As a Buzzcocks fan, I was excited that Shelley was doing his tuneful, clever thing in a different musical context. As far as queer content, at the time, I saw it as a smart rebuke to those who would have a knee jerk reaction to any word starting with “homo,” among other things. Do your other question, it’s hard to pick a favorite Buzzcocks song, but the perfection of You Say You Don’t Love Me is tough to beat!
For some strange reason my initial reaction didn’t get logged, probably a BBC ban 😁.
I didn’t actually know the Buzzcocks’ repertoire that well before I started writing this piece, but I’ve been listening more closely since, and they really do have some great songs. The one you mentioned is definitely among them.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to react, Jeremy. Happy Sunday!
I truly only knew of The Buzzcocks in a punk context before listening to this! I hadn’t even heard of “Homosapien.” I don’t quite believe Shelley when he says the innuendo wasn’t intentional. It’s so overt! Great research and storytelling as always, Pé.
I do believe him, Max, but at the same time songwriting is often a product of the situation you’re in when you write. One aspect I left out of the story, simply because it was already getting too long, is that he actually wrote Homosapien years earlier. So the fact that it feels more in-your-face than, for example, Ever Fallen in Love (which he wrote later) might also reflect where he was in life at the time.
It could well be that he felt society’s limits more strongly then, before becoming part of the more “open” Manchester punk scene. His parents didn’t give him any trouble, but he was still living in the industrial heartland of the UK, and I can imagine life was much harder for many of his peers.
Anyway, thanks for reading, listening, and reacting. Have a great weekend!
I got into Pete Shelley through XL1 which I loved but sadly now lost. I still listen to it on a certain streamer and the beautiful "Twilight" is one of the few tracks to bring tears to this cynic's eyes.
I have my original issue of Homosapien, funnily enough on 12". But no working turntable 😢.
I did see Pete once in concert. A rather depressing and tiny venue near Camden tube station which only served to show how low this once influential artist had fallen in the public's esteem.
XL1 is in my top ten favorite albums of all time. I played that record endlessly back then, and I still do. I often think of 1983 as one of my favorite years in music, and XL1 is definitely part of the reason why.
Researching and writing this article made me revisit Pete’s lyrics, and it reminded me what a fantastic writer he was. When you really dig into them, you can see how deeply he later inspired Morrissey. His importance to the music scene of that period can’t really be overstated.
In a way, it’s a bit sad that he didn’t receive more recognition. But as I mentioned in the piece, it didn’t seem to bother him too much. In the end, what really counts is the place an artist holds in the memories of fans like you and me.
Thanks for reading and for sharing your thoughts. Wishing you a great rest of the week!
Back when a lot of left field stuff would make it onto the Canadian charts. The video used to get some play still on MuchMoreMusic back in the early 2000s.
That’s something I found really fascinating too, ME. I already knew that in Australia (and New Zealand) releases like these had an easier path into the charts, but Canada wasn’t so clear to me. Thanks so much for reading and reacting, really appreciate it!
Wonderful two-parter, Pe. I’d never made the connection between Homosapien and Dare before - even though I first heard them both about the same time - but it all makes so much sense now! I do think the Human League were a better vehicle for bringing that new electronic pop sound to the masses, if only because they had a look and image that was intriguing and unusual at the time (at least here in the US) and seemed of a piece with the music, whereas Pete just kind of looked like a normal bloke.
Yep, Phil Oakey may have had an asymmetric haircut and nail polish, but it was still far more “mainstream” than Pete Shelley’s Homosapien. 😁Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan!
One of your most heartfelt posts, I can tell. Never encountered a piece before that compared the fortunes of The Human League with Shelley and it made for thought-provoking reading. Good to see those great lyrics in print as well.
You mentioned the importance of the UK market to release plans in European territories. When Homosapien was being made, the British market had practically been reduced to a proving ground for new acts. I believe it was EMI who wouldn't touch a British act at the time unless they considered it had international appeal, as the UK was considered a write off.
It wasn't all doom and gloom. Singles sales were at record levels at the end of the seventies and with hit making formulas in crisis after the commercial failure of punk, there was plenty of room for experimentation, including Rushent's work with Pete Shelley. Not for the first time, economic pressure led to some memorable groundbreaking pop, even if it didn't always light up the charts.
It’s definitely a piece that stayed with me a bit longer than usual 😁, partly because it turned out to be very enlightening for me as well, Paul. I knew there was a connection between Homosapien and Dare, but I hadn’t realised just how deep it actually went.
I can completely follow your reasoning about the UK market and its international potential. When I was working at Universal in the late nineties, the UK, together with the US, was the main source of priority releases. A lot of what came out of the UK labels was already prepared for export, and because Belgium is such a complex and fragmented market, it was often used as a testing ground. My frontline colleagues usually had the job of trying those releases first.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to react, Paul. Happy Sunday!
"Homosapien" was an early-days-of-MTV favorite of mine Thanks for the informative and entertaining deep dive into the song. All the context was lost on me at the time.
Thanks for this great history of Pete Shelley. I really only knew Homosapien, which I'm glad you turned me on to again! I've heard of Buzzcocks but they were definitely outside of my radar in the late 1970s. I didn't know he was a part of the band. I need to check out more of their music. I'm also looking forward to diving into your 1981 mix! I'm always looking for rare gems from that period which somehow passed me by.
Where did you first come across the song, Dan? Was it while going out, or on the radio? It reached nº14 on the Billboard Dance chart, which isn’t bad, but not exactly huge either, so I imagine it must have had more limited club play or perhaps some college radio exposure.
This was so informative on a cultural, commercial, musical, even sociological level. So short-sighted on the BBC's part to ban the song. I can totally see why and how this track must have ruffled some feathers, but the ban was unfair and unjustified Thank you for shedding light on this gem, this fascinating artist, and his clever songwriting.
Pe, I really enjoyed this two part exploration of Pete Shelley. I was a huge fan of The Buzzcocks, and punk rock in general. Mostly the stuff that had a strong melodic sense. A lot of the punk rockers moved over to new wave fairly seamlessly. At least the ones I knew. So adjusting to Shelley’s switch to synth-pop was not difficult. I also remember “Homosapien” being played on MTV. I think the contrast in terms of popularity, from the Buzzcocks to his solo work, was more drastic in England than in the states.
But I also was not aware of the backlash to this song. So seeing it all in a new context, has me listening to the music with fresh ears. Or if not, fresh, wider ears.
Really enjoyed the second part of this piece Pe! The ban is such an indictment on the era and the time. I look at censorship, both then and now, and wonder: what are you so afraid of? It’s crazy to me.
Surely the ban and Island’s reticence to move forward quickly had their impact but I definitely think the shift from the punk of The Buzzcocks to Shelley’s solo synth pop work was always going to be a tough transition. But he seemed quite sanguine about it and it’s great that he continued to release albums both solo and with his former band. Very sad that he died so young.
You touch on an important and very interesting question, Mark, why the censorship? I don’t know British society of that period well enough yet, but I’m sure I’ll come across more clues as my research goes deeper. It’s definitely worth exploring further. And I agree with you: the move from Buzzcocks punk to solo synth-pop was probably a bigger hurdle to overcome than the BBC ban itself. The way he responded at the time, and how he later reflected on it, is a big reason why my respect, already considerable, only grew. Thanks for reading and reacting, Mark. Wishing you a fantastic week!
As a Buzzcocks fan, I was excited that Shelley was doing his tuneful, clever thing in a different musical context. As far as queer content, at the time, I saw it as a smart rebuke to those who would have a knee jerk reaction to any word starting with “homo,” among other things. Do your other question, it’s hard to pick a favorite Buzzcocks song, but the perfection of You Say You Don’t Love Me is tough to beat!
For some strange reason my initial reaction didn’t get logged, probably a BBC ban 😁.
I didn’t actually know the Buzzcocks’ repertoire that well before I started writing this piece, but I’ve been listening more closely since, and they really do have some great songs. The one you mentioned is definitely among them.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to react, Jeremy. Happy Sunday!
I truly only knew of The Buzzcocks in a punk context before listening to this! I hadn’t even heard of “Homosapien.” I don’t quite believe Shelley when he says the innuendo wasn’t intentional. It’s so overt! Great research and storytelling as always, Pé.
I do believe him, Max, but at the same time songwriting is often a product of the situation you’re in when you write. One aspect I left out of the story, simply because it was already getting too long, is that he actually wrote Homosapien years earlier. So the fact that it feels more in-your-face than, for example, Ever Fallen in Love (which he wrote later) might also reflect where he was in life at the time.
It could well be that he felt society’s limits more strongly then, before becoming part of the more “open” Manchester punk scene. His parents didn’t give him any trouble, but he was still living in the industrial heartland of the UK, and I can imagine life was much harder for many of his peers.
Anyway, thanks for reading, listening, and reacting. Have a great weekend!
I got into Pete Shelley through XL1 which I loved but sadly now lost. I still listen to it on a certain streamer and the beautiful "Twilight" is one of the few tracks to bring tears to this cynic's eyes.
I have my original issue of Homosapien, funnily enough on 12". But no working turntable 😢.
I did see Pete once in concert. A rather depressing and tiny venue near Camden tube station which only served to show how low this once influential artist had fallen in the public's esteem.
XL1 is in my top ten favorite albums of all time. I played that record endlessly back then, and I still do. I often think of 1983 as one of my favorite years in music, and XL1 is definitely part of the reason why.
Researching and writing this article made me revisit Pete’s lyrics, and it reminded me what a fantastic writer he was. When you really dig into them, you can see how deeply he later inspired Morrissey. His importance to the music scene of that period can’t really be overstated.
In a way, it’s a bit sad that he didn’t receive more recognition. But as I mentioned in the piece, it didn’t seem to bother him too much. In the end, what really counts is the place an artist holds in the memories of fans like you and me.
Thanks for reading and for sharing your thoughts. Wishing you a great rest of the week!
Back when a lot of left field stuff would make it onto the Canadian charts. The video used to get some play still on MuchMoreMusic back in the early 2000s.
Great article BTW! Enjoyed both parts.
That’s something I found really fascinating too, ME. I already knew that in Australia (and New Zealand) releases like these had an easier path into the charts, but Canada wasn’t so clear to me. Thanks so much for reading and reacting, really appreciate it!
Wonderful two-parter, Pe. I’d never made the connection between Homosapien and Dare before - even though I first heard them both about the same time - but it all makes so much sense now! I do think the Human League were a better vehicle for bringing that new electronic pop sound to the masses, if only because they had a look and image that was intriguing and unusual at the time (at least here in the US) and seemed of a piece with the music, whereas Pete just kind of looked like a normal bloke.
Yep, Phil Oakey may have had an asymmetric haircut and nail polish, but it was still far more “mainstream” than Pete Shelley’s Homosapien. 😁Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan!
One of your most heartfelt posts, I can tell. Never encountered a piece before that compared the fortunes of The Human League with Shelley and it made for thought-provoking reading. Good to see those great lyrics in print as well.
You mentioned the importance of the UK market to release plans in European territories. When Homosapien was being made, the British market had practically been reduced to a proving ground for new acts. I believe it was EMI who wouldn't touch a British act at the time unless they considered it had international appeal, as the UK was considered a write off.
It wasn't all doom and gloom. Singles sales were at record levels at the end of the seventies and with hit making formulas in crisis after the commercial failure of punk, there was plenty of room for experimentation, including Rushent's work with Pete Shelley. Not for the first time, economic pressure led to some memorable groundbreaking pop, even if it didn't always light up the charts.
It’s definitely a piece that stayed with me a bit longer than usual 😁, partly because it turned out to be very enlightening for me as well, Paul. I knew there was a connection between Homosapien and Dare, but I hadn’t realised just how deep it actually went.
I can completely follow your reasoning about the UK market and its international potential. When I was working at Universal in the late nineties, the UK, together with the US, was the main source of priority releases. A lot of what came out of the UK labels was already prepared for export, and because Belgium is such a complex and fragmented market, it was often used as a testing ground. My frontline colleagues usually had the job of trying those releases first.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to react, Paul. Happy Sunday!
"Homosapien" was an early-days-of-MTV favorite of mine Thanks for the informative and entertaining deep dive into the song. All the context was lost on me at the time.
Thanks Matt. Glad you liked it! Have a great weekend!
Thanks for this great history of Pete Shelley. I really only knew Homosapien, which I'm glad you turned me on to again! I've heard of Buzzcocks but they were definitely outside of my radar in the late 1970s. I didn't know he was a part of the band. I need to check out more of their music. I'm also looking forward to diving into your 1981 mix! I'm always looking for rare gems from that period which somehow passed me by.
Where did you first come across the song, Dan? Was it while going out, or on the radio? It reached nº14 on the Billboard Dance chart, which isn’t bad, but not exactly huge either, so I imagine it must have had more limited club play or perhaps some college radio exposure.
Thanks for reading and listening!
I don't remember where I first heard it. Might have been in the clubs. I know it wasn't a radio hit. Maybe MTV??
This was so informative on a cultural, commercial, musical, even sociological level. So short-sighted on the BBC's part to ban the song. I can totally see why and how this track must have ruffled some feathers, but the ban was unfair and unjustified Thank you for shedding light on this gem, this fascinating artist, and his clever songwriting.
Thank you Andy. Thanks for reading, sharing & reacting. Have a great weekend!
I know what I'm listening to on my dog walk later!
Pe, I really enjoyed this two part exploration of Pete Shelley. I was a huge fan of The Buzzcocks, and punk rock in general. Mostly the stuff that had a strong melodic sense. A lot of the punk rockers moved over to new wave fairly seamlessly. At least the ones I knew. So adjusting to Shelley’s switch to synth-pop was not difficult. I also remember “Homosapien” being played on MTV. I think the contrast in terms of popularity, from the Buzzcocks to his solo work, was more drastic in England than in the states.
But I also was not aware of the backlash to this song. So seeing it all in a new context, has me listening to the music with fresh ears. Or if not, fresh, wider ears.
Really enjoyed the second part of this piece Pe! The ban is such an indictment on the era and the time. I look at censorship, both then and now, and wonder: what are you so afraid of? It’s crazy to me.
Surely the ban and Island’s reticence to move forward quickly had their impact but I definitely think the shift from the punk of The Buzzcocks to Shelley’s solo synth pop work was always going to be a tough transition. But he seemed quite sanguine about it and it’s great that he continued to release albums both solo and with his former band. Very sad that he died so young.
You touch on an important and very interesting question, Mark, why the censorship? I don’t know British society of that period well enough yet, but I’m sure I’ll come across more clues as my research goes deeper. It’s definitely worth exploring further. And I agree with you: the move from Buzzcocks punk to solo synth-pop was probably a bigger hurdle to overcome than the BBC ban itself. The way he responded at the time, and how he later reflected on it, is a big reason why my respect, already considerable, only grew. Thanks for reading and reacting, Mark. Wishing you a fantastic week!