Hopelessly Devoto To You

“He’s said some very kind things about us over the years, as have all of U2 actually,” reflects Magazine mainman Howard Devoto who’s talking to Hot Press at the undecidedly un-rock ‘n’ roll hour of 10am. “We’re rehearsing this week, so I’m on my best behaviour! It shocks people when I say this, but I think U2 are an absolutely fantastic band – and not just because they have the supreme good taste to work with Brian Eno! There’s always something new and interesting on their records, which is rare for a band that’s been around for over 30 years.
“I think The Edge’s main affinity would have been with our original guitarist John McGeoch who sadly passed away five years ago. He was always coaxing different sounds out of his amps and his pedals, which kind of went against the grain back then in that it was considered a little too musicianly! One of the things that disappointed me about punk – apart from the spitting, which was beyond disgusting – is how quickly it adopted its own rigid set of rules.”
Having co-founded the Buzzcocks in 1975 with Pete Shelley, Devoto bailed just as their debut Spiral Scratch EP was being hailed as one of the first Britpunk classics.
“I can never do a big musicological/sociological analysis of this, but broadly speaking I don’t think we were as driven by fashion as a lot of the London bands were. I mean, the first time Peter (Shelley) and I went to a Sex Pistols gig we were both wearing flares. It was only after seeing them that we toddled off and took our trousers in!
“I never really regarded myself as being ‘a punk’, although there were definitely elements of punk that I connected with and which are still evident on the first couple of Magazine records.”
What sort of stuff did he listen to pre-punk?
“There was a French progressive band called Magma that I was quite fond of – still am actually! Dr. Feelgood were what would now be known as ‘proto-punks’ and put on a really good live show, as did Hatfield & The North who were part of the experimental Canterbury scene.”
Despite scoring four UK top 40 albums, Magazine split in 1981 after one gruelling US promo tour too many.
“I used to enjoy writing stuff, I used to enjoy recording stuff, but live was difficult,” the 57-year-old admits. “A tour was only deemed to be a success if you sold more records on the back of it, which meant that your well-being was dependent on chart positions. There were a few things like supporting The Ramones in the States that were memorable, but otherwise it was a fairly joyless experience.”
Talking to Alex James recently, it was evident how much fun Blur are having now that they’re answerable to themselves rather than a record company.
“That sounds familiar!” Howard laughs. “Yeah, I’m enjoying myself a whole lot more now that it’s intermittent rather than an intense full-time business.”
Are he and Magazine mindful that there’s a legacy to protect?
“Protect? No, just use!  What a lot of people don’t realise is that we snuck into a rehearsal room in 2005 to check our collective self out. Had we not been satisfied with the results then we wouldn’t be doing this now.”
Given his Father Jack-style reluctance to discuss what would be musicological matters, a lot of people were surprised in 2002 when Devoto made a rock historian cameo appearance in 24 Hour Party People.
“Do you know that I wrote that I myself?”
Can’t say I did.
“Well, I play a toilet cleaner who looks knowingly at the camera and says, ‘I definitely don’t remember this happening!’ Overall though, I have to say the film gets a 6.5 out of 10 for accuracy and was a lot of fun!”