Tributes to the punk rock icon Pete Shelley have been paid by fellow band members and artists such as Peter Hook, of Joy Division and New Order, Green Day, Duran Duran, Mike Mills, Edgar Wright and more, as well as by the Buzzcocks fans.
It's with great sadness that we confirm the death of Pete Shelley, one of the UK's most influential and prolific songwriters and co-founder of the seminal original punk band Buzzcocks.
— Buzzcocks (@Buzzcocks) December 6, 2018
This compilation of Buzzcocks singles is one of my favourite albums. It's 48 minutes of pure punk bliss. You couldn't ask for a finer run of 45's. Please give it a spin right now and remember the huge talent in music that was singer and writer Pete Shelley. He will be missed. pic.twitter.com/nxkyxxJZ9s
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) December 7, 2018
The lead singer and guitarist of English punk rock band Buzzcocks, Peter Cambell McNeish, known as Pete Shelley, died on Thursday from a suspected heart attack, at age 63. The artist died in Tallinn, Estonia, where he lived since 2012.
Pete Shelley – a true gent!
He helped us so much at the start of our career out of a sheer love for all things punk. Without Pete & the Buzzcocks I would probably still be working at the Docks. RIP mate. X
— Peter Hook (@peterhook) December 6, 2018
An amazing band we’ve worked with from the beginning, Pete Shelley will be missed massively. Numerous incredible shows over the years but this one sticks out. RIP. pic.twitter.com/NRqhudJnw0
— Regular Music (@regularmusicuk) December 7, 2018
Just heard about Pete Shelley. A great man. He tried to write pure punk, he really did, but out came perfect pop. Recall dim punks saying Buzzcocks were 'too good sounding' which was meant to be a bad thing. They were so, so good. A brilliant talent, a brilliant noise. Forever.
— Danny Baker (@prodnose) December 7, 2018
Buzzcocks are best known for their hit Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve), that was released in 1978. The band formed in 1970.
As a bisexual Pete Shelley was an inspiration for the whole LGBT community when punk started. And that lays in his words: “Love songs could be used for any occasion, to work on more levels, I took great pains not to be gender-specific.”
One of the many reasons Pete Shelley was so important when punk started pic.twitter.com/NtdytQoWZW
— josh (@J_JCoates) December 7, 2018
RIP Homosapien Pete Shelley – one of the loveliest spirits to emerge from the UK punk era. A true original with a wicked way with words and a big, big heart. pic.twitter.com/fsndGQPKXW
— Tom Robinson (@freshnet) December 6, 2018
Quoted in the the old interview with The Guardian, Pete Shelley said: “If you bothered about whether people like you or not then you never do anything. You’d be too self-conscious. But we just say, right, this is what I do. Deal with it.” The interview appears in a video obituary by The Guardian.
I’m the shy boy, you’re the coy boy
And you know we’re Homosapien too
I’m the cruiser, you’re the loser
Me and you sir, Homosapien tooHomosuperior in my interior
But from the skin out
I’m Homosapien too
And you’re Homosapien tooAnd I’m Homosapien like you
And we’re Homosapien too– words from Pete Shelley’s first solo single Homosapien (1981)
Words: Ugne Maladauskaite | Subbing: Jake Woods