely compelling experience, marrying raw, youthful zest with belligerent intelligence. The EP's release achieved several things at once. It opened up the independent scene, making D.I.Y. labels the natural springboard for aspiring musicians. It gave the punk scene a second regional base in Manchester, and it expanded punk's vocabulary beyond the outright nihilism evinced by London bands. And, even at this stage, the band's musicianship was a joy to behold, particularly the uninhibited drumming of John Maher. This was also, bootlegs apart, the only chance to hear Howard Devoto front the band before he left to form Magazine. For more of the same, check out the Time's Up album, a classic bootleg of the group's early days which has seen official release. ~ Alex Ogg, All Music Guide