3 years after Suede’s Headmusic Asian Tour, I finally get to catch suede live performance for the second time in Singapore. Many suede fans in Malaysia were not aware of this private showcase. It was only mentioned in one of our local music magazine and I was informed by a friend who read the magazine and later on my friends in Singapore call me up to notify me about the private showcase. I pre-ordered a copy of suede latest single ‘Positivity’ from the up coming album ‘A New Morning’ and was entitled to a free pass to catch suede private showcase at MediaCorp Studio 1 Caldecott Broadcast Centre.

It took me 4 hours bus ride from my hometown in Malaysia to reach Singapore and another 3 hours wandering around the city before heading to MediaCorp Studio 1. I reached there sharp at 6pm and meet up with 3 of my buddies (Ray, Niven and Jett) there. Just like myself they are also suede fans since 1993. We have to queue up for almost 2 hours before entering the studio, but it was worthwhile. The queue line stretch from the parking lot until the entrance gate of MediaCorp Studio. The crowd was separated into 2 queues, those with green suede button pin pass and blue button pin pass. Things start to become chaotic when the organizer didn’t give the crowd proper instruction on which floor is the studio located. I can see people going down and up the stairs and people rushing into the lift without knowing which floor to go.

It was almost 8pm and we were still lost in the building. Fear starts to build inside me and my buddies, we though we going to miss our chance to catch suede’s showcase. In the end finally we managed to find the studio but we only managed to get the rear seating. Thank God we managed to find the place before the showcase starts. The first thing that I notice when I got into the studio was the stage settings. I can see colourful long curtains hanging at the back of the stage and white lanterns on top of the stage. 2 acoustic guitars and an electric bass guitar resting on its individual guitar stand, a keyboard and a drum kit. I guess from the stage settings everyone knows that suede is going to play an acoustic set that night.

We were instructed by the MC to switch off our cell phone and no camera flash during the showcase because they are going to do a recording of the whole showcase. After the studio has been filled up with suede enthusiasts, the MC ask the crowd to give suede a warm welcome once we see any of the suede member come on the stage. Well I guess he don’t have to ask us to do that, because I bet most of they people there that night are suede fans and they have been waiting for 3 years to catch a glimpse of Brett and the lads in person. They will definitely give suede a warm welcome even without being prompt to.

The moment that everyone has been waiting for…Brett walks from the backstage to his position on the stage and adjust the mic stand. As expected the crowd cheer and claps their hands welcoming Suede to “the endless Asia.” Brett is in a very good form. He looks “clean” and healthy…in one of his most recent interview he told the interviewer that he has quit smoking and drinking. I think he’s not lying coz I can see muscles tone on his arms and he has gained some weight on his body…he’s no longer the skinny lad that you see in ‘Beautiful Ones’ mtv. Alex and Richard follows, they grabbed their guitar and sat on their own tall wooden chair. Brett stands in between Alex and Richard. Alex was seated on Brett’s right hand side while Richard on the left. The 3 lads were clad in black. Alex and Richard wearing black shirt while Brett in black body tight t-shirt the same design as the one he wore during 1999 gig at the Harbour Pavilion. Richard spotting a short hair cut and looks like he gained some weight too. Alex proved that he’s not just simply a replacement for Neil Codling, but as a member of suede that plays an important role in the band.

He brought new life into the band with his guitar playing and backing vocals unlike Neil who is more like a good looking mannequin on display during the 1999 Head Music tour. Alex even played lead guitar on ‘Everything Will Flow’. I guess Richard must very pleased to have a guitar partner in the band.

The 3 of them started the showcase with ‘Simon’ while Mat Osman and Simon Gilbert were still at the backstage. The crowd clapped and cheered after every song that suede played that night. Brett looked very happy throughout the showcase and he was even in the joking mood. At the beginning of the showcase Brett jokingly asked “So who’s from Singapore here? Wow, there are many of you here tonight.” I wanted to shout out loud “Hey I’m from Malaysia!!!” but I didn’t…I bet it will make me look silly hehehee. Malaysian fans have always been the underdog… I wonder if suede knows that we exist heehe.

Mat (dressed in a maroon color shirt and jeans) and Simon (dressed in a white shirt and jeans) came on stage to join Brett, Richard and Alex for the second song of the night ‘Positivity’. Although this is a new track but the crowd seems to like the song a lot.

The crowd went wild when suede starts to play familiar tunes such as Everything Will Flow and The Wild Ones. These songs sounded great even on an acoustic set. Suede played another 3 songs from their up coming album, ‘Untitled’, ‘When The Rain Falls’ and ‘Oceans’. Right after ‘When The Rain Falls’ the rest of the band members left the stage to allow Brett to perform ‘Oceans’ on acoustic guitar. Brett joked “They are going out for ciggy coz they are part timers” referring to the other band members. After delivering a beautiful solo performance on ‘Oceans’, Brett told the crowd that suede will play more songs if we cheer hard enough.

The crowd were still thirsty for Suede tunes and this leads to loud cheering and hand claps prompting for an encore!!!. Obviously suede won’t disappoint their beloved Asian fans heeheheh… they returned to the stage to deliver another 4 songs for encore. Brett took the mic and said “This is the first time we going to do this song on acoustic…most probably it will sound like shit”…..rite after that the band continue the showcase with ‘Trash’…yeah we are lucky to get to see suede perform ‘Trash’ unplugged!!! This song is no stranger to the crowd…everyone clapped their hands and sang along to it. Right after ‘Trash’ the band continues to rock the night with ‘Lazy’…the camera zoom into Simon’s direction during the drum intro to ‘Lazy’. We can see Simon were soaking wet with sweats while bashing the drums from the TV monitor near the place where we were seated.

After playing songs from ‘Coming Up’ album, Brett told the crowd that they going to play a song that they have not played for quite some time from the album Dog Man Star. They crowd started screaming and looking at the enthusiasm shown by the crowd, Brett jokingly said “Our worst album” and the crowd laughed including me. Unfortunately the showcase has to come to an end after only an hour coz the lads have a plane to catch. The end the showcase with a beautiful rendition of ‘She’s In Fashion’ with Alex Lee and Richard Oakes singing background vocals. Brett prompted the crowd to raise and claps their hands during the end of the song and sings along to “The sunshine will blow my mind and the wind blows my brain”….As a consolation to the crowd before they leave the stage, Brett said they would be back for “a proper concert”.

Set list :

1. Simon
2. Positivity
3. Everything Will Flow
4. Wild Ones
5. Untitled (Keyboard – Alex)
6. Saturday Night
7. When The Rain Falls (Keyboard – Richard)
8. Oceans

(Encore)

9. Trash
10. Lazy
11. The Power
12. She’s In Fashion

(Backing vocals – Alex Lee & Richard Oakes)

It was a good experience and I was happy coz I get to meet my fellow suede fanatics from Singapore, Irah and Ain. I think MTV should consider giving Suede a slot in MTV Unplugged. I bet Suede will definitely be among the best band ever to play an acoustic set on MTV. I hope that the suede team recorded the amazing suede showcase and will make the recording as a part of freebies given to suede fan club members.

A New Morning

The album that suppose to launch Suede back up to the pedestal of British indie rock scene and dethrone acts such as Travis and Coldplay from their reign. They have proved themselves worthy in filling up the void while Suede was back in the studio working with producer Tony Hoffer to come up with an exceptional and unique folksy rock album. Unfortunely things just don’t work out between Tony Hoffer and the band. Maybe there’s just not enough ‘Chemistry Between’ them, as the band claimed that the materials that the have produced with Tony Hoffer is just not up to the band’s standard.

As a result, what we suedeheads get instead is the product of Suede with producer Stephen Street who is famous for producing Blur’s album. Yeah the band that was once Suede’s arch enemy. If you are anticipating to hear something like stuff in Dog Man Star…..then you will be really heartbroken. Long gone is the melodramatic and gothic vibe in Suede. The only track that come close to the Dog Man Star era is ‘Lost In TV’, a reminiscence of ‘The Wild Ones’. If u still have the thirst for melodramatic and gothic tunes….i suggest you dig for The Cure’s back catalogs, because that’s what i do.

The reason is because the band claimed that they have a more positive persepctive towards life and the new songs are more upbeat, hence the title of their first single from ANM – Positivity. The outstanding tracks in this latest effort by Suede are Obessions, One Hit To The Body, Lost In TV and Lonely Girls. Majority of the tracks in this album is kind of mellow and makes you wonder what happened to the raw guitar twang and tunes that makes Brett’s slaps his arse.

Well people move on… and it looks like Brett is in love again … in track such as Morning….and When The Rain Falls…and the hidden track Oceans.. it seems like Brett is serenading his love ones. Do not fear, as Suede is still capable of belting out some kick ass tunes such as Obsessions. A detailed description of a man’s observation of his woman accompanied by Alex Lee’s wailing harmonica and groovy guitar riff by Richard Oakes. Mat’s sexy guitar basslines and Simon’s heart stomping skin bashing will help you move your body as u immerse your soul into this song. ANM is a “drugs and alcohol free” album ..that’s what the band claimed. For once lets enjoy the sensitive side of the Suede.

Track listing :

Asia release (Limited Edition)

1. Positivity
2. Obsessions
3. Lonely Girls
4. Lost In TV
5. Astrogirl
6. Beautiful Loser
7. Street Life
8. Untitled
9. Morning
10. One Hit To The Body
11. When The Rain Falls
12. Bonus Track : You Belong To Me
13. Oceans (Hidden Track)

Head Music

3 years after the release of the hugely successful album ‘Coming Up’, Suede returns to take over the indie scene crown with Headmusic. This album continues from where they stop in Coming Up. The style in these 2 albums is almost similar..this time with more effects and electronic sounds…thanks to Neil Codling and Steve Osborne?? The guitar works by Richard Oakes in this album is also mixed into strange sounds by Steve Osborne. Sometimes it’s hard for me to differentiate between the sounds of the keyboard and guitar in this album. Headmusic is not an ordinary rock album. It has a little bit mixture of electronica and indie rock. Once again Suede moves one step ahead of other bands in UK, by taking the risk in experimenting with new sounds in HeadMusic. Will HeadMusic be the pioneer of rock album for the next millenium?

The first single Electricity opens for HeadMusic with Richard’s punk guitar riff and Mat’s heavy basslines. After a long wait..fans of Suede are happy to hear Brett’s falsetto vocal again. She’s in fashion a radio friendly song, is the song by Suede that receives most airplays in Malaysia. Can’t Get enough 3rd Single from HeadMusic is a favourite among the fans. It is a great song to warm up the fans during gigs. The fans in Singapore gig (30th September 1999)were pogo-ing when Suede kicked off the gig with Can’t Get Enough. Another excellent track from HeadMusic is Everything Will Flow. A ballad that will make everyone humming or whistle to its tunes during shower.

She’s In Fashion, Everything Will Flow and Indian Strings have the oriental sound in them. These songs will definately become favourites among Suede huge fan base in Asia. Track such as Down and He’s Gone will reminds us of the b-sides in Sci-fi Lullabies. These 2 songs will be able to calm down some fans who thinks that Suede is morphing into electronica or pop band. Again HeadMusic helps Suede to gain more new fans..especially teenagers. But will HeadMusic help Suede retains its cult followers from the Love And Poison era?

Track listing :

1. Electricity
2. Savoire Faire
3. Can’t Get Enough
4. Everything Will Flow
5. Down
6. She’s In Fashion
7. Abestos
8. Head Music
9. Elephant Man
10. Hi-Fi
11. Indian Strings
12. He’s Gone
13. Crack In The Union Jack

Sci-fi Lullabies

This is a double CD collection of their B-sides from their first album until the recent one. This album is really worth buying and you will not regret spending a little bit more of your pocket money for this double CD. In disc 1 all the songs are from the days when Benard is still in the band. For fans who just join the Suede bandwagon from the Coming Up album, this is an opportunity for them to experience the sound of Benard’s guitar playing. Actually I like all the songs in this album, but still everybody have their own favourite. My favourite songs in CD 1 are, The Insatiable One, The Living Dead, My Dark Star, Killing of A Flashboy, Whipsnade, Modern Boys and Europe Is Our Playground.

As you put in the second disc and press the ‘PLAY’ button, you will enter the era of Suede. With Richard Oakes and Neil Codling joining the band after Benard’s sudden departure from the band. From here you can hear the slight changes in their music. With Neil Codling in the band, they used his talent to experiment with new sounds. You can hear a lot of keyboard effects in this CD such as song like W.S.D. In song like Sadie is where I think Richard’s talent really shows. Just listen to the guitar solo and you will understand what I mean. My favourite songs in CD 2 are, The Sound Of The Street, Money, Sadie, Jumble Sales Mum, These Are The Sad Songs, Graffiti Women and Duchess.

Overall all the songs in this collection of B-sides are great. Give it a try and maybe you will find your favourite songs here. This album is given a lot of good reviews by a lot of magazines such as Select. It is stated in the review in the magazine ( November Issue page 119 ) saying that ‘this is truly as good as any greatest hits albums’. The magazine give this album 4 points out of 5 which really good. I also remember reading a quote from a magazine saying that this is the only collection of B-sides album that is worth buying this decade.

Track listing :

CD1.
1. My Insatiable One
2. To The Birds
3. Where The Pigs Don’t Fly
4. He’s Dead
5. The Big Time
6. High Rising
7. The Living Dead
8. My Dark Star
9. Killing Of A Flash Boy
10. Whipsnade
11. Modern Boys
12. Together
13. Bentswood Boys
14. Europe Is Our Playground

CD2.
1. Every Monday Morning Comes
2. Have You Ever Been This Low?
3. Another No One
4. Young Men
5. The Sound Of The Streets
6. Money
7. W.S.D.
8. This Time
9. Jumble Sale Mums
10. These Are The Sad Songs
11. Sadie
12. Graffiti Women
13. Duchess

Coming Up

After a long hiatus from the music scene, Suede returns with another great album in 1996 entitled Coming Up. This album is the most diverse from their previous releases. The concept of this album is more towards pop. Some says that this is the best album from the band so far. Although the concept is different from the previous albums but the fans still love it. This album also help the band to gain many new fans.

As soon as your spin this album, the first song ‘Trash’ will have you heading towards the dance floor. With its catchy tunes you will be shaking your body to the ‘popular tunes’. Overall this album is good, among the few outstanding songs in this album are Lazy, The Beautiful Ones, Saturday Night, The Chemistry Between Us. Songs such as She, Filmstar and Starcrazy are some of the influence that we can see Richard and Neil brought into the band.

Track listing :

1. Trash
2. Filmstar
3. Lazy
4. By The Sea
5. She
6. The Beautiful Ones
7. Starcrazy
8. Picnic By The Motorway
9. The Chemistry Between Us
10. Saturday Night

Dog Man Star

Dog Man Star (DMS) is Suede’s second album that was eagerly awaited by the fans. Suede sure didn’t disappoint their fans. This is my all time favourite album by Suede. DMS comes with its own identity, different from the previous album. The concept of DMS is more ‘dark’ and melancholic. In this album you can hear a lot of string arrangements and orchestra in the background. DMS received a lot of good reviews from critics and some even compares it with ‘Sergeant Pepper’ by the Beatles. DMS kicks off with an Indian mantra like song ‘Introducing The Band’ , here is where you will start to feel the mood of the album.

From my observation, most of the tracks in side-A are fast numbers while songs in side-B are slow songs. This album contains a lot of Suede’s greatest songs such as The Wild Ones, The Asphalt World, 2 Of Us and Still Life. One interesting fact about the cover of this album is, in Malaysia the cassette cover for this album doesn’t have the picture of the lying naked man. Yes….it ‘s true….believe it or not ? The bed is empty….maybe he went to the toilet huh …??

Track listing :

1. Introducing The Band
2. We Are The Pigs
3. Heroine
4. The Wild Ones
5. Daddy’s Speeding
6. The Power
7. New Generation
8. This Hollywood Life
9. The 2 Of Us
10. Black Or Blue
11. The Asphalt World
12. Still Life

Stay Together (EP)

This 6 tracks EP was released in US under the name The London Suede. But in UK and some other countries it was released as a single . In this CD you can listen to Bernard’s guitar playing skill at the “highest peak”. He played very well in this album, especially in Stay Together and My Dark Star. In my opinion I think Stay Together is one of the best song ever written by Brett Anderson and Bernard Bulter. But Brett and the rest of the band members claimed that the song received too much publicity. ‘Stay Together’ is Brett’s least favourite song

Both Brett and Bernard are marvellous partner in song writting. I love the horns and piano part in the unedited Stay Together. Brett’s vocal is excellent and brings the “life” into the songs. This CD is really worth buying, it is not easy to find a CD that almost 98% of the tracks is wonderful. Tracks like The Living Dead and My Dark Star also deserve credits.

Track listing :

1. Stay Together (Radio Edit)
2. The Living Dead
3. My Dark Star
4. Dolly
5. High Rising
6. Stay Together

Love And Poison

This is their self titled debut album that sold 100,000 copies in just 6 days! This was the time when Benard Butler is still in the band, he was the guitarist of Suede before he left the band during the recording of their second album ‘Dog Man Star’. Bernard was replaced by Richard Oakes. The music in this album is raw, with Benard’s guitar riffs and solos.

Most of the songs in this album are fast numbers except for Pantomime Horse, Sleeping Pills, Breakdown and The Next Life which is the mellower part of the band. These few songs proves that Suede is not only capable of delivering kick ass tunes
but also slow songs.

Track listing :

1. So Young
2. Animal Nitrate
3. She’s Not Dead
4. Moving
5. Pantomime Horse
6. The Drowners

7. Sleeping Pills
8. Breakdown
9. Metal Mickey
10. Animal Lover
11. The Next Life

Lost In TV - DVD

Have you ever faced problem getting or trading with your internet friends to get your hands on the collections of Suede videos?? Fail to bid for Suede VHS tape on EBay?? Now comes the answer to our problem…YES…i have this problem too! Hehe.. Grab you hands on ‘Lost In TV’ ! A collection of Suede 17 UK singles captured on DVD.

The DVD titled SUEDE: LOST IN TV contain videos , rare materials, footage and comments by members of Suede on the videos. The DVD comes with a option to sing along to the videos (karaoke). Another reason why you should grab this DVD is because it comes with a new song entitled “Simon” (from the film Far From China). Be among the first few people to listen to it!!

Suede - Mark II

They may be pioneers of the Britpop scene, but Suede are still relatively unknown in Malaysia. Until now, that is… Suede is not the most popular band in Malaysia. Not by a long shot. Malaysian teenagers favours boy groups like Westlife & Backstreet Boys, while R&B music ( Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Babyface, etc) has a huge 20- and 30-something following. American (so-called) alternative rock bands , like Goo Goo Dolls & Matchbox 20 don’t do too badly either, but what about British bands ? (Me- Nope, Daphne’s not exaggerating, it’s sad innit ? )

Well, there a few ‘enlightened’ souls in our fair land to whom Brit pop is not just a scene, but the scene. They’re the ones who read Q magazine & quote it verbatim , who reminisce (albeit hazily) about Glastonbury, who trim their sideburns to match those of Liam Gallagher (Me- ahem, I have yet to see those sideburns ), who (although they deny it) build CD altars to their god, Thom Yorke.

Galaxie is included in their number, & we not only think Suede is responsible for some of the best music ever recorded, but would happily bear a whole brood of children by lead vocalist, Brett Anderson. (Me- Now,now, enough Daphne. Not that we don’t want Anderson juniors, but what about the Gilberts ….ooooops, sorry, heh,heh, erm…Oakeses -heh, it’s very tricky to put a plural on his surname, Osmans , Codlings & oh, what the heck , Butlers ! Ha ha ha ha ! Just kidding there ! I’m just trying to tell Daphne that the rest of the band really matters too. She’s always worshiping Anderson alone ! Ahem, sorry for the outburst)

Just in case you’re going “Suede who ?! Brett who ?!” (shame on you !), here are the band’s essentials in a nutshell. There are five of them, namely the lovely Anderson, 32, on vocals (Me- See, I told you so !) Simon Gilbert, 34 on drums, Richard Oakes , 23, on lead guitar, Mat Osman on bass & Neil Codling , 26 on keyboards. Oakes & Codling joined after the departure of Bernard Butler who, along with Anderson, people reckon was responsible for Suede’s best material to date- songs like The Drowners, Animal Nitrate & Metal Mickey, We Are The Pigs, The Wild Ones & Still Life from the band’s first two albums,
Suede (1993) & Dog Man Star ( 1994 ).

The 3rd album, Coming Up (1996), remains Suede’s most commercially successful release, thanks in part to striking videos for singles like Beautiful Ones, Saturday Night & Lazy. In 1997, Suede released Sci-Fi Lullabies , a collection of B-sides; & their fans welcomed the band’s 4th studio album , Head Music, early this year. (Me- but late in Malaysia). Head Music is the only second album which belongs completely to Suede’s present line-up, with Anderson handling most of the songwriting, & Oakes & Codling contributing a fair bit.

In recent concerts, the band have made it a point not to perform songs from the first two albums. This, Anderson explains, is so Codling & Oakes won’t feel like they’re just doing covers, as they well might if the band dwelt on material that its two youngest members had no hand in writing & recording.

Anderson recently spoke to Galaxie about the band’s first ever gig in Malaysia, as well as the new album, & yes, we were babbling idiots for some days prior to & after the 45 minute-long chat that took place over the phone. We are happy to report, though, that Anderson is a thoroughly nice chap, & we are more than ever convinced that every music-loving Malaysian should go out & buy all Suede’s albums.

Daphne : How likely are we to see Suede perform in Malaysia this year, Brett ?

Brett : You’re very likely. We’re performing in Malaysia in… I’ve got the dates in front of me somewhere (sound of paper being shuffled & Brett humming)…. I think….Kuala Lumpur, yeah ? Yes, 11th of October.

Daphne : That’s great. The last time you were down these parts was in 1997, & you performed in Singapore.

Brett : Uh-huh, that’s right. What happened is, like lots of British bands, we’d been to Japan & that was about it. It’s actually thanks to the Manics (Manic Street Preachers)- they went out to Thailand & we toured with them, they said “You’ve got to go there, you’re gonna love it.” And we had such a good time (in Singapore) that we thought, let’s just try some of these places.

Daphne : When you performed in Singapore, were there any restrictions, did you have any guidelines to follow ?

Brett : Well, it’s funny ’cause they asked for a copy of the lyrics, which I must admit we slightly doctored (laughs) & we had to sign a contract saying we weren’t gonna come & overthrow the government or anything. It was strange ’cause we got there & everyone said ” You’re gonna have to watch it ’cause the crowd’s gonna be very quiet, it’s quite a repressed society.” And it was absolute mayhem, my favourite gig we’ve ever done. The crowd was fantastic. I could have played for 10 hours & that’s one of the reasons we’re coming to Malaysia, as well as Indonesia, I think. And we’re going to try to Taiwan & maybe Korea. (Note- They didn’t go to Taiwan because of the recent earthquake; Indonesia because of the political unrest & Malaysia because of Codling’s poor health. Not sure about Korea)

Daphne : And if you were told not to perform cetain songs or to change the lyrics, would you mind ?

Brett : It would really depend. If it was cutting out some swearing or something like that, then it would be fine. If we were told you can’t sing this song about gay sex or gay love, or politically because it doesn’t fit in with what we believe, that would be a different matter. The way most of our songs are couched though, most of the things are pretty deep down, not too explicit.

Daphne : For the song Savoir Faire, you sing killing machine instead of f***ing machine. So did you do two versions ?

Brett : Uh-huh. I did two versions for Britain because it’s a song we’re thinking of releasing as a single. The sad thing is that a killling machine is supposed to be better (laughs). It’s very strange; it says be a fighter, not a lover.

Daphne : Tell us a bit about the whole writing process for Head Music. Did it differ a lot from the previous albums ?

Brett : We kinda changed a little bit when we did Coming Up, but that was still a pretty rigid, classic way of songwriting. Before, Bernard ( Butler ) would write some music & give it to me, & I probably wouldn’t change it much; I’d usually write a song for it- I’d write the melody & the words. And then Simon & Mat would just fill it in, really.

With this one, we’d start off with something really simple like a verse or a drum pattern or a bass line, or something, & after a couple of days we’d work it up into a song, & it was a very different way of working. The results aren’t probably all that different because the kind of music I like doesn’t particularly change, but we came at it from a very different angle. In Head Music, the rhythm tracks, the drum ‘n’ bass, are more important than they ever were because we started there. Instead of starting with a song & working down, we started with a feel & worked up.

Daphne : How did Elephant Man get on the album ? Was Neil allocated a track or did it just happen ?
(Me- This is not an Anderson album, get it ? Everbody is free to write their own songs! & Oh, Elephant Man happens to be a good song ,too. )

Brett : No, not at all. We’d actually pretty much finished , & (were) just sitting around one day & he played a riff I liked. It turned out there was a whole song that came with it & everyone just went nuts for it straightaway. So, after sitting here & going on about how we organically built songs between us, it was the opposite; he came in with a tape & we recorded it the next day. It’s a dead simple song.

Daphne : What sort of life do you have away from music ?

Brett : Quite an ordinary one really. A lot of our time is taken up with the band & the music, but what isn’t , is really as ordinary as possible.

Daphne : What sort of non-music stuff do you like to do ? Do you like to read ?

Brett : I’m not really a reader at all. It was always one of the things I really liked about being in a band- we always used to get called ” British literate rock band, intellectual whatever “, but in reality I went through a period of maybe 15 years where I never picked up a book. I don’t have a very good attention span, but just over the last year or so, I started reading again. The rest of the band are all voracious readers & they would say, you should really read this or that. I’ve just read L’Etranger by Camus.

Daphne : Was it heavy going ?

Brett : Not at all. I can’t handle heavy books & the band gave it to me during the making of the album ’cause I’d been talking about very simple music, about musicians who manage to convey themselves very simply, who didn’t need orchestras & symphonies & stuff. They know I am a big fan of George Orwell who writes in a very simple, almost journalistic way & they said, you should read this ( the Camus).I loved it, was absolutely knocked out by it because it was…I don’t know…there’s no fat on it…it’s just lean meat. I found it totally compelling & I normally don’t with books. I normally just switch off…wanna put a record on.

Daphne : What are you listening at the moment ?

Brett : Everything. I’ve got piles & piles of stuff. I recently just discovered the Beastie Boys, which is a really strange thing, ’cause I never liked them at all. I’m now working my way back from Ill Communication; everything they ever released, so it’s a huge pile.It’s funny how it happens occasionally that there can be a band that you never liked & then it suddenly clicks & it’s great. It’s like the Super Furry Animals- I hated everything I’d heard by them at first, but I’ve loved them since that track, Play It Cool. & I listened to a lot of British artistes halfway between dance & rock.

Daphne : What about American bands ? What do you think about alternative-rock bands like Nirvana & all the rest that came after ?

Brett : Well, Nirvana I like. They are one of those strange bands with special soul, but I don’t particularly like that kind of music. And especially not the people who came after who had the same clothes, same producers, but not the same style. I do really like pop music, though.

Daphne : Even blatantly pop like the Backstreet Boys ? Yeah, there are a couple of BSB songs that I really like. I mean, obviously there’s a lot of it that is utterly crap, but a lot of American grunge is crap too & a lot of British indie is totally crap as well.

Daphne : Name me one crap British indie band.

Brett : I wouldn’t bother. It’s not even worth worrying about. There’re enough crappy bands around without me trying to promote them.

Daphne : Will you be covering a Backstreet Boys song in Malaysia ?

Brett : Yes, we will. We weren’t going to, but I’m now going to tell everyone that you demanded it. We’ll give you a quick blast of (sings) Backstreet’s Back, Alright ! (Me- cute !)

Daphne : We’ve read that you already know what the next album will be like. Any previews ?

Brett : Umm…well, I knew what this one was gonna be like, but I was wrong…I know I’d like the next one to be very simple. And a lot more aggressive- I really enjoyed making stuff like Can’t Get Enough- & I’d like it to be very sleek & funkier really, almost like the next logical step on from this one, y’know ? We just toured with R.E.M. & you know that song , Everbody Hurts ? I heard it every night for 5 nights & I can’t get over with the fact how ridiculously simple it is. You know, I could teach you to play it on the guitar in less than 10 minutes, but it’s still a beautiful song, & that , to me, seems to be almost the goal…to make something that almost everyone could play. Nothing show offish about it, very simple, but at the same time, incredibly moving.

For some people, a song isn’t about a simple, beautiful melody. They’re like, “That song’s just 4 chords over & over.” Something like She’s In Fashion is 2 chords, which is something we’d never done before. I think when you make your first record, it’s impossible not to want to show off. From our first record, we all wanted to show off, most of my lyrics are virtually incomprehensible, I think, if you live outside London; they’re actually probably totally incomprehensible ( laughs ), but there comes a point when you’re no longer 23 & you’re not really interested in impressing people anymore. When you get older you just want to communicate with people.

Dapne : Would Suede exist without you ?

Brett : Great question…yeah…it probably would. It actually formed with Mat…he was already in the band when he met me & Simon had been in loads of bands. I think it would be very different, but I think it would exist because when we came along there was a big Suede-shaped hole in British music. I think perhaps if I hadn’t been part of Suede, someone else eould be Suede; perhaps 5 completely different people.

Dapne : You’ve got a loyal fan base in Asia, but you’re still not as commercially successful as Oasis or Blur. Any ideas why this is so ? Could it be those London lyrics ? I doubt it…but…no,it might be. Especially for the first couple of albums. I can never be sure how much of it is us & how much is the kind of industry of it. Like how we never do much in America; people say you’re too British & stuff like that, but I think the only reason is because we’re not on the radio & not on TV & that’s the end of that.

But for Asia,…I’m really not sure. It’s difficult to look at it from the outside because I don’t feel like there’s anything particularly British about us. But enough of people had said it to me for me to realize that it’s probably true. I don’t feel it at all. The things we sing about & the way we sound are perfectly natural to me, but then I’m English & I was brought up in England.

People tend to comment on the accent, but then Oasis & Blur sing in English accents too, so it can’t be it. Yeah. I don’t think I’ve got that strong an accent really. I’m not from London ( speaks in a Cockney accent ) I’m not a Cockney, am I ?

Daphne : Any solo projects in the future ?

Brett : No, not really. I knida enjoy being in a band. I like the feeling of it, & having 4 people with me all the time- you can march in a new city like an army. And I like having people around me who can tell me if I’m being a prick, & they’ve all been with me long enough to do that. Every now & then someone asks if I’d like to do a film score or whatever & I think that would be cool & then I think “Oh, but it could be doing a Suede song”. I guess I just don’t want to waste any time not doing Suede stuff.

Daphne : Do you think you’ll still be around, doing the same sort of thing in 20 years time ?

Brett : I don’t think I’ll be doing music. There’s a way of growing old gracefully & some people can do it & some people can’t. I look at someone like Brian Eno & the fact that he’s over, what- 45 ? 50 ?- is irrelevant because he’s managed to change & do stuff that he’s interested in. That’s entirely laudable. I’d love to be someone like that. On the other hand, there’s Van Morrison who keeps on releasing the same sort of albums . I have a problem with that.

Daphne : What about someone like David Bowie ?

Brett : I do admire him for not taking the easy way out, like the Rolling Stones. I like that Bowie’s quite prepared to stand up & be ridiculed & do a Tin Machine, or do a drum ‘n’ bass album just because he thinks it’s interesting, knowing full well that’s it likely to get panned. I think it’s cool especially when I look at his contemporaries who’ve just settled for this role that’s kind of grizzled elder statesmen, just going round & round in decreasing circles. I think it’s cool that he has almost a kinda teenage enthusiasm.

Daphne : He has spoken highly of Suede in interviews. And you are frequently compared to him, especially vocally & lyrically. So do you ever see yourself being the inspiration for a movie, like Bowie was for Velvet Goldmine ?

Brett : It’d be a pretty boring movie, I can tell you. I can’t really imagine it, but you never know till after, do you ? I’m sure when Bowie was living them, those years of his life seemed pretty normal. Perhaps in 20 years I’ll look back on the 90s & think “God, it was a crazy scene, man “. But I don’t think so. We’re a bit more normal than him. In the nicest possible way.

THE END