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I Buzzcocks rappresentano indubbiamente una delle band più tecniche e maggior dotate di tutta la scena musicale punk inglese dei seventies.
Da un punto di vista dell’immagine, tuttavia, ancorchè nell’atteggiamento rispecchiavano fedelmente i canoni e clichè del movimento (erano compagni di bevute e scazzottate dei Pistols di Rotten e Vicious, ed in molte occasioni aprivano i loro concerti), costituivano un gruppo sui generis, per via soprattutto del look di chiara ispirazione sessantiana, quindi molto normale e in controtendenza rispetto alle mode del periodo, e del suono intriso di melodia pop anch’esso di derivazione dalla decade precedente.
I loro testi, inoltre, si discostavano del tutto dalle tematiche politiche e sociali che caratterizzavano i vari Pistols, Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, per affrontare argomenti abbastanza inusuali per il genere come la droga, il sesso e l’inquietudine giovanile.
Ma, più di tutti, i Buzzcocks sapevano suonare.
Non aspettatevi, ovviamente, perfezionismi d’alta scuola e innumerevoli cambi di tempo, non sono queste caratteristiche proprie del punk, ma composizioni che, nella loro semplicità, risultavano essere tecnicamente perfette. Merito questo soprattutto della bravura del chitarrista e cantante Pete Shelley, dalla voce melodica e mai urlata, e del bassista Steve Diggle.
Ho conosciuto i Buzzcocks grazie a “Ever Fallen i Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)” (spudoratamente copiata dai Green Day di “When I Comes Around”), canzone punkrock dal ritmo serrato e convolgente. L’album che la contiene, “Love Bites”, datato 1978, è sicuramente un’opera punk–pop degna di valore.
L’opener “Real World” è in pieno Buzzcocks style, esempio di punkrock song dalle venature melodiche pop, in cui brilla la prestazione di Diggle al basso e l’assolo centrale di chitarra alla Buddy Holly .
Si preme maggiormente sull’acceleratore con “Operator’s Manual”, con la sezione ritmica sprizzante di energia ammorbidita dalla voce calma ma decisa di Shelley. In “Nostalgia” è, invece, proprio la prestazione canora di Pete a mutare, più rabbiosa e corposa, che accompagna i rigurgiti punkrock di sottofondo.
Prevedibile ed abbastanza monocorde la successiva “Just Lust”, a mio avviso, unico vero punto debole dell’album. Molto bella e danzereccia, al contrario, “Sixteen Again” che, con la ballata “Love is Lies”, contraddistinta da un suono fresco e positivo, rappresentano, a mio parere, i punti di forza di “Love Bites”.
Da menzionare, infine, sono la trascinante cavalcata rock di “Nothing Left” e la strumentale “Walking Distance”, in cui la band ci dimostra di saperci fare con gli strumenti in mano.
Se intendete riscoprire o conoscere la storia del punk inglese della seconda metà degli anni 70, i Buzzcocks non possono assolutamente mancare nella vostra ricerca, di cui questo “Love Bites” è considerato uno degli episodi migliori.
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01 Real World (03:35)
I'm in love with the real world
It's mutual or so it seems
'Cos only in the real world
Do things happen like they do in my dreams
Some of the rules may be different
But maybe they'll stay the same
In the real world
In the real world
In the real world
We both win when we play the same game
I'm in love with somebody
I wish somebody loved me too
You may wonder how this concerns you
Well perhaps the somebody is you
I don't even know what your name is
But I just hope that you'll stay
In the real world
In the real world
In the real world
Things happen this way
I'm in love with somebody
I wish somebody loved me too
You may wonder how this concerns you
Well perhaps the somebody is you
I don't even know what your name is
But I just hope that you'll stay
In the real world
In the real world
In the real world
We both win when we play the same game
In the real world
In a real world
In a real world
By the way what's your name
02 Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've) (02:45)
You spurn my natural emotions
You make me feel like dirt
And I'm hurt
And if I start a commotion
I run the risk of losing you
And that's worse
Ever fallen in love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
You shouldn't've fallen in love with
I can't see much of a future
Unless we find out what's to blame
What a shame
And we won't be together much longer
Unless we realize that we are the same
Ever fallen in love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
You shouldn't've fallen in love with
You disturb my natural emotions
You make me feel like dirt
And I'm hurt
And if I start a commotion
I'll only end up losing you
And that's worse
Ever fallen in love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
You shouldn't've fallen in love with
Ever fallen in love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone
You shouldn't've fallen in love with
Fallen in love with
Ever fallen in love with someone
You shouldn't've fallen in love with
03 Operators Manual (03:36)
Operator's manual
Tells me what to do
When emotions blow a fuse
Indicating blue
Operator's manual
Tells me what to find
And how to make adjustments when
You tamper with my mind
Oh operator's manual
I'd just fall apart without you
If only I had a mechanic
Then somehow I know I'd pull through
Operator's manual
On page sixty-three
Tells me what to do when you
Do these things to me
Oh operator's manual
I'd just fall apart without you
If only I had a mechanic
Then somehow I know I'd pull through
Operator's manual
Tells me what to do
When emotions blow a fuse
And I'm feeling blue
Operator's manual
On page sixty-three
Tells me what to do when you
Do these things to me
Oh operator's manual
I'd just fall apart without you
If only I had a mechanic
Then somehow I know I'd pull through
04 Nostalgia (02:57)
I bet that you love me like I love you
But I should know that gambling just don't pay
So I look up to the sky
And I wonder what it'll be like in days gone by
As I sit and bathe in the wave of nostalgia for an age yet to come
I always used to dream of the past
But like they say yesterday never comes
Sometimes there's a song in my brain
And I feel that my heart knows the refrain
I guess it's just the music that brings on nostalgia for an age yet to come
Ah nostalgia for an age yet to come
Nostalgia for an age yet to come
About the future I only can reminisce
For what I've had is what I'll never get
And although this may sound strange
My future and my past are presently disarranged
And I'm surfing on a wave of nostalgia for an age yet to come
I look I only see what I don't know
All that was strong invincible is slain
Takes more than sunshine to make everything fine
And I feel like I'm trapped in the middle of time
With this constant feeling of nostalgia for an age yet to come
Ah nostalgia for an age yet to come
About the future I only can reminisce
For what I've had is what I'll never get
And although this may sound strange
My future and my past are presently disarranged
And I'm surfing on a wave of nostalgia for an age yet to come
I look I only see what I don't know
All that was strong invincible is slain
Takes more than sunshine to make everything fine
And I feel like I'm caught in the middle of time
And this constant feeling of nostalgia for an age yet to come
Ah nostalgia for an age yet to come
Nostalgia for an age yet to come
Nostalgia for an age yet to come
05 Just Lust (03:04)
Just Lust (Shelley/Dial - from "AMIADK")
There's bed in your eyes
But there's nothing there to trust
Just lust, just lust
You're telling me lies
When you say that it's a must
Just lust, just lust
You shattered all my dreams
And my head's about to bust
Is it all real - that's how it seems
But it all comes down to dust
Your hands feel a need
I don't know if it's too much
Just lust, just lust
It seems it's only greed
To taste all that you touch
Just lust, just lust
You shattered all my dreams
And my head's about to bust
Is it all real - that's how it seems
But it all comes down to dust
You're driven to possess
It hurts it's so unjust
Just lust, just lust
If nothing matters less
Then I wouldn't make a fuss
Just lust, just lust
I was slow to catch on
And that just makes it worse
If passion is a fashion
Then emotion is a curse
[Solo]
I was slow to catch on
And that just makes it worse
If passion is a fashion
Then emotion is a curse
You're driven to possess
It hurts it's so unjust
Just lust, just lust
If nothing mattered less
Then I wouldn't make a fuss
Just lust, just lust
It's my imagination
To see things as I choose
Love has a reputation
That it can only lose
06 Sixteen Again (03:20)
Feeling like I'm almost sixteen again
Layin' 'round doing nothing like all my friends
Play it cool don't get angry count up to ten
Just like I was sixteen again
Everybody gets the lowdown right from the start
Everybody gets the showdown right from the heart
But that's all that's on the menu and life's a la carte
I don't know
Things in life are not played for keeps
If it makes you happy it'll make you weep
And if you want some more practical advice
If you can't think once then don't think twice
Cos things won't seem so nice
You'll wish you were sixteen again
Oh no
Feeling rather strange when you're sixteen again
Things don't seem the same the past is so plain
This future is our future this time's not a game
This time you're sixteen again
Always on your own when there's nobody else
Asking myself would I be someone else
But after all life's only death's recompense
I don't know
Things in life are not played for keeps
If it makes you happy it'll make you weep
And if you want some more practical advice
If you can't think once then don't think twice
Cos things won't seem so nice
You'll wish you were sixteen again
Oh no
[SOLO]
Look at me here I am for your eyes
Mirrored proof of what you recognize
I know I never will feel quite like you
And I know you won't treat me right till I do
But at least we'll know it's true
That we're sixteen again
Oh no
Feeling rather strange when you're sixteen again
Things don't seem the same the past is so plain
This future is our future this time's not a game
This time you're sixteen again
Always on your own when there's nobody else
Asking myself would I be someone else
But after all life's only death's recompense
I don't know
Look at me here I am for your eyes
Mirrored proof of love's suicide
I know I never will feel quite like you
And I know you won't treat me right till I do
But at least we'll know it's true
That we're sixteen again
Oh no
Sixteen again
Sixteen again
09 Nothing Left (04:30)
I'm on my own now
You've gone and left me
I bet you don't know
How you've upset me
'Cos I've nothing left at all
At all at all at all at all at all at all at all
I've nothing left at all
Did you love me
I'd like to think so
But I was blameless
So why did you go
'Cos I've nothing left at all
At all at all at all at all at all at all at all
I've nothing left at all
I've lost a lover
And I am certain
I'll get another
So why'm I hurtin'
'Cos I've nothing left at all
At all at all at all at all at all at all at all
I've nothing left at all
'Cos I've nothing left at all
At all at all at all at all at all at all at all
I've nothing left at all
10 E.S.P. (04:50)
Do you believe in ESP
I do and I'm try'n'a get through to you
If you're picking up off me
Then you know just what to do
Think
Brainwaves transmitted from my mind
Of a magnetic kind
I don't know what to do
If I can't get through to you
So think
Do you believe in ESP
I've been try'n'a get through to you
If you've been picking up off me
Then you'll know just what to do
Don't you
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