Suede were formed in London in 1989 by bassist Mat Osman, singer Brett Anderson and his then girlfriend, Justine Frischmann, on rhythm guitar. They soon added guitarist Bernard Butler – who was recruited through an advertisement in Melody Maker. Along with a drum machine as percussion, Suede were signed to RML Records, a label from Brighton. Comedian Ricky Gervais (who later found fame with The Office) managed the band for a brief period before they were signed to a record label.
With Mike Joyce (formerly of The Smiths) famously filling in as drummer, Suede’s first record "Be My God/Art", was printed but never released due to a dispute with the label. The few surviving records out of a batch of 2000 are considered amongst the rarest of Suede collectibles. Simon Gilbert soon replaced the drum machine and Suede signed to Nude Records. Though still living with Anderson, Frischmann was ejected from the band around this time because of her failure to attend rehearsals while flaunting her new relationship with Damon Albarn of Blur.
The band’s first single The Drowners was released amid a media frenzy that began before Suede had released any actual music. The band was on the cover of Melody Maker, which proclaimed them as “the best new band in Britain” prior to any official release. The debut single created an enormous amount of excitement because of its sharp contrast to the dying Madchester scene and the grunge sound of the time. Suede were further distinguished from their contemporaries by Anderson’s flamboyant looks and noticeably unique vocals, combined with Butler’s melodic guitar playing.
Surprisingly given the amount of press exposure the band had received, The Drowners featuring two strong b-sides in My Insatiable One (later famously covered by Morrissey in concerts) and To The Birds - was only a moderate hit. Success would only come with the follow-up singles Metal Mickey (written about Daisy Chainsaw/QueenAdreena frontwoman Katie Jane Garside) and Animal Nitrate, both of which reached the UK Top 20 on release a few months later.
Their first album Suede became the fastest selling debut since Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Welcome To the Pleasuredome and was catapulted onto the charts after a breakthrough performance on the 1993 BRIT Awards. Featuring heavily-layered production by Ed Buller, the album showed influences from The Smiths, David Bowie, and many other glam rockers, but managed to filter and blend them together, creating its own trademark sound. However, the fan hysteria that surrounded Suede in Britain would be shortlived, and never duplicated by the American public.
Their American success was limited, despite securing a tour slot with the Cranberries, who had support from MTV. Moreover, a lounge singer’s lawsuit forced the band to stop using the trademarked American name “Suede” (a fate also suffered by fellow UK band The Charlatans/The Charlatans UK). For the North American market, the band would release all of their future albums under the moniker The London Suede.
Some possible factors cited to explain the band’s lack of U.S. success are their quasi-androgynous look and distinct British sound, both of which might have alienated North American audiences. Despite this, the band retained a cult following in the U.S. Following the release of their debut album, the band began work on their highly anticipated follow up single and album in late 1993 and much of 1994. The hectic schedule the band was facing hinted the problems that were soon to come.
In February of 1994, the band released the single “Stay Together”, which as well as being a massive critical success, also became their highest charting at the time, reaching number three. Despite their growing profile, tensions within the band mounted as they began working on the second album. Anderson and Butler fought constantly; a major issue was the production of the album (again done by Ed Buller). Things reached a head when Bernard Butler quit the band altogether in the middle of the recording sessions, leaving behind tapes containing his ideas for the songs that had been written. The remainder of the guitar work on the album was reputedly completed (depending on the source) either by studio musicians or Brett Anderson himself.
When Dog Man Star (1994) finally appeared, its sales were generally sluggish, though the album was critically acclaimed. The record was vastly different sounding than the band’s debut. It featured a large sound, backed by strings and a horn section in much of it. The year that Blur’s Parklife and Oasis’ Definitely Maybe were fighting for pop supremacy, Suede explored darker territory with Dog Man Star. Their image, however, was tainted by the departure of Butler, as they searched for someone to fill his undeniably large shoes.
The vacancy was soon filled by 17 year-old guitarist Richard Oakes (initially nicknamed by the UK music press as “Little Dickie”) before an international tour to promote the album. Many critics and fans alike had their doubts about the ability of the band to move on without Bernard Butler, who was an integral part of the band’s songwriting. However, the band broadened their sound when they were joined by keyboardist and backing vocalist Neil Codling in the making of their third album, Coming Up (1996). This would be the album which gained the group their most mainstream success. The first single from the album, “Trash” was immensely popular and tied with “Stay Together” as the group’s highest charting UK single, reaching number 3.
The album was a hit throughout Europe, Asia and Canada, but still not in the U.S. It did, however, answer those who questioned whether Anderson and company could produce another hit without Butler. Suede had again changed sound drastically; Coming Up featured more of a glam tinted pop/rock sound, as opposed to the darker elements that the previous albums had showcased. Reviews were again mixed, but the album topped the UK chart and became the band’s biggest-selling release. The band was finally getting the mass video and radio play that they lacked during the Dog Man Star period and in many ways fulfilling the hype that characterized much of the early part of their career. The album brought the band five straight top 10 singles, a remarkable feat by any standards.
The band’s next venture was a collection of b-sides and rarities entitled Sci-Fi Lullabies, which charted well for such a compilation, reaching #9 on the UK chart. The band were well respected for their b-sides, which were often regarded by critics and fans as being equal to or exceeding the quality of the a-sides they backed.
By the time the compilation was released in 1997, though, the Britpop movement was noticeably waning in popularity, and the band had decided to split with long-time producer Ed Buller before commencing work on their follow up to Coming Up.
Despite being backed by the popular lead single “Electricity”, Suede’s fourth album, Head Music (1999) was something of a critical disappointment, though it once again took the band to number one on the album charts. A synth-infused album that focused less on guitar riffs and more on keyboards, it was produced by Steve Osborne, who had worked with Happy Mondays and New Order. Critical opinion was sharply divided; many felt the record was too shallow and lacking in substance, while others thought the album was the group again taking a different direction and charting new territory.
The next three singles released from the album failed to crack the top 10, breaking a run stretching back to 1995’s “New Generation”. The b-sides for the singles were also arguably not up to par with their usual standard, which hinted at the drying up of the creative well. Anderson also began being criticized more by fans for his often use of redundant vocabulary and limited lyrical themes. Despite this, even with their drop in mainstream popularity, the band still maintained a large core group of fans.
Not long after the release of Head Music, Nude Records effectively ceased to exist. Like many of their labelmates, Suede ended up signing to Nude’s parent company/distributor Sony to record their fifth album, A New Morning (2002). The long and troubled gestation of the album saw keyboardist Neil Codling leave the band, citing chronic fatigue syndrome, to be replaced by long-time band associate Alex Lee, formerly of Strangelove.
In concerts, Lee played second guitar, as well as keyboards, backing vocals and, at one point, harmonica. The album title, according to Anderson, referred to “a fresh start, a new band and a new fresh outlook” - the singer had reportedly been addicted to heroin and crack cocaine for a number of years by this time, which was having an increasingly deleterious effect on his health. He was quoted at the time as saying “we’ve all cleaned up our drug problems …which is nice.”
Despite the rejuvenation of the group’s health, the album was a commercial disappointment and failed to crack the top 20. Produced by “big name” Britpop producers John Leckie (who famously produced The Stone Roses’ debut LP, as well as records for Radiohead and Muse) and Stephen Street (most famous for his work with The Smiths and Blur), A New Morning was considered a solid enough outing by fans of the band, but critical reaction was decidedly lukewarm and the mainstream public interest had long disappeared. Only two singles, “Positivity” and “Obsessions,” were released from the album, the fewest singles taken from any of the band’s albums, and neither charted particularly well.
In Autumn 2003, after the release of their Singles compilation album and accompanying single “Attitude”, Suede played five nights at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts, dedicating each night to one of their five albums and playing through an entire album a night – with B-sides and rarities as encores – in chronological order. After these shows, the band announced there would be no more projects under the Suede name for the foreseeable future – effectively announcing the end of the band.
Their last concert at London’s Astoria on December 13, 2003 was a two-and-a-half hour marathon show, split into two parts (plus encore) with the first part being “songs we want to play”. Brett made an announcement that “there will be another Suede album” to everyone’s delight, but added “…but not yet”. “See you in the next life” was their closing remark.
Following persistent rumours, the boss of the band's former label, Nude Records' Saul Galpern officially announced on 15 January 2010 that Suede would be playing together again. "It's [for] a one-off gig," he explained of the show, which featured the band's second incarnation. The band played London's Royal Albert Hall as part of the 2010 Teenage Cancer Trust shows on 24 March 2010. Despite the gig initially being billed as a one night only reformation, when questioned on German radio station MotorFM in early February, Anderson refused to confirm that the band wouldn't continue. The band subsequently announced two UK 'warm up' gigs prior to the Royal Albert Hall show, at the 100 Club in London and the Ritz in Manchester. The trio of gigs were very well-received by critics, including a glowing two-page review in the NME.
Appearances at the Smukfest festival in Denmark on 7 August, Parkenfestivalen in Bodø, Norway on 21 August, the O2 Arena in London on 7 December and a mini European tour covering Belgium, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany have since been confirmed. Although the band have so far refused all media request for interviews and it is unconfirmed whether the band will work on new material together, it has been reported in the press that a new record deal with Warner Music Group is on the table.
On 22 September 2010 the band has announced a new compilation album The Best of Suede, to be released on 1st November.]
Suede continued to perform in 2011. After they had completed their biggest show ever at London's O2 Arena, Brett confirmed that Suede were in the mood for more shows. They have performed at various festivals all over the world, including Blackberry's Live & Rockin' Festival on 19 March 2011, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on 16 April 2011 and the SOS 4.8 Festival in Murcia, Spain on 7 May 2011. They played Latitude Festival in Suffolk on 17 July 2011. The Berlin Festival is the last date Suede were pencilled in for. They played Berlin on 9 September 2011. This directly followed the Asian tour in August.
In June 2011, following on from the success of the compilation album, the band released remastered and expanded editions of all five studio albums. They also performed their albums Suede, Dog Man Star and Coming Up at London's O2 Brixton Academy over three nights on 19, 20 and 21 May 2011,[92] and at Dublin's Olympia Theatre on May 24, 25 and 26.
Suede embarked on a full Asian tour where they played Jisan, Singapore, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Osaka and Tokyo. The band commenced their eight-date tour in late July in Jisan, South Korea and finished up at the Summer Sonic festival in Tokyo, Japan on 14 August 2011.
They then performed in Athens on 11 September 2011, and wrapped up their touring commitments in Russia on 16 and 18 December 2011 where they showcased new songs "Falling Planes", "The Only", "Someone Better", "I Don't Know Why", "Cold War", "Future Nightmare" and "Sabotage".
Suede began recording a new album with Ed Buller in 2012 and Brett Anderson stated that of the songs showcased in Russia, only "Sabotage" was thus far in contention. He also stated that the album sounding like, "...probably like some artist on some drug, engaged in a game of quoits with some other artist on another drug. You can adopt your own journalistic cliche if you haven't grown up yet."
On 3 December 2012 Suede announced on their official website a "Brand new album out spring 2013".
There is another artist with the same name:
2. Suede is a lounge singer from Baltimore, Maryland. She sued the British rock band in 1993, resulting in music from the group being released under the name "The London Suede" in the US.
New Generation
Suede Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Screaming my name through the astral plane
And in this catalog town she takes me down
Down through the platinum spires
Down through the telephone wires
And we shake it around in the underground
And like a new generation rise
And like all the boys in all the cities
I take the poison take the pity
But she and I we soon discovered
We'd take the pills to find each other
Oh but when she is calling here in my head
Can you hear her calling
And what she has said?
Oh but when she is calling here in my head
It's like a new generation calling
Can you hear it call?
And I'm losing myself, losing myself to you
I wake up every day, to find her back again
Breeding disease on her hands and knees
While the styles turn and the books still burn
Yes it's there in the platinum spires
It's there in the telephone wires
And we spread it around to a techno sound
But like a new generation rise
'Cause like all the boys in all the cities
I take the poison, take the pity
But she and I we soon discover
We take the pills to find each other
Oh but when she is calling here in my head
Can you hear her calling?
And what she has said?
Oh but when she is calling here in my head
It's like a new generation calling
Can you hear her call?
And I'm losing myself, losing myself to you
In Suede's New Generation, the lyrics describe a lost love who is always on the singer's mind, even when waking up each day. The woman is described as screaming the singer's name through the "astral plane," perhaps referencing a spiritual or supernatural connection. Despite their separation, the singer and the woman share a bond that is both physical and emotional. The platinum spires and telephone wires appear to be symbols of modern technology, and the singer suggests that their love is spread through a "techno sound." As the song progresses, the singer admits to taking "the poison" and "the pity" like all the other boys in the cities, but ultimately finds solace in a relationship that requires pills to maintain.
The theme of a lost love is common in Suede's music, and New Generation is no exception. However, the lyrics take on a more nuanced perspective, exploring the ways in which modern technology and drugs impact relationships. The song's imagery is both visceral and surreal, blending physical reality with supernatural metaphors. Ultimately, the singer seems to be grappling with the idea of losing himself to this woman, whether through drugs or a greater emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up every day to see her back again
Every morning, I wake up to find that she's still on my mind.
Screaming my name through the astral plane
She's like a ghostly presence that I can feel, even when she's not physically there.
And in this catalog town she takes me down
Even in this small, ordinary town, being haunted by her brings me to my knees.
Down through the platinum spires
Her influence and presence are everywhere, in the highest and most powerful places.
Down through the telephone wires
She can reach me even through technology, bridging the physical and digital world.
And we shake it around in the underground
Together, we're rebellious and subversive, shaking up the status quo and challenging authority.
And like a new generation rise
We're part of something bigger, a new era of youth and culture that's shaking up the old order.
And like all the boys in all the cities
I'm just one of many young men who are lost, confused, and searching for meaning.
I take the poison, take the pity
I'm numbing myself and wallowing in self-pity, unable to cope with the pain and confusion of growing up.
But she and I, we soon discovered
Together, we found a connection and a sense of belonging that we couldn't find alone.
We'd take the pills to find each other
We're searching for each other and for a sense of identity and purpose, even if it means taking dangerous or unhealthy risks.
Oh but when she is calling here in my head
Even without physical contact, the thought of her can be overwhelming and all-consuming.
Can you hear her calling?
She's reaching out, trying to connect with me on a deeper level.
And what she has said?
She's communicating something important, but I'm not always sure what it is.
Breeding disease on her hands and knees
She's dangerous and destructive, willing to do whatever it takes to survive and thrive.
While the styles turn and the books still burn
Despite cultural and technological advances, some things never change - like the burning desire for passion and connection.
Yes it's there in the platinum spires
Even in the highest and most exclusive levels of society, people yearn for meaning and connection.
And we spread it around to a techno sound
We take our message and our culture to the masses, using technology and pop culture to connect with them.
'Cause like all the boys in all the cities
We're all trying to find our place in the world, struggling with confusion and loneliness and pain.
I take the poison, take the pity
I'm still struggling to find my way, feeling lost and alone.
But she and I, we soon discover
Together, we can find a sense of comfort and understanding that we can't find alone.
We take the pills to find each other
We're willing to risk everything to find each other and to find ourselves.
It's like a new generation calling
We're part of an emerging culture and youth movement that's shaking up the old order and creating something new.
And I'm losing myself, losing myself to you
With her, I'm able to let go of my inhibitions and my fears and to be my true self, to lose myself in the moment and the connection.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRETT ANDERSON, BERNARD BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thevoid99
"dog man star", one of the best albums of the last 20 years.
@carlosaparicio9209
New Generation...The best generation, 90's
@albertoperezmontana5554
Of course ... The BEST
@KurtFuller
Suede have a lot of amazing songs, but this one is my favourite.
@davidadams2395
Brett has a beautifully affected voice.
@FrengerousHq
true..but i love jarvis more
@yazzymin5558
'I'm loosing myself to you.'
Such simple yet beautiful lyrics.
@russschofield9486
have you got a mum called joanne?
@TheGrandmasterMan
exactly, simple lyrics...now Bretts songs are just too wordy & elaborate....
@scottlawson1969
Suede Rock they are the greatest Brit pop band there ever was.