Steve Diggle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Diggle
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Diggle with Buzzcocks at the Cropredy Festival in August 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stephen E Diggle |
| Born | 7 May 1955 Manchester, England |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Genres | Rock, punk rock, pop punk |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | EMI |
| Associated acts | Buzzcocks, Flag of Convenience |
Stephen E. Diggle, born on May 7, 1955, is an English musician. He is famous for being a guitarist and later the lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks.
In 1976, Steve joined Buzzcocks as their bass player. He played bass on their first recording, the Spiral Scratch EP, in 1977. After the first singer, Howard Devoto, left, Steve switched to guitar. Pete Shelley then became the lead singer. Steve was part of the band's classic lineup. He played on Buzzcocks' first three albums. He also played on their popular collection, Singles Going Steady (1979).
After Buzzcocks broke up in 1981, Steve started a new band called Flag of Convenience in 1982. This band ended in 1989 when Buzzcocks got back together. After Pete Shelley passed away in 2018, Steve became the new lead singer for Buzzcocks. With their album Sonics in the Soul (2022), Steve is the only member who has played on all of the band's albums and EPs. He has also released four solo albums between 2000 and 2016.
Contents
About Steve Diggle
Early Life
Steve Diggle was born on May 7, 1955. He was born at Saint Mary's Hospital in Manchester, England. He grew up in the Bradford and Rusholme areas of the city. As a young person, he was part of the Mod style and music scene. After going to Oldham College, he worked in a factory.
Joining Buzzcocks
In June 1976, Steve went to a Sex Pistols concert in Manchester. There, their manager introduced him to guitarist Pete Shelley and singer Howard Devoto. Pete and Howard were looking for a bass player for their new band, Buzzcocks. John Maher joined as the drummer. Six weeks later, Buzzcocks played their first show.
Steve played bass at several concerts. He also played bass on the Spiral Scratch EP. Soon after the EP came out, Howard Devoto left the band. This led to a change in the band's roles. Pete Shelley became the lead singer and also played guitar. Steve Diggle then switched from bass to guitar.
Steve Diggle has written many songs for Buzzcocks. Some of his songs include "Autonomy" and "Fast Cars." He also wrote "Love Is Lies," which was the first Buzzcocks song to use an acoustic guitar. Other songs he helped write are "Why Can't I Touch It?" and "Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore." He also wrote "Running Free" and his very famous song, "Harmony in My Head." "Harmony in My Head" was a Top 40 hit song in 1979.
Solo Work and Flag of Convenience
After Buzzcocks broke up in 1981, Steve briefly worked as a solo artist. He released an EP called 50 Years of Comparative Wealth that same year. Other former Buzzcocks members, Steve Garvey and John Maher, played on this EP.
In 1982, Steve started a new band called Flag of Convenience. John Maher, also from Buzzcocks, joined him. Gary Rostock, a drummer from the band Easterhouse, played on Steve's 2000 album, Some Reality. This album was released on Steve's own record label, 3:30 Records. In 2013, Steve also appeared in a British movie called Vinyl. In the movie, he played himself.
Buzzcocks Reunion and Beyond
In 1989, Steve reunited with the classic Buzzcocks lineup. This included Pete Shelley, John Maher, and Steve Garvey. They went on a tour of America. Later, John Maher and then Steve Garvey left the band. However, Steve Diggle and Pete Shelley continued to tour, write, and record as Buzzcocks. They had different band members over the next 29 years. They recorded six more albums between 1993 and 2014.
Pete Shelley passed away in December 2018. In June of the next year, Steve led Buzzcocks at a tribute concert for Pete. This concert was held at London's Royal Albert Hall. After this, Steve decided to continue the band as its main frontman. In 2022, Buzzcocks released their tenth album, Sonics in the Soul. This was the first album entirely written and sung by Steve Diggle.
In May 2024, Steve gave an interview to Mojo magazine. He shared that he is currently writing the eleventh Buzzcocks album. He also finished writing a book about his life called Autonomy - Portrait of a Buzzcock. This book was published in August 2024.
Music Albums
Solo Albums
- Some Reality (2000, 3:30)
- Serious Contender (2005, 3:30)
- Air Conditioning (2010, 3:30)
- Inner Space Times (2016, 3:30)
Music Collections
- The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 (1994, Anagram)
- Here's One I Made Earlier – Best of Steve Diggle, Flag of Convenience, F.O.C. and Buzzcocks F.O.C. (1995, AX-S)
- Wheels of Time (2016, 3:30) (This is a four-CD box set that includes all four of Steve's solo albums.)
Singles and EPs
- 50 Years of Comparative Wealth E.P. (7-inch EP) (1981, Liberty)
- Heated and Rising EP (1993, 3:30)
See also
In Spanish: Steve Diggle para niños
