Buzzcocks’ Steve Diggle talks 50 years of punk with Dan Reed
Buzzcocks are celebrating 50 years of punk rock with a tour that includes a stop at Philly’s Underground Arts Sunday. Ahead of their show, guitarist and singer Steve Diggle chatted with Dan Reed about the band’s legacy, performing live five decades on, the diverse crowds they get, and more. Listen here.
U.K. punk legends Buzzcocks have been in the rock and roll game for 50 years and led the charge of bringing punk music to the masses. The band is out on tour to celebrate their milestone fifth decade, and as part of that tour, they’re plating Underground Arts Sunday night with post-punk new wave act Mind’s Eye.
Steve Diggle, who originally served as Buzzcocks’ bassist and backing vocalist before taking over on guitar and lead vocals, chatted with WXPN Music Director and host Dan Reed ahead of their weekend gig.
”It’s still sort of exciting, really, when you meet people and play to people,” Diggle told Reed of keeping the band alive by touring. “‘Cause it’s great making a record, but when you translate that to an audience, the band and the audience make it something else.”
Despite the band’s mid ’70s origin, Diggle said Buzzcocks shows see a wide range of ages among its crowds.
“It’s great that there’s a whole mix [of ages] there as well, you know? It’s not like just for people from the past or something, which is always great to see them, ’cause they’ve been on the journey with us all the way,” he said. “And then there’s a lot of young kids that have picked up on the group via somewhere, either by their folks or some other band mentioned us or something like that.”
On top of Buzzcocks’ show, Sex Pistols are performing Friday night at The Fillmore and Public Image Ltd. is playing Oct. 2 at Union Transfer. When Reed asked Diggle what he thought of the three punk acts all playing the same city within a week, Diggle said a younger version of himself would never have believed it.
”I can say that is amazing,” he said. “It’s kind of a testament to the music and the band, really. I mean, when we first started out doing the early songs, you kind of made them for the moment. You didn’t know what they’d be like in a few years down the line. And, in the Buzzcocks’ and the Sex Pistols’ case their songs still sound as fresh as ever, you know?”
Listen to Diggle’s interview with Reed in full using the player above.
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