Steve Diggle

Stephen E Diggle (born 7 May 1955)[1][2] is an English guitarist and vocalist in the punk band Buzzcocks.

Steve Diggle
Diggle with Buzzcocks at the Cropredy Festival
Background information
Birth nameStephen E Diggle
Born (1955-05-07) 7 May 1955
Manchester, Lancashire, England
GenresRock, punk rock, pop punk
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1976–present
LabelsEMI
Associated actsBuzzcocks, Flag of Convenience
Websitewww.stevediggle.uk.com

Biography

Early years

Diggle was born in Manchester,[3] and grew up in the Bradford[3] and Rusholme areas of the city, where he was a mod.[4] After attending Oldham College,[5] he got a job, but was dismissed for organising a strike.[6]

Buzzcocks

He attended the Sex Pistols gig at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall, in June 1976. Their manager Malcolm McLaren introduced him to guitarist Pete Shelley and vocalist Howard Devoto, who were looking for a bassist for their band, Buzzcocks.[7] John Maher joined as drummer and six weeks later, Buzzcocks played their first concert. Steve played bass at several concerts and on the Spiral Scratch EP. Howard Devoto left Buzzcocks shortly after the EP was released, which prompted the band to reshuffle – Pete Shelley becoming lead vocalist as well as guitarist and Diggle switching from bass to guitar.

Steve Diggle onstage with Buzzcocks in Holmfirth, 2011

Steve Diggle wrote several songs for Buzzcocks, including "Autonomy", "Fast Cars" (co-written with Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley), "Love Is Lies" (perhaps the first Buzzcocks song featuring an acoustic guitar), "Sitting Round At Home", "You Know You Can't Help It", "Mad Mad Judy", "Airwaves Dream", and, perhaps his most famous song, "Harmony in My Head", a Top 40 hit in 1979.

Early solo career and Flag of Convenience

After Buzzcocks split in 1981, Diggle was briefly a solo artist, releasing the 50 Years of Comparative Wealth EP (with the guest participations of fellow-Buzzcocks Steve Garvey and John Maher) the same year. In 1982, he formed a new band, Flag of Convenience with ex-Buzzcock John Maher. Ex-Easterhouse drummer Gary Rostock played on Diggle's 2000 album Some Reality, released on Diggle's own label, 3:30 Records.[8] In 2013, Diggle also appeared in the British punk-pop comedy Vinyl, playing himself.

Discography

Solo Albums
  • Some Reality (2000)
  • Serious Contender (2005)
  • Air Conditioning (2010)
  • Inner Space Times (2016)

Compilations

Singles and EPs

References
  1. Guglielmi, Federico; Rizzi, Cesare (2002). "Steve Diggle". Grande enciclopedia rock (in Italian). Giunti. p. 107. ISBN 9788809028524.
  2. Buzzcocks Discography. BUZZCOCKS #1.0 July 20, 1976 – Feb 1977 (...)Steve Diggle (born 1955) – bass
  3. "Maximum Harmony : Steve Diggle Interview" (PDF). Buzzcocks.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  4. Diggle, Steve. Harmony In My Head
  5. "The Oldham College". Oldham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  6. Simpson, Dave; Hodgkinson, Will (12 June 2002). "Punk: How was it for you?". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  7. "Time to mind the Buzzcocks – they're back!". The Independent. UK. 10 March 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  8. McGartland, Tony (2017). Buzzcocks - The Complete History. Bonnier Zaffre. ISBN 9781786065209.
  9. "Hiljaiset Levyt: PUNKNET 77 – Steve Diggle". Hiljaiset.sci.fi. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
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