Buzzcocks Frontman Pete Shelly Dead At 63

12-07-2018

Buzzcocks frontman and cofounder Pete Shelley has died at the age of 63. According to a report from the BBC, the punk pioneer was suspected of having a heart attack.

The band broke the sad news to fans with the following, "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.

"Pete's music has inspired generations of musicians over a career that spanned five decades and with his band and as a solo artist, he was held in the highest regard by the music industry and by his fans around the world.

New Order's Bernard Sumner paid tribute with "I was deeply sorry to hear about Pete passing away, I always thought he was a great songwriter and the Buzzcocks both helped and inspired us in the early days of Joy Division. The first punk record I ever bought was 'Spiral Scratch' Boredom was the track on it that summed up how every bummed out adolescent felt in early 1977.

"Another song 'You Say You Don't Love Me' was another - perhaps lesser known but it was a favourite of mine with a deeply touching melody and then in 1981 he came out with the catchy as hell perfect pop song 'Homosapien' - By coincidence we played it in our dressing room just before we went onstage at our last gig in Curitiba, Brazil.

"A sad day but a brilliant and unforgettable life."