BUZZCOCKS – SPIRAL SCRATCH EP 12″ – Nr MINT/EXC+ UK  PUNK

Buzzcocks – Spiral Scratch
(Document Records  1991  DV1T)
Matrix No’s: A1/B1- UK Pressing
Limited Edition No: 3305

Vinyl in Nr MINT/Excellent+ condition
(there are some surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality apart from some light pops/crackles)

Sleeve in Nr MINT/Excellent+ condition
– sticker discolouration mark in top right corner

Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band that singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelleyand singer-songwriter Howard Devoto formed in Manchester in 1976. During their career, the band combined elements of punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They achieved commercial success with singles that fuse pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy; these singles were later collected on Singles Going Steady, an acclaimed compilation album music journalist and critic Ned Raggett described as a “punk masterpiece”.

Devoto left the band in 1977 and formed Magazine, after which Pete Shelley became the principal singer-songwriter. The classic lineup of Shelley, Steve Diggle (guitar), Steve Garvey (bass) and John Maher (drums) recorded Buzzcocks’ first three albums, after which the band broke up in 1981 following a dispute with their record label. The band reunited in 1989 and released six more albums before Shelley’s death in 2018. Prolific members during that time included Tony Barber (bass) and Phil Barker (drums). The band has remained active, being anchored by long-time guitarist Diggle, who has since also assumed lead vocal duties. As of 2019, the band consists of Diggle, Danny Farrant (drums), Chris Remington (bass) and touring member Mani Perazzoli (guitar, backing vocals). This line-up released the band’s tenth album, Sonics in the Soul in 2022.

Spiral Scratch is an EP and the first release by the English punk rock band Buzzcocks. It was released on 29 January 1977. It is one of the earliest releases by a British punk band (preceded by The Damned’s “New Rose” in October 1976, and both Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy in the U.K.” and the first two singles by The Vibrators in November 1976). Spiral Scratch and the album Time’s Up are the only Buzzcocks studio releases with original singer Howard Devoto, who left shortly after the EP’s release to form one of the first post-punk bands, Magazine.

All songs written by Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley.

Side one

1. “Breakdown” – 1:58
2. “Time’s Up” – 3:07

Side two

1. “Boredom” – 2:51
2. “Friends of Mine” – 2:15

Buzzcocks

• Howard Devoto – vocals
• Pete Shelley – guitar, backing vocals
• Steve Diggle – bass guitar
• John Maher – drums

Technical

• Martin Hannett – production
• Phil Hampson – engineering