index Biography Despite coming to London to supposedly study and further their career prospects, Brett and Mat always had one eye on music, and they advertised for a quitarist in the NME in October 1989. The first to respond was Bernard Butler, born on May 3, 1970. The Haywards Heath lads were impressed, to say the least. "He just fitted in straight away," says Mat. "You virtually know within 15 seconds when someone's right." Looks were important, too. The new guitarist had to fit their idea of the group's image. Bernard, with his lanky frame and long dark hair, was perfect. taken from York Membery, Suede, the illustrated biography. (Omnibus Press, 1993) Brett's future songwriting partner, Bernard Butler, was born in 1971 [1970] in Stamford Hill, and unobstrusive Jewish borough of north London. Bernard's father worked on the factory floor for Eveready Batteries while his mother looked after the household. His parents, both Irish, realised that their son had genuine musical talent from an early age, and subsequently did everything possible to encourage him. Bernard was tutored in violin at secundary school: at thirteen, he had moved on to his brother's electric guitar and by seventeen, he was a bona fide self-taught guitar prodigy. He enrolled to study history at Queen Mary College in London a year later, but his attention was quickly distracted by London's burgeoning music scene. He soon became a regular at the city's venues, and inevitably began nuturing a desire to play in a band himself. Reading through the classified section of the NME one week in October 1989, Butler spotted a small local ad requiring the services of a guitar player. 'No musos' it stipulated - Bernard was intrigued. On replying to the ad, he soon found himself in conversation with two other students - Brett Anderson from UCL and his friend Mat Osman who was now studying at the London School of Economics. Butler was entranced by their enthusiastic rhetoric about shedding the drudgery of college life to become pop stars. They talked at length of injecting something new and fresh, a dash of colour to London's grey background. By the end of their first meeting, Bernard's appetite was whetted. Mat and Brett, for their part, were impressed with the young guitarist's looks, proficiency and enthusiasm. "He just fitted in straight away," said Mat of the initial meeting, adding "You virtually know within 15 seconds if someone's right." Bernard was hired on the spot. taken from Nick Wise, Suede, the illustrated biography. (Omnibus Press, 1998) index