Steve Diggle

Steve Diggle
Diggle with Buzzcocks at the Cropredy Festival
Background information
Birth name	Stephen E Diggle
Born	(1955-05-07) 7 May 1955 Manchester, Lancashire, England
Genres	Punk rock, post-punk, new wave
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
Years active	1976–present
Labels	EMI
Associated acts	Buzzcocks, Flag of Convenience
Website	www.stevediggle.co.uk
Notable instruments
1959 Gibson Les Paul Junior[1] 1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Fender Telecaster Custom

Stephen E Diggle (born 7 May^[2] 1955^[3][4] in Manchester) is an English guitarist and vocalist in the punk band Buzzcocks.

Biography

Early years

He was born in Manchester,^[5] and grew up in the Bradford^[5] and Rusholme areas of the city, where he was a mod.^[6] After attending Oldham College,^[7] he got a job, but was dismissed for organising a strike.^[8]

Buzzcocks

He attended the Sex Pistols gig at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall, in June 1976. Their manager Malcolm McLaren introduced him to guitarist Pete Shelley and vocalist Howard Devoto, who were looking for a bassist for their band, Buzzcocks.^[9] John Maher joined as drummer and six weeks later, Buzzcocks played their first concert. Steve played bass at several concerts and on the Spiral Scratch EP. Howard Devoto left Buzzcocks shortly after the EP was released, which prompted the band to reshuffle – Pete Shelley becoming lead vocalist as well as guitarist and Diggle switching from bass to guitar.

Steve Diggle wrote several songs for Buzzcocks, including "Autonomy", "Fast Cars" (co-written with Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley), "Love Is Lies" (perhaps the first Buzzcocks song featuring an acoustic guitar), "Sitting Round At Home", "You Know You Can't Help It", "Mad Mad Judy", and, perhaps his most famous song, "Harmony in My Head", a Top 40 hit in 1979.

Early solo career and Flag of Convenience

After Buzzcocks split in 1981, Diggle dedicated to a brief solo era, releasing 50 Years of Comparative Wealth EP (with the guest participations of fellow-Buzzcocks Steve Garvey and John Maher) the same year, and, in 1982, formed a new band, Flag of Convenience, initially with ex-Buzzcock John Maher. Ex-Easterhouse drummer Gary Rostock played on Diggle's 2000 release Some Reality.^[10] In 2013, Diggle also appeared in the British punk-pop comedy Vinyl, playing himself.

Discography

Singles

• 50 Years of Comparative Wealth E.P. (7" EP) (Liberty, 1981)
• Heated and Rising EP (3:30 Records, September 1991)^[11]

Compilations

• The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 (Anagram, 2000)

Serious Contender

Released in the UK in 2005 on the EMI UK label.

Track listing

1. "Serious Contender"
2. "Lie in Bed"
3. "Hard Highway"
4. "Wallpaper World"
5. "See Through You"
6. "Starbucks Around the World"
7. "Across the Sun"
8. "Round and Round"
9. "Terminal"
10. "If I Never Get to Heaven"
11. "Jetfighter"
12. "Shake the System"
13. "Early Grave"

Some Reality

Released in the UK in 2000.

Track listing

1. "Just Because"
2. "Playing with Fire"
3. "Where You're From"
4. "Time of Your life"
5. "Blowing Hot"
6. "Three Sheets to the Wind"
7. "What Else Can You Do"
8. "Something in Your Mind"
9. "Heavy Hammer"
10. "All Around Your Face"
11. "Turning Point"

References

External links

• Steve Diggle's "Harmony In My Head"
• An Interview with Steve Diggle (UK)
• Vinyl movie