Buzzcocks are coming to Bangkok!

Music lovers in Bangkok are bouncing with anticipation over this Saturday’s Buzzcocks gig at Club Culture. Not since their contemporaries The Clash played at Thammasat University in 1982 has Bangkok been graced by a band so essential to the 1970s UK punk rock explosion that kick-started a musical revolution and changed music forever.

Ahead of the band’s tour of Southeast Asia and Australasia we spoke to Buzzcocks guitarist and vocalist Steve Diggle about Bangkok, the music business and his libertarian philosophies on life and work.

CNNGo: Have you played any gigs in Asia before?

We played in Singapore once, a long time ago, and that was really good. We haven’t played Bangkok before. We were due to play there and the show got cancelled, but we went anyway. We’re probably talking about eight years ago, if not longer. Shame we didn’t play the gig but it was good walking around and stuff, to say the least. It’s vibrant and amazing. What a place!

It’s great to know that there are people looking forward to seeing us there. There aren’t that many bands that we started with that are still playing, and still doing new songs like we are. A Buzzcocks gig is a whole experience. It's like a whole magical thing, really assaults your senses and people react to it that way; makes them come alive for an hour and a half.

CNNGo: Are you taking any time off in Bangkok after the gig?

Hopefully. We had those three days there last time, and it was just amazing to actually be in Bangkok. And coming back again, I’m really looking forward to it. We know a little bit of what to expect this time and can embrace it even more.

In Bangkok, from what I remember, it still seems like there is that time for celebration, and not as much emphasis on putting you in your place in the world. Everybody should experience Bangkok once in their lifetimes, at least.

CNNGo: What’s your take on the current music scenes in the UK and U.S.?

Well, it’s all a bit average at the moment. I mean there’s nothing really that spellbinding. We started off with the Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Jam, The Damned. It was an incredible time when it started, the punk-rock explosion. I think we inspired a lot of people at the time, including ourselves. When people listened to them records, people changed their whole consciousness of how they thought about music and who they were. It wasn’t just purely entertainment. It did affect people.

A lot of the stuff now is delivered and nicely packaged by big record companies that are trying to sell 12 million records every time so you get the lowest common denominator from that. There’re a lot of girls dancing about, but they just look like lap dancers with a disco beat behind ‘em. That’s fine visually. I wouldn’t call ‘em significant artists if you know what I mean. I still think there should be a revolution in music somehow; something that makes the music important again.

CNNGo: Have you ever had an office job?

No, I was a conscientious objector to work when I was 16. I think if I had an office job now I could have a laugh with it. But it’s not really for me though. There’s a lot of slavery involved in work that can kind of crush the freedom of your spirit, and before you know it you’ve forgotten who you were. I know people have to make a living to survive, but it's weird sometimes that industry can make you into a machine.

CNNGo: Are you superstitious?

Not particularly. I do believe in some kind of spiritual world out there though. Even when writing songs you kinda go into some dark spiritual world really. There are mystical and magical things that happen in life, nothing stays the same. There are bigger powers out there that you can connect your mind to, I think, to a certain extent. It’s a good job we don’t understand ‘em, particularly governments, because if they did, they’d control us even more.

But, the Buddhist philosophy is quite a lovely, wholly spun thing. I was always nervous about even joining the library. I like to figure out the world for myself really, but it’s nice to take in all kinds of philosophies.

CNNGo: What’s your idea of a perfect day?

Well the perfect day is probably an afternoon in the pub really. Them magical moments when everybody is at work and you’re with a couple of friends in the pub in the afternoon. The bars are usually relaxed in the afternoon and you kinda float along like that. It’s a wonderful thing when that happens, particularly when you don’t plan it. You can just sit there and watch the afternoon roll by a little bit.

That’s one of the things that life’s about; to relax and enjoy it for once instead of having to think about what you have to do, or plan something out, or remember to do this or that. Sometimes you need that freedom to float.

Steve Diggle is now finishing  his latest solo album "Air Conditioning," which is due for release early next year. The first single from the album, "Hey Maria," is available for download now.

Buzzcocks live in Bangkok

Club Culture
Sri Ayudhaya Road (BTS: Phayathai)
Doors: 9pm, show:10pm
Tickets: 650 baht in advance/800 baht at the door (includes one drink)
20+ only, I.D. required

Advance Tickets are available from:
Club Culture
DJ Siam (Siam Square Soi 4)
The Tube (Coco Walk, BTS: Ratchetewi)