Pete Shelley was the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of iconic punk band Buzzcocks. He wrote some of punk's most enduring songs, including 'Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)', 'Orgasm Addict' and 'What Do I Get?', as well as solo hits such as 'Homosapien', which was subsequently banned from being played on the BBC. Regarded as one of the finest songwriters of his generation, Pete died in 2018.

Louie Shelley was a close friend of Pete Shelley's, and no relation. She first met Buzzcocks while working as a journalist on the Manchester music scene in the late 1990s, going on to work with them in various capacities in the ensuing years. She remains involved in Buzzcocks projects, as well as the Pete Shelley Memorial Campaign.