Howard Devoto
| Howard Devoto | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Howard Andrew Trafford |
| Also known as | Howard Devoto |
| Born | 15 March 1952 |
| Origin | Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England |
| Genres | Punk rock, post-punk, synthpop, new wave, electronic |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboards, guitars |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | New Hormones, Virgin, I.R.S., EMI |
| Associated acts | Buzzcocks, Magazine, Luxuria, ShelleyDevoto, Mansun |
Howard Devoto (born Howard Andrew Trafford 15 March 1952 in Scunthorpe) is an English singer-songwriter, who began his career as the frontman for the punk rock band Buzzcocks, but then left to form Magazine, one of the first post-punk bands. After Magazine, he went solo and later formed indie band Luxuria.
His singing has been characterized as a "speak-sing voice that veered between amused croon and panicked yelp."
Born in Scunthorpe, Devoto grew up in Nuneaton, Warwickshire and Moortown, Leeds, where he attended Leeds Grammar School and met and befriended future Buzzcocks manager Richard Boon. In 1972, he went to Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton) to study psychology, and, later, humanities. During these college years, he met his future bandmates Pete Shelley and Ben Mandelson.
Inspired by the Sex Pistols, Devoto co-formed Buzzcocks with singer/guitarist Pete Shelley in 1976. He left the band in February 1977 after only one record (the Spiral Scratch EP) and a small number of performances.
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