Drawing from glam rock and post-punk, Suede were labeled "The Best New Band in Britain" by Melody Maker in 1992,[1] attracting significant attention from the British music press.
The recording sessions for their second album, Dog Man Star, were tumultuous, ending with guitarist and songwriter Bernard Butler leaving after conflicts with the other members.
[4] Together with Anderson's childhood friend Mat Osman, they believed they had the foundation for a band and spent hours daily playing songs by Roxy Music, The Smiths, David Bowie, and The Cure.
[13] In June 1990, Suede found a permanent drummer, Simon Gilbert, through Ricky Gervais, who initially worked in the music industry and managed the band before turning to comedy.
"[17] Through late 1991 and early 1992, Suede received a number of favorable mentions in the music press, landing slots at shows hosted by NME and attended by prominent figures, including former Smiths singer Morrissey.
Galpern was determined to sign the band for the long term and struck a deal with Sony, making the label a small independent with major company backing.
[27] Anderson soon became notorious for causing controversy, such as his infamous quote that resurfaced in interviews and articles in subsequent years: he was "a bisexual man who never had a homosexual experience.
"[9] In February 1993, Suede transitioned from a highly touted indie band to major chart contenders with their third single, "Animal Nitrate," which entered the UK top ten.
[19][27] Suede entered the British charts at number one, registering the biggest initial sales for a debut album since Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Welcome to the Pleasuredome a decade earlier.
In July, Suede held a benefit concert for the Red Hot Organization at "The Grand" in London, inviting Siouxsie Sioux to perform a version of Lou Reed's "Caroline Says" with Butler.
[55] Even before Dog Man Star was released, bassist Mat Osman told Select magazine in September 1994 that he wanted to move on from the regimented recording process and expansive, multi-layered guitar sounds of that era and focus on more radio-friendly pop music, citing "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.
[9] The tour was further complicated by problems in Boston, Massachusetts, where the band's music equipment was stolen, forcing them to play the remaining shows with acoustic guitars.
[42][58] By the time the compilation was released in 1997, the Britpop movement was clearly losing momentum, and the band had chosen to part ways with their longtime producer, Ed Buller, before beginning work on the follow-up to Coming Up.
While the album received heavy promotion and substantial financial backing, and garnered near-universal critical acclaim from the UK music press,[59] the consensus among people close to the band was a feeling that things were not quite right.
[65] The long and troubled gestation of the new album saw keyboard player Codling leave the band, citing chronic fatigue syndrome, to be replaced by Alex Lee, formerly of Strangelove.
"[80] Anderson also made a personal statement, saying, "There has been speculation about record sales and chart positions, but the bottom line is I need to do whatever it takes to get my demon back.
[84] Despite the gig initially being billed as a one-night-only reformation, when questioned on the German radio station MotorFM in early February, Anderson refused to confirm that the band would not continue.
[85] 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.
Suede embarked on a full Asian tour, which began in late July at the Jisan, South Korea, and concluded at the Summer Sonic festival in Tokyo, Japan, on 14 August 2011.
The band 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 such as "Falling Planes," "The Only," "Someone Better," "I Don't Know Why," "Cold War," "Future Nightmare," and "Sabotage."
In 2012, Suede began recording a new album with Ed Buller, and Brett Anderson stated that of the songs showcased in Russia, only "Sabotage" was under consideration at that point.
[99] On 7 September 2015, the band announced that their new album, Night Thoughts, would be released on 22 January 2016, alongside a feature film directed by photographer Roger Sargent.
The feature-length documentary delves into the highs and lows of Suede's career, offering unprecedented access, new interviews, and unseen footage from the band's archive.
A significant part of Suede's legacy lies in their role in kickstarting the Britpop scene, which eventually overshadowed the band's own achievements in the public mind.
Alexis Petridis wrote in 2005, "These days, rock historians tend to depict Suede's success as a kind of amuse bouche (appetizer) before the earth-shattering arrival of Britpop's main course.
With their glam rock style and musical references to urban Britain, Suede paved the way for acts such as Oasis, Blur, and Pulp to enter the British mainstream.
[22] Even beyond their own shores, American heavy metal personality Eric Greif declared that Suede "reinvented and repackaged glam in a creative way, and how refreshing that was as a counterpoint to the drab grunge of the time.
"[32] In a 2007 article in The Telegraph, Bernadette McNulty wrote that while the frontmen of those bands "are all being bestowed with reverential status, Brett Anderson has become the lost boy of Britpop".
Kele Okereke, lead singer of the London band Bloc Party, said he started making music because of Suede's Dog Man Star, calling it "the first record [he] fell in love with".
"[130] Christopher Owens of the Californian indie pop group Girls named Suede as one of his major influences, and his vocal style has been compared to that of Anderson.