A graduate of punk's school of hard knocks, Steve Diggle is taking a badly rolled ankle all in his stride.

Steve Diggle:

"I slipped on the monitor and to stop me falling on my Rickenbacker I put me foot back," explains the Buzzcocks guitarist on the phone.

Truth is, the matter-of-fact Mancunian has indeed suffered for his art, "living and breathing rock n' roll for 33 years" as a core member of legendary first wave punks Buzzcocks.

Now in his early 50s, Diggle has barely lost a yard since he began as the group's original bassist alongside guitarist Pete Shelley and singer Howard Devoto. He switched to guitar when Devoto left the band to pursue other ventures in 1977.

Steve Diggle:

"When we picked up the guitars and saw the world that's just what came out and it was kind of unique," says Diggle of the band's early sonic blueprint. "And we was kind of workin' in the dark to be honest. Essentially it was a happy accident, you know. It's not like we sat down and were searching for this thing, it's just who we are.

Steve Diggle:

"The way we are as people is the way we play the guitars and do the music - I think that's the mysterious stuff inside. I mean the guitar interplay between me and Pete, we never really rehearsed that. And that's the greatness, we've got a great chemistry. And I think a lot of great bands have that where you don't really have to work at it that much but you have to work at it as people."

After eight albums and plenty of respect from their peers, Buzzcocks, now with Tony Barber on bass and Danny Farrant on drums, have spent much of this year delving back to their 70s punk prime to reprise their first two albums, Another Music In A Different Kitchen and Loves Bites, both from 1978.

Performing such timeless turbo-pop classics as Ever Fallen In Love With Someone and Orgasm Addict still gives Diggle a thrill three decades on.

Steve Diggle:

"It's amazing that at the age of 19 going on 20 we wrote these kinds of songs," he shrugs. "I mean I wondered how we did it, I just can't believe I felt like that back then. But it's still a great feeling playing them.

Steve Diggle:

"I think the strength of the band has been those songs and the standard of the songwriting. They were quite powerful and well-constructed and they still sound like they were made yesterday so you never get bored of playing them. And that's something we didn't bargain for when we were doing them, we just wanted to put a record out and send a message out for now and communicate with the audience."

According to Diggle, who also has a solo album out soon, Buzzcocks will begin working on another message of their own early next year, a follow-up to 2006's Flat-Pack Philosophy - once the touring stops of course.

Steve Diggle:

"We've been all over the place," he says of this year rigorous schedule. "But you get used to it and you kind of go into a time machine where night is day and day is night. Rock n' roll hours is anytime, you can be writing and singing at seven o'clock in the morning."

Recalling many a crazy Buzzcocks show in the early days, Diggle is anticipating energetic performances from the band on their upcoming tours. There's even a promise that a wonky ankle won't stop his famous stage gyrations.

Steve Diggle:

"I've got the strength of ten indie kids!" he cackles.