Steve Diggle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Diggle
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Diggle with Buzzcocks in 2022
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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 Diggle joined Buzzcocks as their bass player. He played bass on their first recording, the Spiral Scratch EP, released in 1977. Soon after, the band's first singer, Howard Devoto, left. Steve then switched to playing guitar, and Pete Shelley became the new lead singer.
Steve was part of the band's classic lineup. He played on Buzzcocks' first three albums and their popular collection Singles Going Steady from 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 Diggle became the new lead singer for Buzzcocks.
With the release of Sonics in the Soul in 2022, Steve is the only member who has played on all of Buzzcocks' albums and EPs. He has also released four solo albums between 2000 and 2016.
Contents
About Steve Diggle
Early Life and Beginnings
Steve Diggle was born on May 7, 1955, 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 youth culture.
After attending Oldham College, Steve worked in a factory that made metal parts. However, he was fired because he refused to work on a piece-rate system, which means getting paid for each item made. This disagreement even caused a strike at the factory.
Joining Buzzcocks
In June 1976, Steve went to a concert by the band Sex Pistols in Manchester. There, their manager, Malcolm McLaren, 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. Just six weeks later, Buzzcocks played their very first concert. Steve played bass at several shows and on their first recording, the Spiral Scratch EP.
Shortly after the EP was released, Howard Devoto left Buzzcocks. This led to a change in the band: Pete Shelley became both the lead singer and a guitarist, and Steve Diggle switched from playing bass to playing guitar.
Steve Diggle has written many songs for Buzzcocks. Some of his well-known songs include "Autonomy," "Fast Cars," and "Love Is Lies." "Love Is Lies" was the first Buzzcocks song to feature an acoustic guitar. He also co-wrote "Why Can't I Touch It?" and wrote "Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore" and "Running Free." Perhaps his most famous song is "Harmony in My Head," which became a Top 40 hit in the UK in 1979.
Solo Work and Flag of Convenience
After Buzzcocks broke up in 1981, Steve Diggle 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, also played on this EP.
In 1982, Steve formed a new band called Flag of Convenience with ex-Buzzcock John Maher. In 2000, Steve released his solo album Some Reality on his own record label, 3:30 Records. Gary Rostock, a drummer from the band Easterhouse, played on this album. In 2013, Steve also appeared in a British comedy movie called Vinyl, playing himself.
Buzzcocks Reunion and Beyond
In 1989, Steve Diggle reunited with the classic Buzzcocks lineup, including Pete Shelley, John Maher, and Steve Garvey, for a tour in America. Even though John Maher and then Steve Garvey eventually left the band, Steve Diggle and Pete Shelley continued to tour, write, and record as Buzzcocks for the next 29 years. They released six more albums between 1993 and 2014 with different band members.
After Pete Shelley passed away in December 2018, Steve Diggle led both old and new Buzzcocks members at a special concert to honor Pete. This concert took place at London's Royal Albert Hall in June 2019. After the concert, Steve announced that he would continue the band as its main leader and singer.
In 2022, Buzzcocks released their tenth album, Sonics in the Soul. This was the first Buzzcocks album entirely written and sung by Steve Diggle. In May 2024, Steve shared in an interview with Mojo magazine that he is currently writing the eleventh Buzzcocks album. He also finished writing his life story, called Autonomy - Portrait of a Buzzcock, which was published in August 2024.
Music Releases
Solo Albums
- Some Reality (2000)
- Serious Contender (2005)
- Air Conditioning (2010)
- Inner Space Times (2016)
Collections of Songs
- The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 (1994)
- Here's One I Made Earlier – Best of Steve Diggle, Flag of Convenience, F.O.C. and Buzzcocks F.O.C. (1995)
- Wheels of Time (2016) (This is a four-CD box set that includes all four of Steve Diggle's solo albums.)
Singles and EPs
- 50 Years of Comparative Wealth E.P. (7-inch EP) (1981)
- Heated and Rising EP (1993)
See also
In Spanish: Steve Diggle para niños
