Richard Butler (singer)

Last updated

Richard Butler
RButler (cropped).jpg
Butler performing live in 2006
Background information
Birth nameRichard Lofthouse Butler
Born (1956-06-05) 5 June 1956 (age 67)
Kingston upon Thames, London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1977–present
Labels Koch
Member of The Psychedelic Furs
Formerly of Love Spit Love

Richard Lofthouse Butler (born 5 June 1956) is an English singer and songwriter. Butler came to prominence in the early 1980s as lead vocalist of the rock band the Psychedelic Furs and went on to found the alternative rock band Love Spit Love in the early 1990s, during a hiatus of the Psychedelic Furs. Butler began his solo career in 2006, while still being a member of the Psychedelic Furs, releasing the self-titled studio album Richard Butler .

Contents

Early years

Richard Lofthouse Butler was born on 5 June 1956 in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London. His father, George Butler, was a research chemist, a communist and an atheist. In the 1970s, George Butler was slated to become a scientific ambassador to the Soviet Union but a friend convinced him this would not be a good place for his family. Butler's mother was an artist. Butler started art school in London with the idea of becoming a painter. After graduation, he worked in a silk-screen print shop but got the idea to form a band. [1]

Musical career

Butler formed the Psychedelic Furs in 1977 with his bassist brother Tim Butler. [2] According to Butler, the Psychedelic Furs began rehearsing in the Butlers' front room, but were soon banished because of the noise. [3] Joined by guitarist John Ashton, guitarist Roger Morris, drummer Vince Ely and saxophonist Duncan Kilburn, the band quickly gained commercial success.

The Psychedelic Furs went on hiatus in the early 1990s and Butler became the founder and lead singer of Love Spit Love. By 2000 he stated that Love Spit Love had "gone into remission." [4] His work with Love Spit Love can be heard on the hit syndicated television show Charmed . A truncated version of LSL's cover version of the Smiths' hit song "How Soon Is Now?" – recorded for The Craft soundtrack – plays during the Charmed opening credits. He also sang backing vocals, on "I Am Anastasia" by the American band Sponge. Love Spit Love's "Am I Wrong" was the theme over the opening credits of the 1995 film Angus.

In 2001, the Psychedelic Furs reformed after a nine-year hiatus and have toured worldwide since then.

In early 2006, Butler released the eponymous solo album titled Richard Butler , a collection of songs dedicated to his late father, George Butler, and also Jon Carin's father, Arthur A. Carin (Carin was Richard Butler's collaborator on the release, co-authoring and arranging much of the music). In 2014, Butler covered Charles Aznavour's "She" for the Gone Girl teaser trailer. [5]

Butler co-wrote "Ghosts Again" with Martin Gore, the first single from the Depeche Mode album Memento Mori , released on February 9, 2023. [6] He also co-wrote three other songs on that album.

Personal life

Richard Butler has one daughter, Maggie Mozart Butler (b. September 1997). [7] In September 2020 Butler married model and actress Erika Anderson known from A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and Zandalee. [8]

In the early 2000s, Butler became interested in the art scene and began painting again. He has had gallery exhibitions in New York City, Miami (Waltman Ortega Fine Art), and Florence, Italy. One of his works, Girl with a Map, has been used as a CD's cover art. [9]

Discography

Solo

The Psychedelic Furs

Love Spit Love

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Depeche Mode</span> English electronic band

Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex in 1980. Originally formed by the lineup of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke, the band currently consists of Gahan and Gore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Psychedelic Furs</span> British post punk band

The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band founded in London in February 1977. Led by lead vocalist Richard Butler and his brother Tim Butler on bass guitar, the Psychedelic Furs are one of the many acts spawned from the British post-punk scene. Their music went through several phases, from an initially austere art rock sound to later touching on new wave and hard rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Fortus</span> American musician

Richard Fortus is an American guitarist. He is a member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he has recorded one studio album, since 2002. Fortus has also collaborated extensively with The Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler and fellow Guns N' Roses bandmate Frank Ferrer. Aside from lead singer Axl Rose and keyboardist Dizzy Reed, Fortus is the longest-tenured member of Guns N' Roses, having been with the band continuously since 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Carin</span> Musical artist

Jon Carin is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer. He has collaborated with acts including Pink Floyd, the Who, Eddie Vedder, Kate Bush and Richard Butler.

<i>Forever Now</i> (The Psychedelic Furs album) 1982 studio album by The Psychedelic Furs

Forever Now is the third studio album by the English rock band the Psychedelic Furs. The 10-song album, including the hit single "Love My Way", was recorded in the spring of 1982 and released on 24 September of that year by Columbia/CBS. A 20th-anniversary reissue included six related bonus tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ashton (musician)</span> English musician, songwriter, composer, and record producer (born 1957)

John Geza Ashton is an English musician, songwriter, composer, and record producer, with a career spanning more than 40 years. He is best known as the guitarist of the Psychedelic Furs.

<i>Talk Talk Talk</i> 1981 studio album by The Psychedelic Furs

Talk Talk Talk is the second studio album by the English rock band the Psychedelic Furs. It was released 15 May 1981 by Columbia Records. It was reissued with bonus tracks in 2002 by Columbia/Legacy and on vinyl in the UK in 2011 without bonus content.

<i>The Psychedelic Furs</i> (album) 1980 studio album by the Psychedelic Furs

The Psychedelic Furs is the debut studio album by the English rock band the Psychedelic Furs, released on 7 March 1980 by Columbia Records. It was reissued with bonus tracks in 2002 by Columbia/Legacy. In 2020, Rolling Stone included the band's debut studio album in their "80 Greatest albums of 1980" list, praising the musicians for sounding like "a grand art project".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Spit Love</span> American alternative rock band

Love Spit Love was an alternative rock band founded in 1992 by English singer Richard Butler during the 1990s hiatus of the Psychedelic Furs.

<i>Love Spit Love</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Love Spit Love

Love Spit Love is the debut studio album by the rock band Love Spit Love. It was released in 1994 on Imago Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Ferrer</span> American drummer

Frank Ferrer is an American rock drummer. He is best known as the drummer for hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he has played, toured, and recorded since 2006. He is the longest tenured drummer in the band's history. Ferrer was also a member of The Psychedelic Furs, Love Spit Love as well as The Beautiful. He has recorded and worked with several high profile musicians including Robi "Draco" Rosa, Tool, Gordon Gano, PJ Harvey, Tommy Stinson, Nena, Frank Black of The Pixies, Neil Young, Perry Farrell and Cheetah Chrome of The Dead Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Butler</span> English songwriter and musician

Timothy George Butler is an English musician and songwriter. He is the bassist, and co-founder of the English rock band the Psychedelic Furs. He is also the youngest of three brothers.

<i>Midnight to Midnight</i> 1987 studio album by the Psychedelic Furs

Midnight to Midnight is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Psychedelic Furs, released on 2 February 1987 by Columbia Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David M. Allen</span> British record producer

David M. Allen is an English record producer, engineer and mixer. He is mostly known for his work with new wave, synth-pop and goth rock bands including the Cure, the Sisters of Mercy, the Chameleons, Depeche Mode, the Mission, the Associates, the Human League, Clan of Xymox, Gianna Nannini, Shelleyan Orphan and others. He also produced Neneh Cherry's hit album Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pretty in Pink (song)</span> 1981 single by The Psychedelic Furs

"Pretty in Pink" is a song by the English band the Psychedelic Furs, originally released in 1981 as a single from the band's second album, Talk Talk Talk. The 1986 film was named after the song and a re-recorded version of the song was included on its soundtrack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Psychedelic Furs discography</span>

The discography of English rock band The Psychedelic Furs consists of eight studio albums, 22 singles, six compilation albums, and two live albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sister Europe</span> 1980 single by The Psychedelic Furs

"Sister Europe" is a song by the English rock band the Psychedelic Furs, taken from the band's 1980 debut album, The Psychedelic Furs. Written by the band and produced by Steve Lillywhite, it was released in February 1980 by CBS as the album's second single.

<i>Made of Rain</i> 2020 studio album by The Psychedelic Furs

Made of Rain is the eighth studio album from English rock band The Psychedelic Furs. Released via Cooking Vinyl on 31 July 2020, it is the first studio album from the band in almost 30 years and has received positive reviews.

<i>Memento Mori</i> (Depeche Mode album) 2023 album by Depeche Mode

Memento Mori is the fifteenth studio album by English electronic band Depeche Mode, released on 24 March 2023 through Columbia. The album was produced by James Ford, and marks their first album in six years since 2017's Spirit, the longest period of time between albums in the band's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Favourite Stranger</span> 2023 single by Depeche Mode

"My Favourite Stranger" is a song by English electronic band Depeche Mode, released on 20 October 2023 as the fifth single from their fifteenth studio album, Memento Mori.

References

  1. ↑ Rexer, Lyle. "Richard Butler" . Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock: the definitive guide to more than 1200 artists and bands . Rough Guides. ISBN   9781858284576.
  3. ↑ Armstrong, Gene (30 May 2013). "Love Their Way: The Psychedelic Furs will take the Rialto stage providing a look back on college rock memories" . Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Flinn, Sean (2 August 2000). "Back In The Pink: An Interview with Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs" . Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Alynda Wheat; Samantha Miller (15 April 2014). "Is Gone Girl David Fincher's Creepiest Trailer? A Ranking". People Magazine Online.
  6. ↑ Pearis, Bill. "Depeche Mode share "Ghosts Again," first single from new LP 'Memento Mori'". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Leroy, Dan (30 March 2006). "Love His Way". Phoenix New Times . Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  8. ↑ Mallozzi, Vincent M. (2 October 2020). "Not Far From Mulholland Drive, Love Bloomed". The New York Times . Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  9. ↑ Gerstenzang, Peter (6 February 2006). "New Days for Psych Furs' Butler". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 February 2006. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.