Harmony in My Head (or is it Pharmacy?) : Buzzcock's Steve Diggle's Rock N Roll Life in words

I Believe...

I just reread Steve Diggle's entertaining biography, Harmony in My Head. Maybe not literature at the highest level, but a non-stop no holds barred account of a life in Music. It's like having a casual extended conversation with a Punk Rock icon.

We know Steve Diggle as one of the principals in the Buzzcocks, one of the greatest and most influential bands of the last 30 years. Singles Going Steady is one those records you keep in your underground survival shelter for safekeeping, so that you can enjoy great music in a post-apocalyptic world. For me they are like a soundtrack to that era, because the music has all that cathartic energy, passion and attitude. It is not accidental that people refer to them as the Beatles of Punk Rock. But honestly, when you read the book, you might start thinking that at least in Lifestyle a more apt comparison might be The Rolling Stones, or at least The Faces. They were definitely a hard living bunch, with the exception of Steve Garvey. As far as Diggle goes, I think Sex Pistol's Glen Matlock's loving quip sums things up succinctly.

I've know Steve for over 25 years, and he's a boozin' shagger, and I love him dearly...

I saw The Buzzcocks a few years back at Maxwell's in Hoboken and I have to say, they were still fantastic!Like old pros they smashed out a good 30 tunes in a little over an hour. One classic after the next. It's was just astonishing to hear all the great songs smushed into one great set. And they really rock out quite hard, more like The Who than any art band. Aside from the the 8 year hiatus after their third album, A Different Kind of Tension, they have been one of the most enduring acts in recent memory. Definitely survivors.

As far as the book goes, Diggle rambles about in chronological sequence. He starts out discussing his childhood, growing up in Manchester in poor conditions. He quickly became disillusioned with hard labor, and took the rock route as a way around this. And also for the girls, of course. But from these humble origins, came great musical art. Talent, desire, and ambition merged together, along with a little luck along the way.

It's a Hard Rock life.

He's definitely not afraid to voice his opinions. He speaks quite candidly about the 70's Punk scene and his peers, like The Pistols, The Clash, and The Jam. He also recounts anecdotes from performing with Joy Division and Nirvana. Diggle has a lot to say about his The Buzzcocks and notably Pete Shelley, about clashing egos and growing apart in the midst of increasing popularity. He talks about The Beatles, his first impressions of America, and philosophises about art and life. And he is equally candid about himself, about the drug use and drinking and its consequences. Without getting too CSI introspective about it. But the book is loaded with anecdotes, both exhilarating and tragic, funny and cautionary. It never gets boring.

Diggle's a straight shooter, a regular sort of guy with extraordinary talents. I remember seeing the Minutemen in the documentary We Jam Econo, how when they were teenagers, rock stars seemed like Gods or aliens off of a spaceship. And Punk Rock changed all that, because they knew that they could do this, which really meant getting out their and expressing yourself creatively. And a guy like Steve Diggle, despite his accomplishments seems like one of us. A journeyman who just keeps going, a musician without the pretension you see all too often in the biz. Don't get me wrong, he's not humble about what he's done. He just seems to be grounded and realistic about it all.



Harmony In My Head is an interesting worthwhile read for any music fan. And The Buzzcocks are definitely still a band to see live, if my experience is any indication. Get out and see them while you can!