Suede Tour Overview
Suede (also known in the US as the London Suede) are an English rock band formed in London in 1989 by singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Justine Frischmann, and bass player Mat Osman. Drawing inspiration from glam rock and post-punk, Suede were dubbed "The Best New Band in Britain" by Melody Maker in 1992, and attracted much attention from the British music press. The following year their debut album Suede went to the top of the UK Albums Chart, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in almost ten years. It won the Mercury Music Prize and helped foster 'Britpop' as a musical movement, though the band distanced themselves from the term.
The recording sessions for their second album, Dog Man Star, were fraught with difficulty and ended with guitarist and composer Bernard Butler departing after confrontations with the other members. Guitarist and composer Richard Oakes replaced him and joined the band right before the accompanying tour. Although a commercial disappointment at the time, the album was met with a generally enthusiastic reception on release and has over time been lauded as one of rock music's great albums. In 1994, Suede would become a component of the Britpop "big four", along with Oasis, Blur and Pulp.
About Suede
Brett Anderson and Justine Frischmann met in 1988 while studying at University College London and became a couple soon afterwards. Together with Anderson's childhood friend Mat Osman, they decided they had the core of a band, and spent hours a day playing songs by Roxy Music, The Smiths, David Bowie and The Cure.[ After deciding that neither Anderson nor Frischmann had the skill to be a lead guitarist, the band placed an advert in NME in the magazine's 28 October 1989 issue seeking to fill the position: "Young guitar player needed by London based band. Smiths, Commotions, Bowie, Pet Shop Boys. No Musos. Some things are more important than ability. Call Brett." The advert attracted the interest of nineteen-year-old Bernard Butler, who soon auditioned to join the band. The band settled on the name Suede. Lacking a drummer, the band initially used a drum machine. Despite Frischmann's efforts as the band's de facto manager, the band primarily played small-scale gigs around Camden Town in London.
Through the end of 1991 and early 1992, Suede received a number of favourable mentions in the music press, receiving slots at shows hosted by NME and attended by significant musical figures such as the former Smiths singer, Morrissey. A gig at the ULU in October 1991, which caught the media's attention, was Frischmann's final gig. John Mulvey of the NME, the journalist who first wrote about Suede was there. He said, "They had charm, aggression, and... if not exactly eroticism, then something a little bit dangerous and exciting."
Suede Facts
- Brett has said that among the substances that fuelled the creation of ‘Dog Man Star’, psychedelics were at the very top of the pile. “I was doing an awful lot of acid at the time,” he said, “and I think it was this that give us the confidence to push boundaries.”
- After seeing the band perform at an NME show in January 1992, Saul Galpern approached them about signing to his independent record label Nude Records. Suede eventually signed a two single deal to Nude in February 1992 for the sum of £3,132. Following Nude's offer, Suede attracted further interest from Island Records and East West Records, who were keen to sign the band long term.
- Following the success of the album, the band toured extensively in Europe, receiving major coverage by MTV. In July, Suede gave a benefit concert for Red Hot Organization at "The Grand" in London, inviting Siouxsie Sioux to perform a version of Lou Reed's "Caroline Says" with Butler.
- On the first American tour tensions peaked in Los Angeles, when Butler disappeared during a soundcheck. The gig went ahead, but for the rest of the tour the two parties barely spoke.
