Howard Devoto
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Howard Devoto (born Howard Trafford in Manchester, England 1955) is an influential singer/songwriter who began his career as the frontman for the punk band Buzzcocks.
Leaving after only one record, the "Spiral Scratch"EP, he formed the legendary, genre-defying Magazine in 1977. Their unique style was not easily categorized and they were more often than not described rather simplistically as "post-punk" or "new wave". They went on to release several ground-breaking albums, which met with only moderate commercial success, as well as minor hits such as "Shot By Both Sides" and "A Song From Under the Floorboards". After Magazine split in 1981 he spent two years putting together a solo album with former Magazine keyboard player Dave Formula. While most critics believed the thin production and underworked ideas of Jerky Versions of the Dream reflected poorly on his potential, others found the album rewarded repeated listenings. The single Rainy Season was consistently picked as a stand-out track.
A collaboration (three songs) with Bernard Szajner on the Brute Reason LP was released on Island Records in 1983. This was followed by a rendering of Big Star's Holocaust for the loose collective This Mortal Coil. The album It'll End in Tears contained contributions from many of the 4AD label's best artists, Devoto's presence being somewhat atypical.
One of his next project came in 1988 with his collaboration with Liverpool multi-instrumentalist Noko. As Luxuria they released two albums and a video for the single Redneck.
His influence on modern rock can be noted by the number of bands that continue to be influenced by his work. Momus recorded the tribute song The Most Important Man Alive for the Bungalow Records compilation Suite 98 in 1988. Devoto has collaborated with the Chester band Mansun, appearing on their EP Being A Girl (Part One), and writing a song for the band's eariler EP Closed For Business. Both Ministry and Peter Murphy have covered Magazine's The Light Pours Out of Me, though the highly idiosyncratic nature of Devoto's writing and singing have scared off many would-be imitators.
Devoto teamed up for the first time in twenty-five years with Buzzcock Pete Shelley and released the much-anticipated but poorly received album Buzzkunst under the name ShelleyDevoto in 2001.
In 2002, Devoto had a small part in the movie 24 Hour Party People, a film about Manchester's Factory Records. He himself is portrayed in the film by the actor Martin Hancock.
Devoto earns his living by working for a photo archive.
