After their prolific career in the late 1970s, punk rock/pop punk band the Buzzocks reformed in 1989 for a tour of the United States, although by 1990 the reunion had become permanent. The group's rhythm section, Steve Garvey (bass) and John Maher (drums) soon left the band, both of whom were content to continue their other lines of work, and after a brief stint with former Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, the group's standardised line up became vocalists and guitarists Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle, bassist Tony Barber, and drummer Phil Barker. The band recorded their first album in 14 years, "Trade Test Transmissions" (1993), a return to the band's original pop punk sound and a departure from the experimental music Shelly and Diggle had recorded away from the Buzzcocks. Although it was a critical success, it was not a commercial one despite the huge surge in popularity for pop punk at the same time, but regardless, the band toured relentlessly worldwide following its release.