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Power Pop

Bolton, New Hormones, 1976

Buzzcocks

Buzzcocks formed in Bolton in February 1976 around Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto. After seeing the Sex Pistols, the two brought them to play Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall that June. The debut EP, produced by Martin Hannett, came out on the band's own New Hormones label, which made them one of the first punk groups to run an independent label. Devoto left in March 1977 to form Magazine. Shelley took over as main singer and songwriter, and the band signed to United Artists. Another Music in a Different Kitchen followed in 1978, and the singles compilation Singles Going Steady in 1979. They split in 1981 and reunited in 1989. After Shelley died in Tallinn in 2018, guitarist Steve Diggle took over lead vocals.

London, October 1976

Wire

Wire formed in London in October 1976 with Colin Newman on vocals and guitar, Graham Lewis on bass, Bruce Gilbert on guitar and Robert Grey, then going by Robert Gotobed, on drums. The 1977 debut was minimalist punk with unorthodox structures. Chairs Missing in 1978 had longer, more atmospheric songs, with synthesizer parts added by producer Mike Thorne, and 154 in 1979 went further out still. After disputes with EMI the band split in 1979. They regrouped in 1985 as what they called a beat combo and played none of the old material. Gilbert dropped out in the 2000s, guitarist Matthew Simms came in in 2010, and Wire kept putting out albums into the 2020s.

Minneapolis, Twin/Tone, 1980

The Replacements

The Replacements came together in Minneapolis in 1979: Bob Stinson, his younger brother Tommy on bass and drummer Chris Mars, joined by singer Paul Westerberg. Peter Jesperson, who managed the Oar Folkjokeopus record store, heard their demo in 1980, and Twin/Tone signed them without a written contract. Let It Be, from 1984, got strong reviews. The move to Sire brought Tim in 1985, produced by Tommy Ramone, and Pleased to Meet Me in 1987. Bob Stinson parted ways with the band in 1986 and died in 1995, aged 35, and Slim Dunlap took over lead guitar. The band broke up in 1991, announced a reunion in 2012 and played their final show in Porto in June 2015.

South London, August 1976

The Only Ones

Peter Perrett formed the Only Ones in South London in August 1976 with guitarist John Perry, drummer Mike Kellie (ex-Spooky Tooth) and bassist Alan Mair (ex-Beatstalkers). Their first single, self-released on the Vengeance label, was record of the week in three of the four major music papers, and about a year after forming they signed to CBS. The self-titled debut in 1978 was followed by Even Serpents Shine in 1979 and a third album in 1980 that reached No. 37, their best-selling studio record. They opened for the Who on their 1980 US tour and disbanded in 1982. In 2007 they came back to tour the UK, and Perrett released his debut solo album in 2017.

The Collection