The Tears
Encyclopedia
The Tears were an English
rock
band, formed in 2004 by ex-Suede
bandmates Brett Anderson
and Bernard Butler
. The band was a much anticipated reunion of an acclaimed songwriting couple, and music critics praised their first concerts and their debut album, Here Come The Tears
. However, this was to be their only release, as they disbanded in 2006, due to Brett Anderson moving his focus towards his solo albums (and later on, reuniting Suede without Butler), and Bernard Butler retiring from performing and starting a career as a producer and songwriter (for Duffy
and Kate Nash
among others).
. It would therefore be fair to call the reunion between the pair as unexpected. The pair parted company whilst recording the ambitious Dog Man Star
album, which brought the most acclaimed new songwriting partnership in Britain to a premature end. 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. Though Butler and Anderson had not spoken to each other for nine years, Anderson claimed getting back in gear with Butler was not difficult. The band decided on being named after a line from a Philip Larkin
poem, Femmes Damnées, which ends with the line: "The only sound heard is the sound of tears".
The band played their first ever live show on December 14, 2004 at the Oxford
Zodiac. 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."
Apart from relatively minor reviews of the first clutch of live shows, The Tears first press, a review of "Refugees", interview with Anderson and a poster was in The Sun
on 15 April. The next major article was by Alex 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". There's even a hint of the old provocative flash and arrogance when talk turns to the future: Here Comes the Tears feels like a debut. It will be massively bettered. On this at least there's no hint of disagreement. "This album's like rocking the boat a bit. There's been a few splashes," nods Butler. "Next time, I want to get rid of the sails and see what happens."
From the start, Anderson was insistent that the band would not be playing any songs by Suede. 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. 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
.
The band's debut album, Here Come the Tears
followed on 6 June 2005. It was released to generally favourable reviews that helped solidify the duo's comeback, yet it failed to crack the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart
. 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." 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.
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." These hopes were short-lived, however when Butler announced his retirement from performing in 2008 to concentrate on producing.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, formed in 2004 by ex-Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
bandmates Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
and Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
. The band was a much anticipated reunion of an acclaimed songwriting couple, and music critics praised their first concerts and their debut album, Here Come The Tears
Here Come the Tears
Here Come the Tears is the debut album by The Tears, released on June 6, 2005 on Independiente Records.The album proved a comeback for Bernard Butler and Brett Anderson as the album was praised by critics and fans alike, and charted at number 15....
. However, this was to be their only release, as they disbanded in 2006, due to Brett Anderson moving his focus towards his solo albums (and later on, reuniting Suede without Butler), and Bernard Butler retiring from performing and starting a career as a producer and songwriter (for Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
and Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Kate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
among others).
History
In 1994, when Bernard Butler walked out of Suede, they were the biggest new band in Britain. He was pilloried in the music press and characterised as "demanding, difficult and egotistical" by Brett Anderson. "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 TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. It would therefore be fair to call the reunion between the pair as unexpected. The pair parted company whilst recording the ambitious Dog Man Star
Dog Man Star
Dog Man Star is the second album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in October 1994 on Nude Records. It was the last Suede album to feature guitarist Bernard Butler, due to growing tensions between Butler and singer Brett Anderson ending with Butler leaving the band before the album...
album, which brought the most acclaimed new songwriting partnership in Britain to a premature end. 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. Though Butler and Anderson had not spoken to each other for nine years, Anderson claimed getting back in gear with Butler was not difficult. The band decided on being named after a line from a Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin, CH, CBE, FRSL is widely regarded as one of the great English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century...
poem, Femmes Damnées, which ends with the line: "The only sound heard is the sound of tears".
The band played their first ever live show on December 14, 2004 at the Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
Zodiac. 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
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
song, "The Drowners", Anderson replied saying, "Did somebody say they wanted to hear The Drowners
The Drowners
"The Drowners" is the debut single by Suede, released on 11 May 1992 on Nude Records. It charted at number 49 on the UK singles chart. Though not a hit at first, it amassed airplay over time and has become one of the band's definitive singles. It garnered much acclaim from New Musical Express and...
? You’ve come to the wrong gig, mate."
Apart from relatively minor reviews of the first clutch of live shows, The Tears first press, a review of "Refugees", interview with Anderson and a poster was in The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
on 15 April. The next major article was by Alex Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for UK newspaper The Guardian, as well as a regular and contributor to the magazine GQ.Petridis began his career writing for Varsity whilst a student at the University of Cambridge...
in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 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". There's even a hint of the old provocative flash and arrogance when talk turns to the future: Here Comes the Tears feels like a debut. It will be massively bettered. On this at least there's no hint of disagreement. "This album's like rocking the boat a bit. There's been a few splashes," nods Butler. "Next time, I want to get rid of the sails and see what happens."
From the start, Anderson was insistent that the band would not be playing any songs by Suede. Things would change over time, however, as the band ended up playing the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, "The Living Dead", to an enthusiastic reception, during an encore for their show at the Sheffield Leadmill in April. In April 2005, the band's first single, "Refugees
Refugees (song)
"Refugees" is the debut single by The Tears, released on April 25, 2005 on Independiente Records. It charted at number 9 on the UK singles chart, which was relatively good considering the lack of success done by the previous Suede album, as well as the fact that it was the band's first single...
", was released. The single was a success and peaked in the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
The band's debut album, Here Come the Tears
Here Come the Tears
Here Come the Tears is the debut album by The Tears, released on June 6, 2005 on Independiente Records.The album proved a comeback for Bernard Butler and Brett Anderson as the album was praised by critics and fans alike, and charted at number 15....
followed on 6 June 2005. It was released to generally favourable reviews that helped solidify the duo's comeback, yet it failed to crack the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. 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." In late June, the band played a set at the John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
stage at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
. The second single from the debut album, entitled "Lovers
Lovers (song)
"Lovers" is the second single by The Tears from their debut album Here Come the Tears, released on 27 June 2005 on Independiente Records. The title track was originally slated to be a B-side for the album's first single, "Refugees", until the record label pushed the band to put it on the album and...
", was released in June. Though a significantly lower charting than the previous single, it still managed to reach number 24.
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
Here Come the Tears
Here Come the Tears is the debut album by The Tears, released on June 6, 2005 on Independiente Records.The album proved a comeback for Bernard Butler and Brett Anderson as the album was praised by critics and fans alike, and charted at number 15....
, and the release of the band's follow up album. After playing several festivals including Glastonbury and T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
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
Brett Anderson (album)
Brett Anderson is the first solo release from Suede and [The Tears]] frontman Brett Anderson.In May 2006, Anderson announced sketchy details for the 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." These hopes were short-lived, however when Butler announced his retirement from performing in 2008 to concentrate on producing.
Singles
- "RefugeesRefugees (song)"Refugees" is the debut single by The Tears, released on April 25, 2005 on Independiente Records. It charted at number 9 on the UK singles chart, which was relatively good considering the lack of success done by the previous Suede album, as well as the fact that it was the band's first single...
" (2005) #9 UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... - "LoversLovers (song)"Lovers" is the second single by The Tears from their debut album Here Come the Tears, released on 27 June 2005 on Independiente Records. The title track was originally slated to be a B-side for the album's first single, "Refugees", until the record label pushed the band to put it on the album and...
" (2005) #24 UK