Bernard Butler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bernard Butler
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| Background information | ||
| Born | May 1, 1970 (age 36) | |
| Origin |  Stamford Hill, East London |
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| Genre(s) | Alternative Rock, Britpop | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, Guitarist | |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, Piano, Violin. | |
| Years active | 1989 - present | |
| Associated acts |
Suede The Tears McAlmont and Butler |
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| Website | http://www.bernardbutler.com/ | |
Bernard Butler (born 1 May 1970, in Stamford Hill, East London) is an English musician and record producer.
[edit] Career
He first achieved fame in 1992 as the guitarist with Suede, at the time an instant phenomenon in UK pop music. He co-wrote and played guitars on every track until 1994, when he left Suede over personal tensions within the band during the recording of their second album, Dog Man Star. He was replaced by Richard Oakes.
After an abortive collaboration with former All About Eve singer Julianne Regan and spending one week as a member of The Verve after their guitarist, Nick McCabe, temporarily left the band, Butler formed the duo McAlmont and Butler with David McAlmont, a soul singer with a three-octave range. They released two singles, "Yes" and "You Do", before splitting up acrimoniously. A compilation album, The Sound of McAlmont and Butler, was released after the split. He went on to release two albums under his own name, People Move On and Friends and Lovers, before making up with McAlmont for a second McAlmont and Butler album, Bring it Back, and two singles, "Falling" and "Bring it Back".
Butler was also considered for Oasis after their founding member Paul Arthurs left.
Since then Butler has healed his rift with former Suede singer Brett Anderson, forming a new band, The Tears. The Tears released their highly anticipated debut LP, Here Come The Tears, produced by Butler, in June 2005. Singles include "Refugees", which reached #9 in the UK Singles Chart, and "Lovers".
In between his own projects he has played on and produced records by Aimee Mann, Sparks, Edwyn Collins, Neneh Cherry, Tim Booth (formerly of James), the Manic Street Preachers, Eddi Reader, Hopper, Roy Orbison, Bert Jansch, The Libertines, Heather Nova, The Veils, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Cribs, Pretenders, The On-Off's, 1990s and The Mescalitas. He created the soundtrack to the 1997 film The James Gang and played on the soundtrack of Velvet Goldmine, alongside Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead. He has played live with The Cranberries, Paul Weller, Teenage Fanclub and The Manic Street Preachers.
Butler names former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr as his major inspiration. Other probable influences include guitarists Peter Green, George Harrison and Steve Howe, Bert Jansch, and producer Phil Spector. He is often compared to Neil Young, although Young's rough-edged, stripped down sound could hardly be more different from Butler's elaborately layered, "Wall of Sound" arrangements: Creation Records boss Alan McGee, promoting Butler's first solo album, used Young as an example of a former sideman successfully moving to centre-stage.
[edit] Selected discography
- 1993 - Suede - Suede (Mercury Music Prize winner)
- singles: "The Drowners", "Metal Mickey", "Animal Nitrate", "So Young"
- 1994 - Suede - Dog Man Star
- singles: "We are the Pigs", "The Wild Ones", "New Generation"
- 1995 - McAlmont and Butler - The Sound of McAlmont and Butler
- singles: "Yes", "You Do"
- 1997 - Suede - Sci-Fi Lullabies
- (collection of Suede B-sides)
- 1998 - Bernard Butler - People Move On
- singles: "Stay", "Not Alone", "A Change of Heart"
- 1999 - Bernard Butler - Friends and Lovers
- singles: "Friends and Lovers", "You Must Go On"
- 2002 - McAlmont and Butler - Bring it Back
- singles: "Falling", "Bring it Back"
- 2005 - The Tears - Here Come The Tears
- 2006 - McAlmont and Butler
- single: "Speed"
