Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 251 - Buzzcocks (3)

The Way - Buzzcocks

 1-2-3-4 Records

Produced by David M. Allen and Buzzcocks

Released May 2014

Tracklist

1 Keep On Believing (Pete Shelly)
2 People Are Strange Machines (Steve Diggle)
3 The Way (Pete Shelly)   
4 In The Back  (Steve Diggle)  
5 Virtually Real (Pete Shelly)   
6 Third Dimension (Steve Diggle)   
7 Out Of The Blue (Pete Shelly)   
8 Chasing Rainbows / Modern Times (Steve Diggle)   
9 It's Not You (Pete Shelly and Danny Farrant)   
10 Saving Yourself  (Steve Diggle)

Included on the Pledger's Only Version 
11 Disappointment [Bonus Outtake] (Pete Shelly)
12 Generation Suicide [Bonus Outtake] (Steve Diggle)
13 Happen [Bonus Outtake] (Pete Shelly)  
14 Dream On Baby [Bonus Outtake] (Steve Diggle)

 Personnel
    Pete Shelley – guitar, vocals
    Steve Diggle – guitar, vocals
    Chris Remmington – bass
    Danny Farrant – drums

Singles on The Way

It's Not You / Generation Suicide

1-2-3-4 Records

2014

Limited Edition of 1,000 Copies on Vinyl (less than 450 Copies Signed by the band).

The Way / Generation Suicide

Limited Edition 1200 Copies

300 on White Viynl

900 on Clear Blue Vinyl

Record Store Day 2015

 In The Back / Disappointment

1-2-3-4 Records

Limited Edition (500 Copies)

Rough Trade Exclusive

August 2015

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Back in 1999 on this very day Buzzcocks released their third album since reuniting in 1989. Modern was the album and I have to say I was not overly fond of it myself. Maybe I should try and give it another shot after all these years and see if a spark captures!

So instead of spotlighting the Modern album I decided that seeing that this year Buzzcocks are celebrating 40 years since their formation and are about to undertake a tour next month to celebrate I thought I'd shine the spotlight upon their most recent album The Way that was released in 2014.

Firstly I need to give my self a good Leroy Jethro Gibbs slap on the back of the head for failing to actually do a piece on it when it came out, I seem to have mentioned it in another Buzzcocks post but that's about it.

The album of course was made via the whole Pledge Campaign and it did seem to drum up a lot of support and when you consider the amount of people seeking help to record new albums etc it's great to see that there is still a lot of love for the songs of Pete Shelly and Steve Diggle.

Songs are divided equally between the two with drummer Danny Farrant co-writing It's Not You with Pete Shelly the only exception. I wouldn't dare for a moment to suggest who has written the better song because Shelly and Diggle seem to come from different angles but still manage to bring forth a song that has that distinctive Buzzcocks sound.

The standout tracks for me are Keep on Believing and Chasing Rainbows/Modern Times. Normally an album like this would have been high on the list of contenders for Album of the Year but there was a lot of competition in 2014 from the likes of Bob Mould, Roddy Frame, The Empty Hearts, The Boys, Wilco Johnson & Roger Daltrey, Stiff Little Fingers etc. Chasing Rainbows/Modern Times did squeak into my Top 20 Songs for 2014 at a respectable #7.