Bernard Butler is one of the more compelling British musicians of the past 25 years. Before becoming a celebrated producer, before releasing a series of well-received solo albums and collaborations, and before being named in a public BBC poll as the the 24th greatest guitarist of the past 30 years, he was a founding member of a Britpop dynamo called Suede.
But Butler is not really interesting in rehashing all that. By now, the story of Suede — and how he famously (and furiously) walked away from the British rock band at their creative peak, during the recording of landmark 1994 album Dog Man Star — has been written, and the guitarist’s resume of the past two decades is enough to snuff out all those contentious early years.
These days, the 46-year-old Butler seems genuinely happy, and returns to the States this Wednesday to start a 10-show trek across North America as Ben Watt’s right-hand-guitarist. The tour, for Watt’s new album Fever Dream — which Butler contributed to heavily and also features an appearance by Massachusetts singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler — rolls into Allston Saturday night for a date at Brighton Music Hall. Though the album is purely a Ben Watt creation, the guitar work from Butler and his signature 1961 Gibson ES-355 has a familiar tone and feel for those who have clung to his playing since those long-lost early ’90s days.
In advance of Butler’s weekend appearance in Allston, we caught up with him via email to discuss working with the Everything But The Girl musician, how he approaches touring after all these years, and his recent interest in long-distance running. We should note that our questions regarding Suede were rejected through his publicist. For Butler, life is about now, and there’s plenty of other stuff to discuss.
Michael Marotta: You’ve once again collaborated with Ben Watt on his new LP Fever Dream (first time being 2014 album Hendra). How has the relationship evolved over the years?
Bernard Butler: I met Ben a few years ago before he had written the songs to Hendra. We met again a few months later when he had everything and he wondered what I could add to it. I looked at it in the way I looked at playing with Bert Jansch, which I had done for about 10 years on and off — bassy finger picking on electric, a bit of tremolo, some grit and distortion to the sound. I try and add drama and emotion. There is plenty in the songs and I accentuate the subtleties. I look for the extremes, big and small. Since playing the songs live I think the whole project has developed a sound that we is partly the consequence of playing live, which is why the new record is probably more consistent in that sense.
You’ve been a pretty prolific collaborator, dating back to the McAlmont & Butler days. What is it about collaborations that draw you in, and what do you look for in a potential musical collaborator?
Music that I love and can add to. Music that has personality above all. I am not constricted by being in a group and unlike most producers/writers I am lucky to have a signature instrument. I am lucky that people want to hear it. I just like being involved. I try to get artists to look at themselves from the other end of the room, try and make them wonder what could be.
Has your experience with the music industry in the ‘90s made you prefer to take on a collaborative role? How has it shaped the way your collaborate and/or produce records in 2016?
What experience in the 90s?!
[This month] you’ll be touring the U.S. with Ben. What are you looking forward to the most? And what in your perspective as a musician has changed since you last toured the US?
This is my third trip to the U.S. with Ben in the last five years. We toured twice around Hendra. In my heart I know I have become a much better guitar player in the last five years. I am much more in control of my instrument, which means I am free to roam within songs, and I feel reunited with my own style and sound, more confident of asserting my personality, something which I was very unsure of for many years.
Now I realise when I pull the trigger on certain moves, that is what people like hearing and so I feel more assured that those moves belong to me when for a very long time I believed they didn’t. In the end the sound you make is just your personality pouring out. You can’t assume someone else’s and you can’t do much about what you’re stuck with.
Now that you are older, do you approach tours differently than you have in the past?
I love travelling and I love playing. Playing to people every night is a joy and I think can only make me a better musician. I enjoy watching the absurdity of other people travelling, all the rituals, and I like running in places I don’t know. As a tourist you would barely touch most of the places you visit on tour so the experience is a lucky one. I work on my own 90 percent of the time in the studio. Some days I won’t speak for eight hours. It amazes me and is a huge relief to cross the world and find people who have picked up on what I have been doing.
Are there any plans for additional Bernard Butler solo material? Maybe a 20th anniversary re-issue of People Move On in 2018? Or anything new from Trans or other projects?
I write and demo on my own every now and then, and they go to the bottom of the pile. One day I’ll do my own record but it’s not at the top of my list. Personally I was pretty destroyed by the experience first time around and that’s not something I have a great desire to go back into in the same way. I love lots of what I did, and I’m pretty realistic about the weaknesses. I gave it a shot — I probably wasn’t ready. I’d do a lot different now. Who wouldn’t? You won’t find anyone who is more aware of my monumental fuck-ups than me.
Trans I loved, but financially it was impossible to operate live, and geographically difficult for us all to get together. I love what we did and feel we captured a little moment, a good idea, did it well, shelved it and rode on. I’m always happy to do that. I’m constantly working on a turnaround of records all of which I contribute to whether as a writer, producer, guitar player, band member. They all mean the same to me. I live every piece of music I get involved in. Say many things about me, but you can’t take that one away.
In 2014 you ran the London Marathon for charity. Any desire to ever run the Boston Marathon or taking your charity efforts stateside?
I love running and specifically using it for listening to music, but honestly I don’t love races. I’m really happy running alone. I have a million brilliant thoughts about music and the world; I love running in rain and cold, being outside, the freedom, and then forgetting it all when I return. I don’t need to tick off glamorous events I have run and I hate the idea that anyone sees me! I am really happy running through some of the least glamorous streets and parks of North London.
BEN WATT WITH BERNARD BUTLER + GEM CLUB :: Saturday, June 18 at Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave. in Allston MA :: 8 p.m., 18-plus, $20 :: Advance tickets :: Facebook event page