Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation; BBC journalist Mark Savage called him "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 and is often seen performing with a 1961 cherry red Gibson ES-355 TD SV with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece.
Butler performing live with The Tears at the Roskilde Festival 2005
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.
Suede performing at the Royal Albert Hall, March 2010 From left to right: Brett Anderson, Richard Oakes, Neil Codling, Mat Osman and Simon Gilbert.
Bernard Butler (shown here during a live performance with the Tears in 2005), left Suede in 1994 due to growing tensions between him and lead vocalist Brett Anderson, with whom he finally made amends in 2003.
Suede in Thailand, 1997. Left from right: Simon Gilbert, Richard Oakes, Mat Osman, Neil Codling and Brett Anderson.
Suede performing at the Lokerse Festival in Belgium in 2012.
