Brett Anderson interview mentions The Smiths (Idler magazine)

Tom Hodgkinson: So who would you say were your top bands of the 1980s?

Brett Anderson: Well, The Smiths obviously, I know you don’t need anyone else blathering on about The Smiths, but they were very influential. They were our role models in lots of ways, in the way we went about writing and their attitude. Their non-conformist attitude, but also their pop sensibility. They were not avant-garde.



TH: We all had Smiths posters as students.

BA: Did we, though? I’m not sure – I mean, I totally did – I was a Smiths fan at university in 1985 and I remember feeling like an oddball. The hall of residence I was in wasn’t decked with “Boy with the Thorn in his Side” posters. Me and my mate were the only guys that liked The Smiths. They’re one of those bands that have become bigger since they split up. Part of the beauty of The Smiths was that it didn’t feel mainstream. It felt like one’s own little club, like their brilliant B-sides were a gift in exchange for your loyalty. A kind of “Thank you for being part of our little gang”. That’s something that I really wanted to do with Suede. Especially in the early days, B-sides were very important to us. It was about creating a little cult, a group that people can identify with and want to be part of. I always wanted to polarise people’s opinion, to be hated and loved in equal measures. I never just wanted to be quite liked. There was something rather dull about being quite liked.



This is an extract from a longer interview which appears in Idler 64. To buy a copy, click here.

 

[Anonymous]

I like the magazine.

Seems like good quality paper.

 

[A jellyfish]

Your half written/half witted comment is redundant as you are basically saying nothing. A jellyfish would type a more coherent comment.

You're really putting me on the spot!

 

[countthree]

Seems like good quality paper.

Yes, it seems glossy. Nice.

 

[The Wild Turkey]

This guy was right about b-sides bein' important.
It's cool when ya get one of those b-side treats from a musical act ya like.
Can't remember who, but one time a musical act did a alphabet flip and had a y and z side!

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Sometimes I wonder if it’s even a Morrissey fan forum.

Though I don’t mind people defending and liking Suede, at least they have made better records than Marr’s solo efforts.

IMHO of course.

It hardly is.

I disagree. I like some Suede albums (especially Dog Man Star), but nowadays they sound way too pompous and like a band trying their utmost to sound like what they think Suede sound like. Like a pale imitation of past glories. I am also having a hard time taking Brett seriously as a lyricist and vocalist.

 

[Frank Shankly]

I agree with him regarding The Smiths having gained more popularity since the split. Friends of mine who absolutely hated the band at the time will happily listen to a record or two these days. When I was in high school in the mid 80s I was about the only person in my year wearing the t shirts, raving about the band etc. I think there were about 3 or 4 Smiths fans in the whole school. It did feel like an exclusive wee club. The majority of folk just didn't get it at the time in my experience. We were openly ridiculed, constantly, but I didn't care. I understood almost immediately that they were the band of my life and continue to be so.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

It hardly is.

I disagree. I like some Suede albums (especially Dog Man Star), but nowadays they sound way too pompous and like a band trying their utmost to sound like what they think Suede sound like. Like a pale imitation of past glories. I am also having a hard time taking Brett seriously as a lyricist and vocalist.

I agree, it’s probably the reason why I haven’t gotten into anything after DMS. For me the pure essence of Suede is already contained in those first two albums, anything more would be overkill and redundant, for I feel they have been repeating the Suede formula far too long, but that’s great if that’s what you want. Some would say their vision is pompous, I can see that, I just look past that, suspending my disbelief and just enjoy their early work.

 

[countthree]

Seriously, Suede is great and Brett Anderson's solo work is great, too. I knew them through this site because they are almost unknown where I live. Apparently with age BA became a politically correct person, which some people may like and others may not. Surely he already considered both options and made a conscious choice. He never talked bulshit about Morrissey and that's something good.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

I agree, it’s probably the reason why I haven’t gotten into anything after DMS. For me the pure essence of Suede is already contained in those first two albums, anything more would be overkill and redundant, for I feel they have been repeating the Suede formula far too long, but that’s great if that’s what you want. Some would say their vision is pompous, I can see that, I just look past that, suspending my disbelief and just enjoy their early work.

DMS is their masterpiece. The debut is a bit overrated, I think, but Coming Up is quite good. The b-sides collection contains several gems. But really, they were finished in 1996. There have been bits and pieces of quality since then, of course, both from Suede and solo Brett, but the way certain people on here talk about them as infallible kings of alternative pop is just ludicrous.

 

[ACTON]

It hardly is.

I disagree. I like some Suede albums (especially Dog Man Star), but nowadays they sound way too pompous and like a band trying their utmost to sound like what they think Suede sound like. Like a pale imitation of past glories. I am also having a hard time taking Brett seriously as a lyricist and vocalist.

Each to their own. But to me a song like Flytipping is as good or better than anything Suede did before.

 

[ACTON]

DMS is their masterpiece. The debut is a bit overrated, I think, but Coming Up is quite good. The b-sides collection contains several gems. But really, they were finished in 1996. There have been bits and pieces of quality since then, of course, both from Suede and solo Brett, but the way certain people on here talk about them as infallible kings of alternative pop is just ludicrous.

Three consistently great albums from Suede is more than Moz has done since ... well I don't think he has ever done that. Vauxhall/Your Arsenal were followed by Southpaw (good but not great), Quarry/Ringleader were followed by Refusal. In terms of lyrics, Brett is far ahead, at least since Ringleader. I know comparisons are futile but I honestly think Suede have good reason to be proud.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Three consistently great albums from Suede is more than Moz has done since ... well I don't think he has ever done that. Vauxhall/Your Arsenal were followed by Southpaw (good but not great), Quarry/Ringleader were followed by Refusal. In terms of lyrics, Brett is far ahead, at least since Ringleader. I know comparisons are futile but I honestly think Suede have good reason to be proud.

Each to their own, as you said. I strongly disagree. Especially re the lyrics. If you want overblown, pompous, affected lyrics, far up their author’s arse - Brett’s your guy, for sure. He can only dream of writing lyrics as nuanced as Moz’s.

 

[caramel sea salt]

SWAYYYYD

 

[ACTON]

Seriously, Suede is great and Brett Anderson's solo work is great, too. I knew them through this site because they are almost unknown where I live. Apparently with age BA became a politically correct person, which some people may like and others may not. Surely he already considered both options and made a conscious choice. He never talked bulshit about Morrissey and that's something good.

I don't think Brett became more PC. I think he grew up, cleaned up, got married, had kids, and is open minded. I also think he was not/is not surrounded by yes men allowing him to live in a bubble. Moz never grew past his emotion driven decision making. That's not a dig at Moz. But I bet that Brett is far more well read and far more in tune with people and events than Moz is these days with such a polarised following of replicants who would gladly lick Moz's piss off a shit stained wall. Luckily we have Moz and Suede and other bands to enjoy.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Still can’t get over the unswerving adulation shown for Suede on here. Not a dig at Suede (there are worse bands out there), but it is hard to grasp. Out of all great bands active today, Suede are completely showered with praise and hailed as infallible titans. Waaaay better in every aspect known to man than that silly guy Morrissey, whose greatest accomplishment is giving this website its name.

 

[Eustace Walks]

I also think Suede are a bit into themselves, or rather the shadow of their former selves, these days. Enjoyed the first side of "Bloodsports" a lot - some fab guitar work and great licks and lyrics. "It Starts and Ends with You" is brilliant, imo. I found "Night Thoughts" and "The Blue Hour" a bit pretentious, but Suede don't hurt anyone doing what they do, and they're enjoying themselves - and their reissues are a lovely quality, and they seem to care about their fans. Morrissey by contrast, will bleat on about his fans but then treat them like crap. Those deluxe tracks were appalling - so is charging £60 (base rate) to see him perform his ham-fisted and problematic mutterings, gaffa-taped to the mesmerisingly tuneless Jesse Tobias. But there you are. One man's opinion... almost surely another man's soon-to-be-public aneurysm... (a Disney choir intone **here comes Azetc, here comes Aztec** and Roddy Frame tosses uncomfortably in his sleep once more)

 

[Anonymous]

Still can’t get over the unswerving adulation shown for Suede on here. Not a dig at Suede (there are worse bands out there), but it is hard to grasp. Out of all great bands active today, Suede are completely showered with praise and hailed as infallible titans. Waaaay better in every aspect known to man than that silly guy Morrissey, whose greatest accomplishment is giving this website its name.

Well said
I don't think he's that different to Moz in his views. I think the main difference is he knows when to keep his mouth shut. Moz never learnt that.
But as someone pointed out on a suede fan site, it's funny suede have played Israel a number of times and nobody said a word. When Moz plays there he gets stick. Suede are also very little England, brett has never lived outside the south east, apart from a beif stint at Manchester uni. Yet it's Moz who is considered the little Englander and he has lived in various places around the world and as an international band, of a kind.

Brett is brilliant, brighter than Moz and actually writes the songs as well as sing
But he isn't as good or as important a pop star as Moz, Moz is a freak genius.

It's proops to Brett for not rising to the bait to have a dig at Moz, like Damon and Noel he is a true smiths fan and has lots of love for Moz.
Compare that to the Ahole from Gene who wrote his little 'why morrissey is dead to me' article I always thought Martin had little true understanding of Moz and gene were only ever 'like the smiths' to people without a clue about the sniths Martin based his whole personality on Moz and in reality is nothing like him at all.

Brett is class

 

[countthree]

I don't think Brett became more PC. I think he grew up, cleaned up, got married, had kids, and is open minded. I also think he was not/is not surrounded by yes men allowing him to live in a bubble. Moz never grew past his emotion driven decision making. That's not a dig at Moz. But I bet that Brett is far more well read and far more in tune with people and events than Moz is these days with such a polarised following of replicants who would gladly lick Moz's piss off a shit stained wall. Luckily we have Moz and Suede and other bands to enjoy.

I don't understand why people compare Morrissey and Brett Anderson in such a competitive way. They are different people and it's obvious some people will prefer one or another but they probably share a good portion of their UK fans.
I was curious so I read the interview, and the most shocking part of it was the question he didn't answer. I'm not judging, just sympathizing with someone who's fighting his battles.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

SWAYYYYD

SWAYYYD - head.

 

[MozIsGod]

Dead right. People who only like one band are missing out on so much. And somehow wear this weakness as a badge of honour.

Well said, ACTON. I was listening to Wonderful Woman yesterday and came away thinking that if there was one Smiths song which Suede could have written, its this one. I could totally see Brett singing "Let's go and trip a dwarf" and Butler exactly duplicating that beautiful sad Marr melody.