Few bands have shaped the landscape of punk rock like Buzzcocks. Seminal is an understatement: since the late ‘70s, their blend of biting lyricism, sharp melodies, and unrelenting energy has cemented them as icons of the genre. Now fronted by long-time member Steve Diggle, the band continues to push forward, balancing their legendary catalogue with new material that keeps their spirit alive. Ahead of their show at Belfast’s Limelight on Friday, 21st March and Dublin’s Academy on Saturday, 22nd, Steve spoke with Cathal McBride about touring, fronting the band after Pete Shelley’s passing and what’s next for Buzzcocks.
Hi Steve. How’s the touring been going recently?
The touring has been going amazing, especially the new songs.
You’re doing four shows in Ireland this month. Do you have any standout memories of playing in Ireland through the years?
Fond memories of playing Belfast’s Ulster Hall, and the first time we played Dublin, a young U2 opened up for us. I am told I missed it as I was in the pub.
Some of your recent visits here have been to play with The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers. Are those bands you had a lot of history with?
Our history with those Irish bands – I think we influenced them when they started out.
How has it been stepping into the role of full-time frontman these last few years since Pete passed away? Was it daunting singing his songs at first?
Being the frontman—as I’ve always kinda co-fronted it. I started out by singing songs I wrote, like “Fast Cars,” “Promises,” which were mainly mine, and “Harmony in My Head,” “Autonomy,” etc. In fact, I’ve written 80 songs for Buzzcocks and also doing many songs off the last album Sonics in the Soul.
I know fans can be sceptical of bands carrying on with a new singer, but I imagine the fact that you already sang some of the songs over the years made fans more accepting of you stepping into the role, rather than getting some newcomer on board. Not to mention Pete had to do the same as you early on in the band’s history when Howard Devoto left to form Magazine. Did you find these factors made the transition a bit easier?
My book Autonomy has been received really well, it had great reviews. I wrote it with a ghostwriter—also, it was a matter of remembering what happened over the years!
You published your memoir Autonomy: Portrait of a Buzzcock last year. How easy was it to write, and how has the reception to the book been?
Yes, it’s been two years since Sonics in the Soul was released, and that had great reviews. It’s the first Buzzcocks album written wholly by me, and those songs go down well at the shows—we’ve been playing them all over the world.
Buzzcocks also released their first album in almost a decade back in 2022. With such a lengthy career now, is it difficult to try and balance the live setlist between the new material and the classics? I imagine playing more intimate venues gives you a bit more freedom to play whatever you want.
The fans have been complimentary about me singing. I’m not trying to recreate the past, I’m trying to create the future, and a new album and single post-Pete has made it into a new-style band. I always said I don’t just want to do a greatest hits tour, and for the last six years, we’ve been playing new songs in the show.
Lastly, what’s the rest of 2025 looking like for you and the band?
I’ve just finished recording the follow-up album to Sonics in the Soul. Going to be mixing and co-producing it in two weeks, so fans are looking forward to that. Also, we are going to be touring all around the world this year, so it’s all full on! Buzzcocks on fire.
Get tickets for Buzzcocks at the Limelight in Belfast here and the Academy in Dublin here
