Bernard Butler (born on 1 May 1970, in Stamford Hill, North London), is a musician and record producer. He first achieved fame in 1992 as the guitarist with Suede, at the time an instant phenomenon in UK pop music. He co-wrote and played on every track until 1994, when he left Suede over personal tensions within the band during the recording of their second album, Dog Man Star. Butler formed the duo McAlmont & Butler with David McAlmont. They released two singles, Yes and You Do. A compilation album, The Sound Of McAlmont And Butler, was released after the split.
Butler formed the duo McAlmont & Butler with David McAlmont. They released two singles, Yes and You Do. A compilation album, The Sound Of McAlmont And Butler, was released after the split. Butler went on to release two albums under his own name, People Move On and Friends and Lovers, before a second McAlmont & Butler album, Bring It Back, and two singles, Falling and Bring It Back.
Since then Butler formed a new band, The Tears with former Suede cohort, Brett Anderson. They released their highly anticipated debut LP, Here Come The Tears, produced by Butler, in June 2005. Singles include Refugees, which reached #9 in the UK charts, and Lovers.
In between his own projects he has played on and produced records by Sparks, Edwyn Collins, Aimee Mann, Neneh Cherry, Tim Booth (of James), Manic Street Preachers, Eddi Reader, Hopper, Roy Orbison, Bert Jansch and The Libertines. He created the soundtrack to the 1997 film The James Gang and played on the soundtrack of Velvet Goldmine, alongside Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead. He has played live with The Cranberries, Paul Weller, Teenage Fanclub and Manic Street Preachers.
He helped shape the sound of newcomer Duffy in 2008. For his production work on her debut album Rockferry, Bernard won the Producer's Award at the 2009 BRIT Awards, and Producer Of The Year at the 2008 Music Producers' Guild awards.