Bernard Butler

2016-11-21T17:23:00Z

188.116.6.224: Rm rigging: ONE critic called him this, not "some".

{{for|the Irish politician|Bernard Butler (politician)}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Bernard Butler
|image = Bernand Butler live with The Tears (cropped).jpg
|caption = Butler performing live with The Tears at the [[Roskilde Festival]] 2005
|image_size =
|background = solo_singer
|birth_name = Bernard Joseph Butler
|alias =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1970|5|1}}
|birth_place = [[Stoke Newington]], London, England
|death_date =
|instrument = Guitar, piano, vocals, bass
|genre = [[Alternative rock]], [[Britpop]]
|occupation = Singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer
|years_active = 1989–present
|associated_acts = [[Suede (band)|Suede]], [[The Tears]], [[McAlmont and Butler]], [[Duffy (singer)|Duffy]], Trans, [[Ben Watt]], [[The Verve]], [[The Anchoress (musician)|The Anchoress]]
|notable_instruments = Cherry red [[Gibson ES-355|Gibson ES-355 TD SV]] (Stereo Varitone) with a [[Bigsby vibrato tailpiece|Bigsby]] tailpiece <br/>[[Gibson Les Paul]]<br/>[[Fender Telecaster]] (Bigsby)<br/>[[Vox AC-30]] AMP
}}
'''Bernard Joseph Butler''' (born 1 May 1970 in [[Stoke Newington]], London) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the first guitarist with [[Suede (band)|Suede]], until his departure in 1994. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation;<ref>[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p61316|pure_url=yes}} "Bernard Butler biography"]. [[AllMusic]]</ref> [[BBC]] journalist Mark Savage called him "one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists".<ref name=BBC>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7886271.stm "The lowdown on Brits bright stars"]. [[BBC News]]. 18 February 2009</ref> He was voted the 24th greatest guitarist of the last 30 years in a national 2010 [[BBC]] poll<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/events/theaxefactor/ "The Axe Factor"]. [[BBC]]. Retrieved 26 June 2010.</ref> and is often seen performing with a 1961 cherry red [[Gibson ES-355|Gibson ES-355 TD SV]] (Stereo Varitone) with a [[Bigsby vibrato tailpiece]].

==Career==

===Suede===
{{expand section|date=April 2014}}
He first achieved fame in 1992 as the guitarist with [[Suede (band)|Suede]], forging a songwriting partnership with [[Brett Anderson]]. He co-wrote and played guitars on every recording until 1994,{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} when he exited Suede, leaving behind the [[Mercury Music Prize]]-winning debut ''[[Suede (album)|Suede]]'', as well as the follow-up ''[[Dog Man Star]]''.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

===Post-Suede===
Immediately after leaving Suede he formed the duo [[McAlmont and Butler]] with [[David McAlmont]] and they released two singles, "[[Yes (McAlmont and Butler song)|Yes]]" and "[[You Do]]". A compilation album, ''[[The Sound of McAlmont and Butler]]'', was released after the collaboration ended.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

Butler then released two solo albums under his own name, ''[[People Move On]]'' and ''[[Friends and Lovers (album)|Friends and Lovers]]'', on Creation Records, yielding the hit single "[[Stay (Bernard Butler song)|Stay]]". In 2001 Butler teamed up with McAlmont for a second McAlmont and Butler album, ''[[Bring It Back (McAlmont and Butler album)|Bring it Back]]'', and they toured the UK after the release of two singles, "Falling" and "Bring it Back".{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

In 2004 Butler formed a new band with Brett Anderson, [[The Tears]], based on the same style that yielded their first successes with Suede in the early 1990s. The Tears released their debut [[Gramophone record|LP]], ''[[Here Come The Tears]]'', produced by Butler, in June 2005. Singles include "[[Refugees (The Tears song)|Refugees]]", which reached number 9 in the [[UK Singles Chart]],<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= [[British Hit Singles & Albums]]
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 550}}</ref> and "[[Lovers (song)|Lovers]]".

==Collaborations and production work==
Butler has played on and/or produced records by<ref>[http://personales.ya.com/suede/bbcollabdisco.html Personales.ya.com]</ref> [[Aimee Mann]], [[Edwyn Collins]], [[Neneh Cherry]], [[Tim Booth]] (of [[James (band)|James]]), [[Eddi Reader]], [[Hopper (band)|Hopper]], [[Roy Orbison]], [[Bert Jansch]], [[The Libertines]], [[Heather Nova]], [[Mark Owen]], [[The Veils]], [[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]], [[The Cribs]], the [[Pretenders (band)|Pretenders]], The On-Off's, [[1990s (band)|1990s]], The Mescalitas, [[Cut Off Your Hands]], [[Cajun Dance Party]], [[The View (band)|The View]], Arkitekt, [[Sons and Daughters (band)|Sons and Daughters]], [[Black Kids]], [[Tricky (musician)|Tricky]], [[Sharleen Spiteri]], [[Nerina Pallot]] and [[Natalie McCool]].{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

In 2005 he was introduced to Welsh singer [[Duffy (singer)|Duffy]], and contributed to her top-selling debut album ''[[Rockferry]]''—it was the best selling album of 2008 in the UK—which won the Best Pop Vocal Album [[Grammy Award]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Urmee Khan|title=Coldplay and Duffy among British acts dominating top ten global albums of 2008|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/4640295/Coldplay-and-Duffy-among-British-acts-dominating-top-ten-global-albums-of-2008.html|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=The Telegraph|date=16 February 2009}}</ref><ref name="Fast">{{cite news|title=Butler's sympathy for singer Duffy|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/butlers-sympathy-for-singer-duffy-30202118.html|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=20 April 2014}}</ref> Duffy eventually parted ways with her manager and Butler,<ref>{{cite news|author1=Rob Fitzpatrick|title=When bands fall off cliffs|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/27/when-bands-fall-off-cliffs|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=The Guardian|date=27 October 2011}}</ref> and Butler told the media in April 2014, in regard to the Welsh singer's musical career difficulties:

<blockquote>
She [Duffy] went off the rails and it all went pear-shaped for her. And maybe she brought all those problems on herself. But I always had quite a lot of sympathy for her, because she was young, from this tiny village in Wales, and she was just hurled into the fire.<ref name="Fast" /></blockquote>

In 2009 Butler co-wrote/produced/played on tracks by The Veils,<ref>{{cite web|author1=Rebecca Raber|title=The Veils|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12955-sun-gangs/|website=Pitchfork|publisher=Pitchfork Media Inc|accessdate=3 December 2014|date=6 May 2009}}</ref> Tommy Reilly,<ref>{{cite web|author1=Mike Diver|title=Tommy Reilly Words on the Floor Review|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9jf9|website=BBC Music|publisher=BBC|accessdate=3 December 2014|date=2009}}</ref> Jonathan Jeremiah,<ref>{{cite news|author1=Paul Lester|title=Jonathan Jeremiah (No 594)|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jul/28/new-band-jonathan-jeremiah|accessdate=3 December 2014|work=The Guardian|date=28 July 2009}}</ref> [[Kate Jackson (singer)|Kate Jackson]] and Catherine A.D who now performs as [[The Anchoress (musician)|The Anchoress]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ex-Suede man wins top producer award|url=http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/article/3277-ex-suede-man-wins-top-producer-award.html|website=Dolphin Music|publisher=S&T Audio Ltd|accessdate=3 December 2014|date=13 February 2009}}</ref> He also commenced production work on Kate Nash's second album ''[[My Best Friend Is You]]'' in mid-2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kate Nash begins work on new album with Bernard Butler|url=http://www.nme.com/news/kate-nash/46505|website=NME|publisher=Time Inc. (UK) Ltd|accessdate=3 December 2014|date=5 August 2009}}</ref>

In 2010 Butler worked with Nerina Pallot, Fyfe Dangerfield, Noisettes, Slow Club, Gabrielle, Howling Bells, The Veils, Simon Dine, and new artists [[Jodie Marie]], Vince, Daley, Summer Camp, Joe Worricker and Scott McFarnon.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

Over the 2011-2012 period, Butler produced albums for [[Frankie & The Heartstrings]] and continued working with Daley on his forthcoming ''Days & Nights'' album, the title track of which was co-written and produced by Butler. He also co-wrote and produced Texas's comeback album ''[[The Conversation (Texas album)|The Conversation]]''. Butler again worked at Studio 355 for these recordings.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

In 2013 Butler worked with the group [[Teleman]], to finish their debut album; worked on songs with London group Flowers; and collaborated with [[Paloma Faith]] and [[Fyfe Dangerfield]].{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} In June 2013, he formed an impromptu improvisational performance at the Sunderland record store run by [[Frankie & The Heartstrings]]. Alongside members of Warm Digits, [[Field Music]] and 1990s, the impromptu group played a completely unrehearsed and improvised set.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

In August 2013, Butler played two shows at The Slaughtered Lamb in London, UK, accompanying [[Ben Watt]] on electric guitar.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} Watt described the start of their musical relationship in 2014:

<blockquote>
We ran into each other at a party a few years ago and just got chatting. I’d spent ten years in electronic music, running Buzzin’ Fly (his underground house and techno record label) and DJ-ing whilst Bernard had spent ten years as a producer and collaborator. We both wanted a change.<ref name="Ben">{{cite news|title=Interview: Ben Watt on his album and tour with Bernard Butler|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/Interview-Ben-Watt-album-tour-Bernard-Butler/story-20973663-detail/story.html|accessdate=18 April 2014|newspaper=The Nottingham Post|date=17 April 2014}}</ref></blockquote>

In October 2013, new group Trans released the ''red'' EP, the first in a series of EPs for [[Rough Trade Records]].{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} Featuring tracks grown out of improvisational sessions that date back over a year, with Jackie McKeown, Paul Borchers and Igor Volk, the recordings were made at Studio 355. All sessions were improvised, recorded in their entirety and later edited with very few overdubs. To date, Trans have played a select number of shows, including an entirely improvised show at London's Shacklewell Arms venue, acting as carriers for former [[Can (band)|Can]] pioneer [[Damo Suzuki]].{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

In February 2014, Butler played two lives shows with Watt at London's [[St Pancras Old Church]], in the lead-up period to the release of Watt's solo album ''Hendra''. Butler was also involved with the recording of the album, with Watt explaining that he knew that Butler would be the "perfect counterpoint to bring some darkness to the light."<ref name="The" />

''Hendra'', Watt's first solo album since 1983, was released on 14 April 2014 and Butler joined Watt on an eight-show UK tour in support of the album.<ref name="The">{{cite web|title=WATCH: Ben Watt & Bernard Butler - Hendra|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/14542-ben-watt-hendra-bernard-butler-tour|work=The Quietus|publisher=The Quietus|accessdate=18 April 2014|author=Laurie Tuffrey|date=19 February 2014}}</ref> including shows at the [[Nottingham]] venue "The Bodega", [[Hebden Bridge]] and [[Cambridge]].<ref name="Ben" /><ref>{{cite web|title=4:54 PM|url=https://twitter.com/ben_watt/status/457457165184540672|work=Ben Watt on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=19 April 2014|date=19 April 2014}}</ref> Butler than played again with Watt in November 2014 as part of the Ben Watt Trio.<ref>{{cite web|title=BEN WATT TRIO feat. Bernard Butler & Martin Ditcham & Special Guests|url=http://www.villageunderground.co.uk/events/ben-watt-trio|website=Village Underground|publisher=Village Underground|accessdate=3 December 2014|date=10 November 2014}}</ref>

In May 2014, Butler organised two special [[McAlmont & Butler]] performances to raise funds for The Bobath Centre's work with children with [[cerebral palsy]]. The London shows at the Union Chapel and Islington Assembly Hall sold out, and the duo were accompanied by a full band that consisted of members of [[The Magic Numbers]], Mako Sakamoto on drums and Sean Read on keyboards.<ref>{{cite web|title=McAlmont & Butler reunite for The Bobath Centre|url=http://www.bobathcentre.org.uk/news/mcalmont-butler-reunite-for-the-bobath-centre/|website=Bobath Children|publisher=The Bobath Centre|accessdate=3 December 2014|date=9 May 2014}}</ref>

==Soundtracks==
Butler 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]].{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}

==Influences==
Butler names former [[the Smiths|Smiths]] guitarist [[Johnny Marr]] as his major inspiration. He started learning guitar playing after hearing Marr and was eventually able to play all Smiths songs by ear.<ref name=Guardian>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/aug/25/popandrock2 "Return of the axe"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. 25 August 2006</ref>

==Personal life==
On 13 April 2014, Butler participated in the London Marathon to raise funds for children with [[cerebral palsy]], described by Butler as one of the "worst starts in life". Butler explains:

<blockquote>
The problem is it’s getting harder for families to get funding for therapy and children aren’t getting the specialist support they need. So I’m raising money for the charity’s treatment fund to make sure that children get seen as early as possible when it will have the greatest impact.<ref name="Fund">{{cite web|title=bernard butler's fundraising page|url=http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=bernardbutler|work=Virgin Money Giving|publisher=Virgin Money|accessdate=18 April 2014|date=18 April 2014}}</ref></blockquote>

On 18 April 2014, 61 donors had pledged £2,136.25 to Butler's campaign.<ref name="Fund" />

Butler is married to Elisa Butler since 1994. They have a son, born in 1998.

==Awards==
Butler won the Producer's Award at the [[2009 BRIT Awards]],<ref name=BBC /> Producer of the Year at the 2008 Music Managers Forum Awards, and was nominated for Best Producer at the 2009 Music Week Awards.

==Discography==

===Suede===
* 1993 - [[Suede (band)|Suede]] - ''[[Suede (album)|Suede]]'' ([[Mercury Music Prize]] winner)
** singles: "[[The Drowners]]", "[[Metal Mickey (song)|Metal Mickey]]", "[[Animal Nitrate]]", "[[So Young (Suede song)|So Young]]"
* 1994 - [[Suede (band)|Suede]] - "[[Stay Together]]" (Non-album single)
* 1994 - [[Suede (band)|Suede]] - ''[[Dog Man Star]]''
** singles: "[[We are the Pigs]]", "[[The Wild Ones (song)|The Wild Ones]]", "[[New Generation]]"
* 1997 - [[Suede (band)|Suede]] - ''[[Sci-Fi Lullabies]]''
** (first eleven tracks on a collection of [[A-side and B-side|B-sides]])
* 1999 - [[Suede (band)|Suede]] - ''[[Head Music]]''
** singles: "[[Electricity (Suede song)|Electricity]]", "[[She's in Fashion]]", "[[Everything Will Flow]]", "[[Can't Get Enough (Suede song)|Can't Get Enough]]"
* 2003 - [[Suede (band)|Suede]] - ''[[Singles (Suede album)|Singles]]''
** (eight tracks on a collection of Greatest Hits)

===Solo===
* 1998 - Bernard Butler - ''[[People Move On]]'' #11 UK
** singles: "[[Stay (Bernard Butler song)|Stay]]" #12 UK, "[[Not Alone (Bernard Butler song)|Not Alone]]" #27 UK, "[[A Change of Heart (song)|A Change of Heart]]" #45 UK
* 1999 - Bernard Butler - ''[[Friends and Lovers (album)|Friends and Lovers]]'' #43 UK
** singles: "[[Friends and Lovers (Bernard Butler song)|Friends and Lovers]]", "[[You Must Go On]]" #44 UK, "[[I'd Do It Again If I Could]]" (U.S.)

===McAlmont and Butler===
* 1995 - [[McAlmont and Butler]] - ''[[The Sound of McAlmont and Butler]]''
** singles: "[[Yes (McAlmont and Butler song)|Yes]]", "[[You Do]]"
* 2002 - McAlmont and Butler - ''[[Bring It Back (McAlmont and Butler album)|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 (The Tears song)|Refugees]]", "[[Lovers (song)|Lovers]]"

===Trans===
*2013 - "Red" EP
*2014 - "Green" EP

===Collaborator/producer===
*[[Aimee Mann]] - ''[[I'm with Stupid (album)|I'm With Stupid]]'' (1995)
*[[Neneh Cherry]] - ''[[Man (Neneh Cherry album)|Man]]'' (1996)
*[[Booth and the Bad Angel]] - ''Booth and the Bad Angel'' (1996)
*[[Kev Hopper|Hopper]] - ''English And French'' (1996)
*[[Bert Jansch]] - ''[[Crimson Moon]]'' (2000) and ''[[Edge of a Dream]]'' (2002)
*[[Heather Nova]] - ''[[South (Heather Nova album)|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 (song)|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 (band)|1990s]] - ''[[Cookies (album)|Cookies]]'' (2007), ''[[Kicks (album)|Kicks]]'' (2009)
*[[Sharleen Spiteri]] - ''[[Melody (Sharleen Spiteri Album)|Melody]]'' (2008)
*[[Sons and Daughters (band)|Sons And Daughters]] - ''[[This Gift (Sons and Daughters album)|This Gift]]'' (2008)
*[[Cajun Dance Party]] - ''[[The Colourful Life]]'' (2008)
*[[Duffy (singer)|Duffy]] - ''[[Rockferry (album)|Rockferry]]'' (2008)
*[[Black Kids]] - ''[[Partie Traumatic]]'' (2008)
*[[Tricky (musician)|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 (Scottish musician)|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)
*[[Richard Walters (singer-songwriter)|Richard Walters]] - ''[[Pacing (Richard Walters album)|Pacing]]'' (2011)
*[[Natalie McCool]] - ''[[Thin Air (song)|Thin Air]]'' (2012)
* Texas - ''[[The Conversation (Texas album)|The Conversation]]'' (2013)
*Teleman - ''Cristina'' (2013)
*[[Frankie & The Heartstrings]] - ''[[The Days Run Away]]'' (2013)
*Teleman - ''Steam Train Girl'' (2013)
*Trans - ''Red'' EP (2013)
*[[Daley (musician)|Daley]] - ''Days & Nights'' (2014)
*Trans - ''Green'' EP (2014)
*[[Ben Watt]] - ''[[Hendra (Ben Watt album)|Hendra]]'' (2014), ''[[Fever Dream (Ben Watt album)|Fever Dream]]'' (2016)
*Teleman - "Breakfast" (2014)
*Flowers - "Do What You Want To, It's What You Should Do" (2014)
*[[The Rails]] - "Habit" (2014)
*[[Paloma Faith]] - "Beauty Remains" (2014)
*[[Shaun Keaveny]] - "Please Don't Get Me Anything for Christmas" (2015)
*[[Kate Jackson (singer)|Kate Jackson]] - ''[[British Road Movies (Kate Jackson album)|British Road Movies]]'' (2016)
*[[The Tyde]] - "The Curse In Reverse" (2016)
*[[QTY]] - "Rodeo" (2016)
*[[Mark Eitzel]] - [[Hey Mr Ferryman (Mark Eitzel album)|Hey Mr Ferryman]] (2017)

== References ==
<references />

==External links==

{{Bernard Butler}}{{Authority control}}
{{Suede}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Bernard}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English guitarists]]
[[Category:English rock guitarists]]
[[Category:English songwriters]]
[[Category:British record producers]]
[[Category:English record producers]]
[[Category:Britpop musicians]]
[[Category:Suede (band) members]]
[[Category:People educated at St Ignatius' College, Enfield]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Alumni of Queen Mary University of London]]
[[Category:Creation Records artists]]
[[Category:Brit Award winners]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Stamford Hill]]
[[Category:Musicians from London]]
[[Category:Alternative rock guitarists]]

The Official Website for Mark Eitzel & American Music Club - User contributions [en]

Bernard Butler