Legend may be an over-used word in music but it is a term undeniably deserved by Buzzcocks who are coming to Chester to play The Live Rooms on Friday, July 24.

Eight studio albums, more than 20 singles and EPs, a constellation of compilations, covers by other bands and songs on film soundtracks and advertisements have put Buzzcocks among the top echelons of British recording artists.

A Mojo Inspiration award in 2006 is just one of the many accolades they have received for their work.

Buzzcocks have been thrilling audiences for more than 30 years. Once called ‘The Beatles of punk’, their music blends high-octane guitar, bass and drum power with heartrending personal statements of love won and lost or dismay at the modern world.

Their achievements are staggering: one of the original holy trinity of British punk (with The Sex Pistols and the Clash), innovators of the independent record scene and genuine punk rock superstars who have been cited as inspirational by bands as diverse as REM, Nirvana and Green Day.

Buzzcocks’ Singles Going Steady is a compilation of their first UK Top 40 hits, a collection of stunning moments such as Orgasm Addict, What Do I Get?, the anthemic Harmony In My Head and, of course, the song that has become their calling card: Ever Fallen In Love With Someone (You Shouldn’t’ve Fallen In Love With?).

Pete Shelley said: “Looking back on it now, what’s going on is like echoes of the Big Bang. You look around you in society and the culture; so many things would not have been the same if there never was punk rock. It’s strange, it’s like a science fiction novel. But to us at the time, it just sprung naturally.”

Tickets, priced £20 in advance, for their Chester Live Rooms show are available by calling 0871 220 0260 or visiting www.theliverooms.com/event/buzzcocks.