The Tears

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The Tears
The Tears-2005-Roskilde-6.jpg
The Tears performing at Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 2005
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres Alternative rock, post-Britpop
Years active2004–2006
Labels Independiente
Past members Brett Anderson
Bernard Butler
Nathan Fisher
Will Foster
Makoto Sakamoto

The Tears were an English rock supergroup formed in 2004 by ex-Suede bandmates Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler, along with the former Delicatessen and Lodger members Will Foster (keyboardist), bassist Nathan Fisher, and Bernard Butler session drummer Makoto Sakamoto. The duo Anderson and Butler were a much anticipated reunion and music critics praised their first concerts and only album, Here Come the Tears . However, the project was short-lived as they disbanded in 2006, which allowed Anderson to focus on his solo career and the latter Suede's reformation in 2010, Butler became a full-time producer, and Foster worked as additional musician for The Fratellis since 2008.

Contents

History

In 1994, when Bernard Butler walked out of Suede, they were the biggest new band in Britain. [1] He was pilloried in the music press and characterised as "demanding, difficult and egotistical" by Brett Anderson. [2] "When he left the band we pretty much hated each other as much as two people can hate each other," admitted Anderson in an interview with The Times . [3] The pair parted company in July 1994 while recording Suede's second album Dog Man Star , which resulted in a major fallout due to musical differences and Anderson's hedonistic lifestyle. As Suede soldiered on and Butler forged a solo career, both with varying degrees of success, they continued to snipe at each other in the press. [1] Though Butler and Anderson had not spoken to each other for nine years, [3] Anderson claimed getting back in touch with Butler was not difficult. The band decided on being named after a line from a Philip Larkin poem, Femmes Damnées, [4] which ends with the line: "The only sound heard is the sound of tears".

The band played their first ever live show on 14 December 2004 at the Oxford Zodiac. [5] Things went as expected for the "new" band, and most new songs were received well by those attending the first set of shows. When asked during a concert by a fan to play Suede song, "The Drowners", Anderson replied saying, "Did somebody say they wanted to hear "The Drowners"? You’ve come to the wrong gig, mate." [6]

Apart from relatively minor reviews of the first clutch of live shows, The Tears' first press was a review of "Refugees", an interview with Anderson, and a poster in The Sun on 15 April. The next major article was by Alexis Petridis in The Guardian , which ended on an extremely optimistic note: "the pair seem artistically reinvigorated by each other's company. Anderson talks excitedly of Tears songs like the ballad Asylum, inspired by his father's struggle with depression, as having moved away from ‘Suede cliches or Brett Anderson cliches ... it's not, you know, opiated fop territory.’" [1]

From the start, Anderson was insistent that the band would not be playing any songs by Suede. [7] Things would change over time, however, as the band ended up playing the B-side, "The Living Dead", to an enthusiastic reception, during an encore for their show at the Sheffield Leadmill in April. [8] In April 2005, the band's first single, "Refugees", was released. The single was a success and peaked in the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. [9]

The album, Here Come the Tears followed on 6 June 2005. It was released to generally favourable reviews that helped solidify the duo's comeback. [10] However it failed to crack the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart. [9] Anderson felt that the project was eclipsed by the curiosity in the reconciliation with Butler, saying: "...the story of me and Bernard getting back together again was far too juicy, and it overshadowed the music completely. I am proud of the record we made, but the obsession with us stopped us enjoying it." [11] In late June, the band played a set at the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival. The second single from the debut album, entitled "Lovers", was released in June. Though a significantly lower charting than the previous single, it still managed to reach number 24. [9]

More than a month later, Anderson announced that he would release his long-awaited solo album in between the touring for Here Come the Tears, and the release of the band's follow up album. After playing several festivals including Glastonbury and T in the Park along with international gigs, the band announced a European tour with dates in October and November. However, the tour was soon cancelled and the band were dropped from their label.

In late April 2006, Anderson posted a message on the band's message board announcing the band were on temporary hiatus because "no one ever wanted this thing to get caught up within the drudgery of the whole tour/record/tour cycle anyway". In addition, he announced that he had completed his debut solo album and that it would see light in early 2007, hinting that the second Tears record would most likely come after that. In August 2006, the band's official site and forum were closed. In 2007, Anderson admitted in an interview that The Tears were about to write their second album, however they decided to split because they were simply not enjoying it. Asked about a second record, Anderson replied. "The chance of there being another Tears record in the future is pretty good actually." [12] These hopes were short-lived, however when Butler announced his retirement from performing in 2008 to concentrate on producing. [13] Anderson later decided to become a full-time solo artist, releasing three solo albums before Suede reformed in 2010.

The band's drummer, Makoto Sakamoto, died on 21 August 2018 from an unspecified illness, as confirmed by Bernard Butler on Twitter. [14] [15]

Members

Discography

Albums

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suede (band)</span> English rock band

Suede are an English rock band formed in London in 1989 by singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Justine Frischmann, and bass player Mat Osman. Drawing inspiration from glam rock and post-punk, Suede were dubbed "The Best New Band in Britain" by Melody Maker in 1992, and attracted much attention from the British music press. The following year their debut album Suede went to the top of the UK Albums Chart, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in almost ten years. It won the Mercury Music Prize and helped foster 'Britpop' as a musical movement, though the band distanced themselves from the term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Butler</span> Musical artist

Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation; BBC journalist Mark Savage called him "one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists". He was voted the 24th greatest guitarist of the last 30 years in a national 2010 BBC poll and is often seen performing with a 1961 cherry red Gibson ES-355 TD SV with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Anderson</span> English singer

Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer best known as the lead singer and primary lyricist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he fronted The Tears with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler in 2004–2006, and released four solo albums on which he also played guitar and keyboards. Suede re-formed in 2010; they continue to record and tour.

<i>Suede</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Suede

Suede is the debut album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in March 1993 on Nude Records. It was recorded in London at Master Rock studios late 1992 and early 1993 and was produced by Ed Buller. At the time the fastest-selling debut album in British history in almost a decade, Suede debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart, won the 1993 Mercury Music Prize, and is often cited as one of the first Britpop records. Displaying a sound of Britishness and glam rock, its music and lyrical content has been compared to The Smiths and early David Bowie.

<i>Coming Up</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Suede

Coming Up is the third album by English alternative rock band Suede, released on 2 September 1996 through Nude Records. It was the band's first album since the departure of guitarist Bernard Butler, who was replaced by Richard Oakes. Also added to the band was keyboardist Neil Codling. The album was nominated for the 1997 Mercury Prize. A commercial and critical success, Coming Up was the second by the band to reach no. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, producing five top ten singles and receiving a favourable reception at home and in the US. Coming Up was the album that introduced Suede to a worldwide audience, in places such as Europe, Canada and Asia.

<i>Dog Man Star</i> 1994 studio album by Suede

Dog Man Star is the second album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in October 1994 on Nude Records. The album was recorded in London at Master Rock studios in early 1994, and was produced by Ed Buller. It was the last Suede album to feature guitarist Bernard Butler; growing tensions between him and singer Brett Anderson ended with Butler leaving the band before recording was complete. As a result, some tracks on the album had to be finished with the assistance of session musicians.

<i>Head Music</i> 1999 studio album by Suede

Head Music is the fourth album by English alternative rock band Suede, released by Nude Records in May 1999. Produced and mixed by Steve Osborne, Head Music features a more electronic sound, which was a new approach for the band. The recording of Head Music was plagued with difficulties such as singer Brett Anderson's addiction to crack, and keyboardist Neil Codling's struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome. The album still went to number 1 on the UK Albums Chart, however, making it the band's third and final chart-topping album. Overall, the album received generally favourable reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Refugees (The Tears song)</span> 2005 single by The Tears

"Refugees" is the debut single by The Tears, released on 25 April 2005 on Independiente Records. It charted at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Here Come the Tears</i> 2005 studio album by The Tears

Here Come the Tears is the only studio album by English rock band the Tears. It was released on 6 June 2005 on Independiente. Frontman Brett Anderson and guitarist Bernard Butler had found success together earlier in Suede, with Butler leaving that band after just two albums. Suede's career was on pause when the two reunited for this project. In January 2004, the pair had begun recording music together in secrecy; they decided to form the Tears with bassist Nathan Fisher, drummer Makoto Sakamoto and keyboardist Will Foster. The band had accumulated 18 demos by June 2004, after which, they started recording the album. Sessions were held across various studios with Butler as the producer and finished by October 2004. Here Come the Tears is a pop album that evokes the work of David Bowie, and was compared to Suede's second studio album Dog Man Star (1994).

<i>Sci-Fi Lullabies</i> 1997 compilation album by Suede

Sci-Fi Lullabies is a two-disc compilation album by English alternative rock band Suede released by Nude Records on 6 October 1997, consisting of B-sides from the singles that were released from the group's first three albums. It reached no. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, and received universal acclaim on release. In subsequent years, the record has been hailed as one of the finest B-side compilations in popular music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Drowners</span> 1992 single by Suede

"The Drowners" is the debut single of English rock band Suede, released on 11 May 1992 on Nude Records. It was later included on the band's debut album, Suede (1993). "The Drowners" charted at number 49 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Nitrate</span> 1993 single by Suede

"Animal Nitrate" is the third single by English rock band Suede, released through Nude Records on 22 February 1993 and later included on the band's debut album Suede. It charted at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the highest-charting single from the album. The song is the band's highest-charting single in Ireland and New Zealand, peaking at No. 11 in both countries. It also debuted and peaked at No. 21 in Sweden but stayed on the chart for only two weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Young (Suede song)</span> 1993 single by Suede

"So Young" is a song by English rock band Suede, released on 17 May 1993 through Nude Records as the fourth and final single from their self-titled debut album (1993). It charted at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. "So Young" was a last-minute addition to the album. It was written just three months ahead of its release, in contrast to the bulk of the album, which had been demoed almost a year previously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stay Together (Suede song)</span> 1994 single by Suede

"Stay Together" is a non-album single by English band Suede, released on 14 February 1994 through Nude Records. It is the last single released while guitarist Bernard Butler was in the band, though subsequent singles from Dog Man Star feature his music. It is tied with "Trash" as the highest-charting single the band has released, reaching No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also charted in Ireland, peaking at No. 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Are the Pigs</span> 1994 single by Suede

"We Are the Pigs" is the first single from the album Dog Man Star by British band Suede, released on 12 September 1994 through Nude Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wild Ones (song)</span> 1994 single by Suede

"The Wild Ones" is the second single from the album Dog Man Star by English rock band Suede, released on 7 November 1994 through Nude Records. The song peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and number six in Iceland.

<i>Brett Anderson</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Brett Anderson

Brett Anderson is the first solo release from Suede and The Tears frontman Brett Anderson. It was released on 26 March 2007 by Drowned in Sound Recordings.

<i>People Move On</i> 1998 studio album by Bernard Butler

People Move On is the debut studio album of English singer-songwriter Bernard Butler that was released on 6 April 1998 through Creation Records. After a dispute with David McAlmont over the McAlmont & Butler project, Butler collaborated with various artists before starting his solo career. Following a brief period with Sony LRD in early 1996, by the end of that year, Butler had signed to Creation and switched managers from Geoff Travis to Gail Colson. Butler produced the sessions for People Move On at RAK and Air Studios, both in London, between February and July 1997. The album, which is described as a pop, rock, and folk release, has been compared to the work of Jeff Buckley, Neil Young, and Wilco.

<i>Friends and Lovers</i> (Bernard Butler album) 1999 studio album by Bernard Butler

Friends and Lovers is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Bernard Butler, released on 25 October 1999 through Creation Records. He released his debut studio album, People Move On, in early 1998; within a few months, Butler had accumulated enough material for his next release. Recorded between November 1998 and February 1999, Butler produced the sessions at RAK Studios in London, before moving to Chipping Norton Recording Studios in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, and finishing at Konk Studios in London. Described as a pop rock release, Friends and Lovers had been compared to the works of Mott the Hoople, Small Faces and Spooky Tooth.

<i>The Best of Suede</i> 2010 compilation album by Suede

The Best of Suede is a compilation album by English alternative rock band Suede, released on 1 November 2010.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Petridis, Alexis. "Frankly I hated Suede". The Guardian . 22 April 2005
  2. ↑ McCormick, Neil (8 October 1998). "The guitar man finds his voice". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 13 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 Segal, Victoria (23 April 2005). "Better the devil you know" . The Times. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  4. ↑ MacNeil, Jason. "Ex-Suede Mates Form The Tears". Billboard.com. 21 October 2004.
  5. ↑ Sutherland, Mark. "Brett & Bernard stay together". BBC 6 Music. 15 December 2004
  6. ↑ Sinclair, David. "Pop: The Tears". The Times . 18 December 2004
  7. ↑ Saney, Daniel. "Suede's Anderson on new band". Digital Spy. 7 March 2005
  8. ↑ "Treat for Suede heads!". NME . 20 April 2005
  9. 1 2 3 "Artist Chart History: Tears". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "Here Come The Tears - The Tears". Metacritic . Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  11. ↑ McNulty, Bernadette. "The return of Britpop's lost boy". The Daily Telegraph . 22 March 2007.
  12. ↑ Natoli, David (27 February 2007). "Brett Anderson: The Exclusive Interview, Part II". thetripwire.com. Archived from the original on 4 May 2009.
  13. ↑ Leonard, Michael. "Bernard Butler retires from performing". MusicRadar. 23 May 2008
  14. ↑ "Bernard Butler on Twitter: "I'm so sad to share the passing of my friend, musical partner and hero Mako Sakamoto. Mako succumbed to illness on Tuesday. I don't know what I'm going to do without him. Please play his spirit loud with this piece He was the greatest". Twitter.com. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  15. ↑ "In memory of Mako Sakamoto – Mull Historical Society". Mullhistoricalsociety.com. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  16. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 550. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
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