Howard Devoto
1 catalogued object connected to Howard Devoto.
Biography
Person.
Photograph: R. S. Robinson (Rsub8).
CC BY 2.5 · via Wikimedia Commons.
Howard Devoto is a singer and songwriter whose work connects the beginnings of British punk with the musical and visual experimentation of post-punk. He was the original vocalist and a founder of Buzzcocks, appearing on their independently released Spiral Scratch EP in 1977 before forming Magazine.
With musicians including John McGeoch, Barry Adamson and Dave Formula, Magazine developed a sound in which keyboards, sharply articulated guitar and Devoto's unsettling lyrics carried songs such as Shot By Both Sides and The Light Pours Out of Me. Their albums include Real Life, Secondhand Daylight and The Correct Use of Soap. The group returned to performance in 2009 and released No Thyself in 2011.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Selected sources
- Domino — Spiral Scratch and Time's Up reissuesOriginal Buzzcocks line-up, Devoto's founding and vocal roles, and the 1977 EP.
- The Quietus — Howard Devoto interviewedMagazine collaborators, albums, 2009 return and No Thyself.