Bernard Butler

Born in Stamford Hill, in north London, Bernard Butler established himself in the early 1990s as guitarist and principal co-writer of Suede, at the crossroads of British alternative rock, nerve-wracking glam and melodic writing shaped by English pop. He played with Suede in 1993 and then on Dog Man Star in 1994, before leaving the band later that year. Bernard Butler then pursued a multifaceted career as writer, singer, arranger and producer, with a constant taste for songs with expansive guitars, carefully crafted harmonies and arrangements that let rock, folk and orchestration speak to each other. As a solo artist, he released People Move On in 1998, Friends and Lovers in 1999, and Good Grief in 2024. His career also includes the duo McAlmont & Butler, formed with David McAlmont, whose tracks blend dramatic pop, soul and chamber lyricism, as well as The Tears, reformed with Brett Anderson in the mid-2000s. Parallel to this, Bernard Butler developed activity as a producer and collaborator for artists from pop, indie rock and folk, from The Libertines to Duffy, Ben Watt, Sam Lee, Catherine Anne Davies, or Jessie Buckley, with whom he co-wrote For All Our Days That Tear the Heart in 2022. Bernard Butler thus remains linked to stages where songwriting, sound work and the texture of guitars occupy a central place.