Pete Shelley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pete Shelley
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Shelley in Australia, 2013
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Campbell McNeish |
| Born | 17 April 1955 Leigh, Lancashire, England |
| Origin | Bolton, England |
| Died | 6 December 2018 (aged 63) Tallinn, Estonia |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1976–2018 |
| Labels | I.R.S., Cooking Vinyl, Island |
| Associated acts |
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Pete Shelley (born Peter Campbell McNeish; 17 April 1955 – 6 December 2018) was an English musician. He was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Pete Shelley helped create the early punk band Buzzcocks in 1976. He formed the band with Howard Devoto. When Devoto left in 1977, Shelley became the lead singer and guitarist.
The Buzzcocks released their most famous song, "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)", in 1978. The band stopped playing together in 1981. They got back together later in the 1980s. Pete Shelley also had a successful solo career. His song "Homosapien" became popular in the US in 1981.
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Pete Shelley's Early Life
Pete Shelley was born Peter Campbell McNeish. His parents were Margaret and John McNeish. He was born on 17 April 1955, in Leigh, Lancashire, England. His mother used to work in a mill. His father was a fitter at a coal mine. Pete also had a younger brother named Gary. Pete Shelley chose his stage name from Percy Bysshe Shelley. This was his favorite Romantic poet.
Forming the Buzzcocks
Pete Shelley met Howard Devoto at the Bolton Institute of Technology in 1975. They later traveled to see the Sex Pistols play. After this, they decided to form the band Buzzcocks. The band also included bass guitarist Steve Diggle and drummer John Maher.
The Buzzcocks played their first show in 1976 in Manchester. They opened for the Sex Pistols. In 1977, the band released their first record, an EP called Spiral Scratch. They released it on their own independent label, New Hormones.
Howard Devoto left the band in February 1977. Pete Shelley then became the lead singer. He also became the main songwriter for the band. The band faced some problems with their record company. This led them to stop playing together in 1981.
Pete Shelley had a different image from many other punk musicians. He told Melody Maker in 1978 that the band was "just four nice lads." He said they were "the kind of people you could take home to your parents."
Pete Shelley's Solo Music
Pete Shelley recorded his first solo album, Sky Yen, in 1974. However, it was not released until 1980. He recorded it as one long piece of music. He used special electronic sounds and changed playback speeds. This gave the album an experimental feel. It was based on electronic music and has been compared to krautrock.
In 1981, Shelley released his first solo song, "Homosapien". This song was produced by Martin Rushent. On this record, Shelley used more electronic sounds and synthesizers instead of guitar. The song became popular, reaching number fourteen on the US dance chart. After the single, he released an album with the same name, Homosapien.
Shelley released his second album, XL1, in 1983. This album included a smaller hit song called "Telephone Operator". It also came with a computer program for the ZX Spectrum. This program showed lyrics and graphics that matched the music. Rushent and Shelley produced XL1 together.
In 1984, Shelley released the song "Never Again". In 1986, he released the album Heaven and the Sea. He also wrote a new song, "Do Anything," for the movie Some Kind of Wonderful in 1987. He created the theme music for the Tour de France on Channel 4. This music was used from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s.
In 1989, Shelley recorded a new version of "Homosapien" called "Homosapien II." He also played with other musicians. These included the Invisible Girls, who played with punk poet John Cooper Clarke. Shelley also formed a band called the Tiller Boys for a short time. He worked again with Howard Devoto to make the album Buzzkunst in 2002. Shelley also appeared on a record by the Los Angeles band the Adored in 2005. The Adored later toured with Buzzcocks.
Buzzcocks Get Back Together
The Buzzcocks reunited in 1989. They released a new album, Trade Test Transmissions, in 1993. They continued to tour and record music. Their album The Way was released in 2014.
In 2005, Pete Shelley re-recorded "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)". Many famous musicians joined him for this. These included Roger Daltrey, David Gilmour, Peter Hook, Elton John, and Robert Plant. This new version was a tribute to John Peel. The money raised went to Amnesty International. Shelley performed the song live at the 2005 UK Music Hall of Fame.
Pete Shelley's Later Life and Passing
Pete Shelley had a son who was born in 1993. In 2012, Shelley moved to Tallinn, Estonia. He preferred the calmer life there compared to London. He had lived in London for almost thirty years.
Pete Shelley passed away in Tallinn on 6 December 2018. He was 63 years old. His brother, Gary McNeish, shared the sad news. Many musicians paid tribute to Pete Shelley. These included Pearl Jam, Pixies, Duran Duran, and Billy Bragg. Billy Bragg even covered the Buzzcocks' song "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" at a festival.
After his passing, a campaign was started to create a memorial for Pete Shelley. This memorial would be in his hometown. It would honor his achievements and contributions to music.
Discography
Albums
- Sky Yen (1980) Groovy Records
- Hangahar (1980) by Sally Smmit (aka Sally Timms of The Mekons) musicians group included Pete Shelley) Groovy Records
- Homosapien (1981) Genetic-Island/Arista
- XL1 (1983) Island/Arista
- Heaven and the Sea (1986)
- Buzzkunst (2002) as shelleydevoto (with Howard Devoto)
Singles
- "Homosapien" (1981), Genetic-Island/Arista - AUS No. 4, CAN No. 6, US Dance No. 14
- "I Don't Know What It Is" (1981), Genetic-Island/Arista - US Dance No. 22
- "Witness the Change" (1981) - US Dance No. 63
- "Qu'est-Ce Que C'est Que Ça" (1982)
- "Homosapien" (1982), Genetic-Island/Arista
- "Telephone Operator" (1983), Island/Arista - US Dance No. 22, UK No. 66
- "Millions of People (No One Like You)" (1983) - UK No. 94
- "Never Again" (1984), Immaculate
- "Waiting for Love" (1986), Mercury
- "On Your Own" (1986), Mercury - US Dance No. 10
- "Blue Eyes" (1986), Mercury
- "I Surrender" (1986), Mercury
- "Your Love" (1988)
- "Homosapien II" (Pete Shelley vs. Power, Wonder and Love) (1989), Immaculate
See also
In Spanish: Pete Shelley para niños
