Spiral Scratch

Recorded on 28 December 1976 at Dave Kent-Watson's Indigo Sound Studios in Manchester, the EP was produced by Martin Hannett, credited as Martin Zero. Devoto said it took three hours to record, with two more for mixing. The band borrowed about 750 pounds to make and press it and released it on their own New Hormones label. The first 1,000 copies sold out and it went on to sell 16,000, first by mail order and then with help from the Manchester branch of Virgin. Boredom, probably the best known track, has a guitar solo of two notes repeated 66 times. Jon Savage says the record was instrumental in establishing small labels and scenes in Manchester and Liverpool. Bob Last, who went on to found Fast Product, said it turned his head around.

It was reissued in 1979, credited to Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto, and reached number 31 on the UK chart. In 2017 Domino reissued it for its 40th anniversary and it reached the top of the UK physical singles chart.