Bernard Butler

For the Irish politician, see Bernard Butler (Irish politician).

Bernard Butler
Birth name	Bernard Joseph Butler
Born	1 May 1970 (1970-05-01) Stamford Hill, London, England
Genres	Alternative rock, Britpop
Occupations	Songwriter, guitarist, record producer
Instruments	Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Bass guitar, violin
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Creation Records Columbia Records (US)
Associated acts	Suede The Tears McAlmont and Butler Duffy
Website	www.bernardbutler.com
Notable instruments
Cherry red Gibson ES-355 TD SV (Stereo Varitone) with a Bigsby tailpiece Gibson Les Paul

Bernard Joseph Butler (born 1 May 1970, Stamford Hill, North London) is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists. He was voted the 24th greatest guitarist of the last 30 years in a national 2010 BBC poll.

Career

He first achieved fame in 1992 as the guitarist with Suede, forging a songwriting partnership with Brett Anderson, at the time an instant phenomenon in UK pop music. He co-wrote and played guitars on every track until 1994, when he exited Suede, leaving behind the Mercury Music Prize winning debut Suede, as well as the follow-up Dog Man Star.

In 1994 Butler formed the duo McAlmont and Butler with David McAlmont. They released two singles, "Yes" and "You Do". A compilation album, The Sound of McAlmont and Butler, was released after the split. He went on to release two solo albums under his own name, People Move On and Friends and Lovers on Creation Records yielding the hit single "Stay". In 2001 Butler teamed up with McAlmont for a second McAlmont and Butler album, Bring it Back, touring the UK with two singles, "Falling" and "Bring it Back".

In 2004 Butler healed his rift with former Suede singer Brett Anderson, forming a new band, The Tears. The Tears released their 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 2005 he was introduced to Welsh singer Duffy contributing to her five million selling debut Rockferry which was nominated for three Grammy Awards. Butler contributed the title track as well as "Syrup & Honey" which was used in a worldwide Nivea advertisement campaign, produced "Please Stay" for "Telstar - The Movie" and co wrote "Smoke Without Fire", to be used in the 2009 film, An Education. They also produced a cover version of Wings "Live & Let Die" for the 2009 Warchild album at Sir Paul McCartney's request. In 2009 Butler has produced the music for the Diet Coke television advertisement featuring Duffy, as well as a cover of the "Stay With Me Baby" for the Richard Curtis film The Boat That Rocked. The pair continue to collaborate.

He has played on and/or produced records by Aimee Mann, Edwyn Collins, Neneh Cherry, Tim Booth (of James), Duffy, Eddi Reader, Hopper, Roy Orbison, Bert Jansch, The Libertines, Heather Nova, Mark Owen, The Veils, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Cribs, Pretenders, The On-Off's, 1990s, The Mescalitas, Cut Off Your Hands, Cajun Dance Party, The View, Arkitekt, Sons and Daughters, Black Kids, Tricky, Sharleen Spiteri and Nerina Pallot. 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, Sparks, Paul Weller, Teenage Fanclub, Manic Street Preachers, and Duke Special.

Butler names former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr as his major inspiration. He started learning to play guitar after hearing Marr and was able to play all Smiths songs by ear. He is often seen performing with a 1961 cherry red Gibson ES-355 TD SV (Stereo Varitone) with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece.

Butler is managed by Rough Trade's Geoff Travis and Jeannette Lee.

Butler won the Producer's Award at the 2009 BRIT Awards, Producer Of The Year at the 2008 Music Managers Forum Awards, and was nominated for Best Producer at the 2009 Music Week Awards.

In 2009 Butler co-wrote/produced/played on tracks by The Veils, Tommy Reilly, Jonathan Jeremiah, Duffy, Kate Jackson, Catherine A.D. He completed Kate Nash's second album My Best Friend Is You at his own "355" Studios .

In 2010 Butler worked concurrently with Nerina Pallot, Fyfe Dangerfield, Noisettes, Slow Club, Gabrielle, Howling Bells, The Veils, Simon Dine, as well as the new artists Vince, Daley, Summer Camp, Joe Worricker, Jodie Low, and Scott McFarnon. He switches between co-writing, producing and performing and sometimes all three on any of these works.

Discography

Suede

• 1993 - Suede - Suede (Mercury Music Prize winner)
  • singles: "The Drowners", "Metal Mickey", "Animal Nitrate", "So Young"
• 1994 - Suede - "Stay Together" (Non-album single)
• 1994 - Suede - Dog Man Star
  • singles: "We are the Pigs", "The Wild Ones", "New Generation"

• 1997 - Suede - Sci-Fi Lullabies
  • (collection of Suede B-sides)

Solo

• 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"

McAlmont and Butler

• 1995 - McAlmont and Butler - The Sound of McAlmont and Butler
  • singles: "Yes", "You Do"
• 2002 - McAlmont and Butler - Bring It Back
  • singles: "Falling", "Bring it Back"
• 2006 - McAlmont and Butler
  • single: "Speed"

The Tears

• 2005 - The Tears - Here Come The Tears
  • singles: "Refugees", "Lovers"

Collaborator/producer

• Aimee Mann - I'm With Stupid (1995)
• Neneh Cherry - Man (1996)
• Booth and the Bad Angel - Booth And The Bad Angel (1996)
• Hopper - English And French (1996)
• Bert Jansch - Crimson Moon (2000) and Edge of a Dream (2002)
• Heather Nova - South (2001)
• Bernard & Edwyn - "Message For Jojo" (2001)
• The Libertines - "What a Waster" (2002), "Don't Look Back Into The Sun" (2003)
• Mark Owen - "Four Minute Warning" (2003), co-wrote b-side "Jay Walker"
• Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Shoot from the Hip (2003)
• The Veils - The Runaway Found (2003), Sun Gangs (2009)
• The Cribs - "You're Gonna Lose Us" (2005)
• 1990s - Cookies (2007), Kicks (2009)
• Sharleen Spiteri - Melody (2008)
• Sons And Daughters - This Gift (2008)
• Cajun Dance Party - The Colourful Life (2008)
• Duffy - Rockferry (2008)
• Black Kids - Partie Traumatic (2008)
• Tricky - Knowle West Boy (2008)
• Duke Special - I Never Thought This Day Would Come (2008)
• Cut Off Your Hands - You And I (2008)
• Findlay Brown - Love Will Find You (2009)
• Tommy Reilly - Words On The Floor (2009)
• Fyfe Dangerfield - "Faster Than the Setting Sun" and "She Needs Me", Fly Yellow Moon (2010)
• Kate Nash - My Best Friend Is You (2010)
• Nerina Pallot - Year of the Wolf (2011)

External links

• Official website
• Bernard Butler Official Myspace
• Bernard Butler Official Management Website