Suede (band)

Suede is a Britpop band, formed in the 1990s by bassist Mat Osman[?] and singer Brett Anderson[?]. They soon added guitarist Bernard Butler - recruited through an advert in NME - and Justine Frischmann[?], signing to RML Records[?], an indie label from Brighton. With Mike Joyce[?] filling in as drummer, Suede's first recording was "Be My God"/"Art", which was scrapped before its release due to a dispute with the label. With Simon Gilbert[?] as drummer, Suede signed to Nude Records[?] and Frischmann departed, eventually forming Elastica.

Suede's first single "The Drowners" was released amid an "alternative" media frenzy, and was a moderate hit, though surpassed by "Metal Mickey" and "Animal Nitrate" a few months later. Their debut album Suede[?] cemented the band's popularity. Their American success was, however, limited, as they were touring with the Cranberries, who had video support from MTV. Moreover, a lounge singer's lawsuit forced the band to go by the London Suede in the US. Inter-band tensions also mounted as they began working on the second album. Anderson and Butler were fighting constantly, and in the end Butler left before Dog Man Star[?] (1994) was released. Though sales were sluggish, the album was critically acclaimed.

Butler was replaced by Richard Oakes[?] before an international tour to promote the album; the band were then also joined by keyboardist and backing vocalist Neil Codling in the making of perhaps the album that gained the most mainstream success, Coming Up[?] (1996). The album was a hit throughout the Europe, Asia and Canada, but still not in the United States. Their next album, Head Music[?] (1999) was generally considered a disappointment, and Suede parted company with Nude Records, signing instead to Sony to record their fifth album A New Morning[?] (2002). This album saw Neil Codling leave the band, citing chronic fatigue syndrome, to be replaced by long-time band associate Alex Lee. In concerts Lee now plays second guitar, as well as keyboards, backing vocals and, at one point, the harmonica.