Buzzcocks – Another Music in a Different Kitchen/Love Bites/A Different Kind of Tension

The Timeless Act of Rebellion

Flashback to when it all began, when the establishment was worth fighting and when a Mohawk was a sign of rebellion, not conformity. From defiance-filled guitar rifts to angry drum solos, it’s easy to see why many critics hail the Buzzcocks as the Godfathers of punk. Their breakout album Another Music in a Different Kitchen (newly remastered along with its two follow-ups) is truly a diamond amongst coals. With what is arguably their biggest hit, “Orgasm Addict”, the Buzzcocks set their place in music history. Somewhat of a shocker for the time it was originally recorded,  it has a dirty feel to it, a kind of taboo lust.  Filth isn’t always a bad thing, and the Buzzcocks truly prove that in the song “Autonomy,” giving  us a unique play with words.

Their second studio album, Love Bites, is another diamond in the rough. With songs like” Real World”, “Just Lust,” and “Nothing Left,” we are given fast paced, non-vocal intros that get us amped up before making us beg for some sort of musical climax. This album has what is needed in punk music today. Listeners get that forbidden desire with “Just Lust,” a song about exactly what the title states. This song strays from over-done lovey-dovey mush and brings the truth to light about lust.

A Different Kind of Tension is just that, a different feel to what was hardcore punk. This album could be the beginning of the pop-punk movement, and what’s wrong with that? Shoulder bags and “I <3 Punk” buttons are only a short step away from “I Don’t Know What to do With My Life.” This song has a very poppy feel to it, and the drums are laboriously punk. The redundancy is only overshadowed by the guitar solos. However, “Hollow Inside” shows us a slower, more Emo take on their music. A lot slower than their previous tracks, this song gives you a moment’s rest before jumping back into the pit.  

Listening to the Buzzcocks’ first three albums, one can see why they are one of the most influential bands to the punk/pop-punk scene. Their insubordinate nature gives them more appeal to those seeking to be different, and an escape from conformists everywhere. Timeless, unique and powerful, the Buzzcocks are sure to rot the minds of the pure, and pirate the airwaves for years to come.