Suede

When Bernard Butler left Suede before the release of Dog Man Star in 1994, many thought the Brit-pop darlings would not survive the loss of their guitarist and, some would argue, main songwriter. When a 17-year-old unknown, Richard Oakes, was drafted to fill Butler's shoes, the band's prognosis didn't improve. Of course, the eventual release of Coming Up (1996) answered naysayers, but, more immediately, so did Suede's live shows following Butler's departure. Such performances account for half of Introducing the Band, which assembles an hour of footage culled from several concerts on the group's first post-Butler tour in Winter '94. Edited into the format of a complete set, this material shows Suede to be as dynamic and engaging as ever, and finds Oakes far from overshadowed by the specter of the man once called "the greatest guitarist of his generation," especially on cuts like "Animal Nitrate," "So Young," and "Metal Mickey." While the only justification for the three-minute home movie of Suede on the road -- "Cards, Pliers and Videotape" -- is Brett Anderson's impromptu impersonation of the Fall's Mark E. Smith, the remainder of the tape -- "The Tour Films" -- is of considerable interest, collecting the visuals projected onstage behind the band during its late-1994 performances. Although these films are not actually promotional clips, several of them pass muster as music videos. This is especially true of the black-and-white split-screen tale of romantic angst accompanying "The 2 of Us" and the film for "This Hollywood Life." Featuring a drag queen photo shoot cum gay romp, the latter embodies Suede's flirtation with the aesthetics of camp, gender-bending, and ambivalent sexuality. Some of these films recycle tired music video clichés, but, for the most part, coupled with the live footage, they make Introducing the Band a worthwhile addition to any Suede fan's collection. ~ Wilson Neate, All Music Guide