BERNARD BUTLER CREATION'S ONE-MAN-BAND UNLEASHES FIRST SOLO PROJECT

beenButler something rejects the of popular a promiscuous notion that musical he has Suede,collaborator since the 1994 split with riglil complétéAt one time without it appeared Bernard that Butler's no rock presence. gig was ofMis Paul impromptu Weller gaveiive appearances the impression with that the he likes wasbut, theforging way aButler sériés tells of musical it "it was partnerships just a laugh, mucha chance chance to play to doelectric that at guitar. home." You don't get recordingin 1995 and studios, 1996. mosthe alsotested notably with the Thewater in Verve,the departure with whom of guitarist he worked Nick briefly McCabe following (who thesubsequently ex-AII About rejoined), Eve singer, and butJulianne both alliances Regan, : faltered"The ideaof swiftly. me working with loadsof other complains.people always "l've gets actually exaggerated," been involved he in Davidof releases McAlmont - the twoand singlesa track onI made the last with becauseNeneh Cherry I gotlhe album. call, That wentdown was brilliant and met her andtodoonaSundaynight." it took me an hour. it gave me something proud of it and l'm sure there are parts better.that other But people 1 couldn't could wait have around played any been wasting my time somore thought to, say, l'd find do itthe my right bass player l'dwaiting botter on gel other on withit people s. "He brought me in 1 at Air il When I said there is no band, l'm producing and îhougMi^wafSant Hami . Butler, who you can't hear anything forthe first month. Création it's thé right smgie to go now contemplatingn nearby Hîghgate, a is just said; "Sure, go ahead"' - Bernard Butler somecontinuityfrom nuraberkey solo ofacoustic extremely gigs low-to début his new ' therc downstairsmaterial and at his the voice. King's "1 Head,aspire Crouch to play standards,"nt's a fantastic says Création record by A&Rhead anyone's Colson's attitude is necessarilyEnd," déclarés planted Butler, fully tongue in cheek. not Markproduced, Bown. sang "And and the played fact that virtually Bernard ail nucier.not bave i any wanteo baggage to make attached a record to it, an ! looksOn likelythe evidence that public of Stay, demand however, will it theforce. instruments Where does raake he fit it on a realthe Création tour de 'ork Europe and then licensed to it's good to be working with people wl force Butler to contemplate larger is 49% owned by SINE. don'tl't care part about of the my plan past," to pU hi "It Londonvenues, postcodes.many of them outsidePaul the Gorman north Act Bernard Butler Project single Label: Création Songwriter. Butter Publisher: PolyGram Island Music Studios: RAK, Air Hampstead Pr gn Butler Released:Jan 5,19 STEVE LAMACQ ON A&R In the Eighties.thelate-lamented music paper thin air, but it's features like this one that best nicely into Symposiums Sounds used to run some terrifie one-off tally with the current spate of new band slipstream. Hartlepool's Theyfeatures were on some local ofscenes my favourite around articlesthe country. (if showeases springing up north of Watford. The Standards weren'tmy ^ m only because there was an unwritten law that jobTake lot...l any wasfive thinkingor six bands this and- i.e. sell thinking them theas a thing, but provoked one ofthe best crowd none of the bands in them ever got anywhere; worst - en route to compering last week's Dig reactions ofthe night for theirsolid rocking the pièces were the perfect 15 minutes of famé The New Breed showease at Middlesborough theset, middlewhile fellow of a string 'Pool of four-piece London shows Savoy - - were in for a bunch of bands with daft names). Here's Arena. Butto my surprise and embarrassment, more promising than their demo suggests. \JVATCH an example I found while tidying up the house there was actually some good stuff on show. Sugarstone were energetic, défensive, loud GLAMMA j Shudderon myweekoff. Into Huddersfield"...among From 1981, "Putting The the bands Headliners Casius have certainly attracted and kicked around a couple of beat-up pop happening that January were ChapterV, attentionconfident down ofthe southhalf dozen and looked bands theon themost night songs, while openers Ethen were a real shock. Triangular Hour, Jab Jab and the brilliantly But Helter Skelter can't be dismissed either. certainvery young maturity but already when it they're cornes showingto harmonies a probablynamed Or inspired Was He byPushed a sériés - who of Huddersfield were They'resinger looks fresh-faced, like an Indie to the Ant point (or iswhere it Indie the and arrangements. The demo is a little weak Football Club managers ...Sadly OWHP, like the Dec?), and have an arsenal of thrashy pop anving,and disa mdie-inspired ppointing, but guitarthe Iive pop show that's is full-onworth rest ofthe groups,apparentlyvanished into tunes which, with some honing, could slip them keepmg tabs on. MUSIC WEEK 711 wnVFMRFR 1997