1993 - the birth of Britpop - 10 songs 30-years on

You could argue endlessly about what Britpop is and isn't / was and wasn't. For me personally, it was a period of time from March 1994 through to the summer of 1996. Girls & Boys to Knebworth while Sorted for E's and Whizz. But, as you'll read below, the seeds were truly sown in 1993.

Some would argue that Britpop (British bands with guitars) started in the 1960's and never stopped. Now and then a band or scene would explode; Merseybeat, Mod, Garage, Psychedelia, Glam, Punk, New Wave, Indie, Indie/Dance crossover, Madchester ... there are always peaks and troughs, but its ongoing.

Usually a handful of bands would breakthrough and a trail of copycats or chancers would attempt to follow closely behind them.  Occasionally, truly special bands would just come along and be absolutely untouchable. Think of The Smiths. They stood alone. They didn't really have any peers.

Meanwhile, for Britpop purists, Britpop lasted from 1993 - 1997/98. Many cite Pulp's This Is Hardcore as the official end of Britpop. For me, Britpop ended at Knebworth, but the death was confirmed in 1997 when bands began to veer much more leftfield, experimenting with instruments and sound. OK Computer by Radiohead, Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating In Space by Spiritualized, Vanishing Point by Primal Scream ... music was moving on while Oasis were releasing Be Here Now.

 Britpop, the label, was applied to a 'scene' in the UK back in the spring of 1993 when Select Magazine put Brett Anderson from Suede on their cover with the title Yanks Go Home! The magazine highlighted that Suede, St Etienne, Denim, Pulp and The Auteurs were ready to Battle for Britain. Five very different bands indeed! Not really a scene! 

In an article by Stuart Maconie, Select opted for Dad's Army style sloganeering with Who do you think you are kidding Mr Cobain? Stating that they'd had enough of miserable grungewear and self-obsessed slacker bands, going on to say that they would reclaim the Union Jack from the Nazis.

Mr Kurt Cobain's Nirvana had exploded from nowhere and a string of bands wearing plaid shirts, ripped jeans and battered converse followed them. Record companies decamped to Seattle and bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains were heavily pushed. Only, Nirvana apart .... they weren't very interesting ... In fact, they were very boring. Perhaps, heroin, the scenes drug of choice, was partly to blame. In contrast to the Britpop bands being sorted for E's, whizz and a blizzard of cocaine ... before heroin was introduced to many on the London scene. That's a whole other blog and debate though!

Select's timing was perfect; 

• a year after Suede appeared on the cover of Melody Maker before releasing a note of music,
• a month on from their first top 10 single with Animal Nitrate 
• and to co-incide with the release of their eponymous debut. 

The magazine hit the spot. And they clearly saw the potential in Pulp - 10-years after their debut single. As for The Auteurs ... I have no idea why they were featured, if you check their interview online, they just don't seem interested and they have disassociated themselves with Britpop ever since - no wonder, they were anything but Britpop!

Suede received extensive coverage and lavish praise in the issue and frontman Brett Anderson played on it, producing memorable quotes like; 'Yes, I do feel invincible ... '

Suede were being hyped beyond belief and for the first time in ages, it seemed like a band was going to live up to it. Their first 4-singles (blogged on here) were electric, exciting and exhilarating. This was a band shooting for the stars.

In the same month as the famous Select cover, Blur released For Tomorrow as a single - blogged on here.  

For me, 90's Britpop properly started in the spring of 1994 when Blur released Girls & Boys, Kurt Cobain committed suicide and Oasis released Supersonic. The seeds sown by Suede a year earlier were now in bloom (excuse the Nirvana reference!). Blur would embrace Britpop wholeheartedly, while Noel and Liam repeatedly called themselves a rock n roll band.

The doors to the mainstream were well and truly kicked in and many others flowed in, looking for their fifteen minutes of fame. 

A band called The Jennifers changed their name to Supergrass, Shaun Ryder was reborn with Black Grape, Sleeper went pop, John Power from The La's had some massive hits with Cast, Menswear formed as a direct result of Britpop, while even lofi artists like Babybird had a go with 1996 hit single You're Gorgeous and in the aftermath of Oasis it seemed like any northern band with a feather cut and a cagoule could get a record deal - Northern Uproar being a prime example. 

Britpop became a movement, for a wonderful period there were amazing singles and albums being released every week. This peaked in 1995 with albums like Different Class, (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, The Great Escape, Elastica, All Change, It's Great When You're Straight ... Yeah!, I Should Coco, Stanley Road, Wake Up Boo! .... quintessential Britpop albums.

1995 also saw the release A Northern Soul, The Bends, Grand Prix, The Charlatans, Exit Planet Dust, Leftism and Maxinquaye. I'll save a blog on 1995 for another time, but it really was an exceptional year for British music.

Back to 1993.

It's interesting to reflect back on some of the singles and albums released by British bands in that year. Many of the artists are still releasing brilliant music 30-years down the line. 

Non-UK singles released in 1993 included the super cool Cannonball by The Breeders, the classic Killing In The Name Of by Rage Against The Machine, Bjork's incredible Human Behaviour and sublime Venus As A Boy, Feed The Tree by Belly, Into Your Arms by The Lemonheads, Today by Smashing Pumpkins and the life affirming Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.

As per the opening paragraph, you could argue endlessly about what was Britpop and what wasn't, but here are 10 singles from British alternative/indie artists that were released in 1993. OK make that 11 as I've added 2 from Pulp! I've added links to videos for all the songs I have written about below.  

Here is a playlist of the NME singles of the year for 1993. 

10 'Britpop' singles from 1993

Open Up by Leftfield and John Lydon

The throbbing energy of electro and punk combined to stunning effect. Lydon snarls and sneers his way through the song while Leftfield fuse techno and dub rhythms to create something that sounds dangerous and captivating. Young upstarts The Dust Brothers - later to change their name to The Chemical Brothers - provided a remix. Perhaps this paved the way for many other electronic acts to think outside of the box for guest vocalists.

Open Up - official video

Dust Brothers/Chemical Brothers remix

Animal Nitrate by Suede

Suede gatecrashed the top 10 with their 3rd single. Brett Anderson was beamed into living rooms across the country singing what does it take to turn you on? showing off his midriff, shaking, shimmying and causing teenagers to get excited and curious, while their parents tut tutted. Bernard Butler's guitar sounded like nothing else going on at that time.

Animal Nitrate - official video

Stutter by Elastica

Suede might have started the Britpop party, but they soon distanced themselves from it with the release of their second album, Dog Man Star, in 1994. Meanwhile, ex-Suede member Justine Frischmann (and now girlfriend of Damon Albarn) was making an entrance with her band Elastica's debut single in June of 1993. Two verses, two choruses and lasting a little over 2-minutes long, Stutter was (and remains) a beautifully brash slice of punky new wave pop that has dated well. It still sounds fresh, fun and vital 30-years down the line.

Stutter - official video

From Despair To Where by Manic St Preachers

The Manics could never be classed as Britpop, although they were never far away from the scene. Nicky Wire declared his love for Oasis and the Manics played Knebworth, but the Manics intelligence set them apart. On their biggest hits they were singing libraries gave us power and if you tolerate this then your children will be next. Quite whether these songs would have reached number 2 and 1 in the charts without the Britpop effect is up for debate. 

On From Despair To Where the Manics display their ear for melody with a catchy chorus and insanely catchy guitar riff and a touch of class with the string section leading the instrumental. 

From Despair To Where - official video

For Tomorrow by Blur

It's safe to say, on reflection, that For Tomorrow was a game changing single for Blur. Broken after a long American tour, Albarn found solace in the music of The Kinks. On the brink of being dropped by their label, Blur regrouped, bought old suit jackets, Doc Marten Boots and Fred Perry tops. All of a sudden it felt like Blur had found their sound and look. In that sense, I'd argue that it's one of the most important singles of the Britpop era.

For Tomorrow has a beautiful feel to it; strings, la la la's, a very southern English vocal by Albarn and solid beats. The video rubber stamped Blur's new identity; Albarn hanging off the back of a London double decker bus, floating in The Thames, the band playing football in Trafalgur Square and hanging around on Primrose Hill. All wearing the aforementioned new Blur uniform of suit jacket and jeans. The melody changes for the final two verses, flowing superbly as Albarn sings modern life is rubbish.

Photo by Kevin Cummins

Official video

Regret by New Order

I always feel warmer when I hear Regret by New Order. That opening burst of guitar and synth combining so naturally, then it comes in again, like a stutter, but then the groove and flow kicks in. And oh how Regret groove and flows. 

The chorus might be the most uplifting out and out chorus in the New Order cannon, Hooky's bass solo is magnificent and the outro with Barney singing just wait til tomorrow, I guess that's what they all say, just before they fall apart tugs on my heartstrings every time I hear it.

Veterans from the post punk scene with Joy Division, New Order had over a decade of experience of showing how independent bands could have hit singles.

Regret official video

Creep by Radiohead

Originally released in September 1992, Radiohead's debut single Creep became a slow burning word-of-mouth sensation. Despite being on the bands Pablo Honey album, the demand was clear, Creep had to be reissued.

After reaching number 78 in September 1992, Creep broke through to the top 10, reaching number 7 when rereleased a year later.

I hadn't listened to Creep in years, probably decades before writing this blog. It's still incredibly emotive from the off; the chord progression, Thom Yorke's voice, the bridge to the chorus, introduced by Jonny Greenwood's crunching guitar;

I wish I was special

You're so fucking special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here

Yorke's voice rises for the she's running out the door section, he really goes for it, matched by Greenwood on guitar. It's an incredible performance.

Of course, Radiohead most definitely aren't Britpop. They weren't in 1993 and they weren't with their phenomenal album The Bends, released in 1995, but singles from that album stretched out across Britpop from 1994-96.

The band highlighted their considerable development in 1997 with the release of the OK Computer album, staggering Paranoid Android single and the contribution of the remarkable Lucky to the Help album for Warchild. They were out on their own. They still are.

Official video

Wild Wood by Paul Weller

Paul Weller has always burned with a fierce energy. He seemed to burn particularly brightly through the 90's. Going under his own name for the first time after The Jam and The Style Council, Weller was perhaps fired up by the opportunity to recruit different people into his band, or to have guest with him. 

He quickly followed his eponymous debut solo album from 1992 with Wild Wood in 1993. The title track is beautifully lazy and hazy, Weller's voice is rich and raw, the rhythm is mellow and the guitar solo is wonderfully playful.

Weller recognised the working class fire and songwriting talent of Noel Gallagher and the two became great friends. In the heady days of 1995 the pair played together on Channel 4's The White Room, singing Noel's Talk Tonight.

Official video

Lipgloss by Pulp

Back in early 1993, Pulp achieved their first chart placing when they reached the heady heights of number 80 with Razzmatazz, their final single for Gift Records. Remarkably, given their atrocious track record from 1983-1993, the band then signed a major label deal with Island Records! 

Clearly, someone in the A&R team at Island was on it! Perhaps the feature in Select helped? I imagine loads of A&R would have bypassed even listening to Pulp demos or going to see them live.

But with the His n Hers album ready for release in 1994, Pulp were ready to explode. Actually, when you look back at their discography, from the release of the Babies single in 1992, Pulp were on fire for a few years; Babies, Razzmatazz, Lipgloss, Do You Remember The First Time?, The Sisters EP, Common People, Sorted For E's & Whizz b/w Mis-shapes, Disco 2000 and Something's Changed.

That's quite a run of singles! Add in the His n Hers and Different Class albums along with a show stealing headline slot at Glastonbury 1995 as last minute replacements for Stone Roses after John Squire broke his collarbone ... Pulp ruled Britpop. 

But back to 1993. Pulp got to number 80 with Razzmatazz and then number 50 with Lipgloss. Jarvis is almost spoken word at times, whispering at others, rising for the chorus that is underpinned by some brilliant guitar riffing.

Oh you've got your lipgloss honey, oh yeah

Now nothing you can do can turn him on

There's something wrong

You had it once but now it's gone

Cocker is observant, reflective, honest and playful across both of these singles. Strong hints of what was coming.

Official video - Lipgloss

Official video - Razzmatazz

You're In A Bad Way by Saint Etienne

As a regular and avid reader of the NME and Melody Maker I couldn't help but fall for Saint Etienne, falling extra hard for their gorgeous singer Sarah Cracknell. I bought this single on 7-inch and it was one of many songs that I included on a mixtape for our 6th Year common room at Carluke High School.

You're In A Bad Way bursts into life from the off, all kinds of sugary, sweet goodness. Cracknell seductively sings just dial my number, I've got some plans for you while Wiggs and Stanley create a flowing pop symphony, complete with a little caribbean steel drum solo. 

This is such a pure rush of a pop song that reached number 12 in the charts. Saint Etienne are still creating wonderful pop music all these years down the line. It's well worth checking some of their sublime compilation albums like Songs From Mario's Cafe and The Trip created by Saint Etienne to dig into some of their influences.

Official video

Suede at Glasgow Barrowland

Suede were utterly sensational last night, led by Brett Anderson, a frontman in the form of his life.

A classical intro played as Suede took a dimly lit stage that was full of dry smoke. The band were all dressed in black and they began playing the ballad 'Still Life'. Brett Anderson strolled on to the stage wearing skinny tight black jeans and a white shirt, buttons half undone and sleeves rolled up. He was ready for business.

Anderson then displayed one of the finest frontman performances I have ever seen, his vocals were also spellbinding. Anderson delivered an incredible opening performance of 'Still Life' causing my mate Dave and I to exchange knowing glances.

Anderson looked fantastic, he has always been slim but he looked healthily toned. He shaked and shimmied, jumped, pogo'd, skipped and bounded his way around the stage. In fact he probably spent more time on standing on the monitors at the front or down with the audience than he spent on stage.

Anderson was electrified, he was on another level last night, giving it his all and then some more. I couldn't take my eyes off him for a second.

'Barriers' and 'Snowblind' followed before 'It Starts And Ends With You' from their latest album 'Bloodsports' is energetic guitar pop at its best, flowing along with ease. It kick-started an epic 4-song run, leading into 'Filmstar', a superb 'Trash' and a euphoric 'Animal Nitrate'.

Anderson was in truly sensational form, a wide smile broke out at several times, he was singing and performing like his life depended on it. Thankfully he slowed things down for a bit as we were wondering how he could keep it up! He was down on his knees, lying across the stage and his vocals were strong and true.

The crowd went wild for 'The Drowners' as Brett made a mockery of his age with his energy and enthusiasm carrying the band and crowd as one.

A sensational fully extended 'The Asphalt World' allowed Anderson to walk side stage. From our vantage point we could see him leaning against the back of the PA, totally exhausted, someone came and put an arm round him and he downed a bottle of water. He came back on after the soaring instrumental and led the song to its conclusion.

'So Young', 'Metal Mickey' and a glorious 'The Beautful Ones' ended the set with the crowd going nuts in response to Anderson's show and just encouraging him to show off even more. He cracked his mic lead like a whip, swung it around his head and over the crowd and eventually let it curl around his body.

They came back on to a huge ovation and played a brilliant 'New Generation'.

I have been attending shows at the Glasgow Barrowland for 20-years and last nights performance by Brett Anderson was one of the best I have seen. I hope they return soon.

Suede - the first 4 singles

I'm heading to the Barrowlands in October to see Suede, a band reborn through the release of the album 'Bloodsports' earlier this year.

I've recently taken some time to listen back through their catalogue that contains some incredible highlights, however I'm still fondest of their early singles that I bought on 7-inch over 20-years ago. A truly remarkable collection of songs that easily stand the test of time.

Suede burst on to the music scene in 1992 with confidence and style; their outspoken and good looking front man Brett Anderson helped to earn them a Melody Maker cover in April 1992, a full month ahead of their debut single 'The Drowners'.

'The Drowners' stood out a mile when it was released, it still stands out now. The drums and guitars that open the song are almost glam like, Anderson's vocal delivery grabs your attention and gets to the chorus within a minute.

We'll kiss in his room to a popular tune

The above lyric grabbed attention, as did Anderson's quote that he was 'a bisexual man who had never had a homosexual experience'. Morrissey and Bowie both became early fans and champions of the band, with Morrissey even covering the b-side of 'The Drowners', a song called 'My Insatiable One'.

Suede seemed to be throwing down a marker, a gauntlet if you will. Classic English guitar pop taking in influences from the 60's onwards but creating a sound and look that was original and certainly miles away from either grunge or house music that was dominating the charts at the time, even Madchester/Baggie.

With a b-side good enough to be an a-side and distinctive artwork for the single, this was a band gunning for glory.

Anderson's right hand man was Bernard Butler, a young livewire of a guitarist who was generating just as much of a buzz as the frontman due to his ability and looks. The Morrissey/Marr comparisons were inescapable.

'The Drowners' did everything a debut single should do for a band aiming for the stars - it laid down a marker; the look, the sound, it was a statement of intent. It didn't matter that the single never broke the top 40, all the right people were hearing it and falling in love with it.

The follow up single was released in September 1992. 'Metal Mickey' just followed on from 'The Drowners', proving the band had more than one song up their sleeves. In many ways it follows the 'formula' of their debut; guitars and drums dominate the intro before Anderson comes in with his distinctive vocals - again getting to the chorus in well under a minute. Butler's guitar is very Marr-like with it's circling riff and he gets to let rip on a solo that recalls The Kinks due to ferocity with which he delivers it.

Ed Buller was at the helm of the production duties for all 4 of the singles lifted from Suede's debut album and he just got things bang on, totally understanding the band, the songs, their ability and the sound they were capable of. The song reached number 17 on the charts, the only way was up.

'Animal Nitrate' was Suede's third release, a month ahead of the album. By this stage Suede were riding high, darlings of the musical press and bridging the gap between indie and mainstream with ease. 

If anyone had any doubts about how sexually charged Suede were (probably not many), then they were completely banished with this song. 

Oh in your council home, he jumped on your bones

Now you're taking it time after time

Oh it turns you on, on, on, now he has gone

oh what turns you on, on, on, now your animal's gone

Well he said he'd show you his bed

And the delights of his chemical smile

So in your broken home, he jumped on your bones

Now you're taking it time after time

This time the intro started with guitar before the drums came in, with Anderson not far behind.  The difference in performance from the band from the first video to this one is marked - the confidence is there for all to see (enhanced by cocaine according to Anderson). Anderson is pouting, displaying his midriff, slapping his bum (a favourite live trick of his at the time). 

Yet again Anderson hits the chorus before the 1-minute mark, this time at a mere 45-seconds before ripping straight into the second verse, hitting the second chorus at just after 1 minute 20 seconds. This is pure guitar pop and Butler lets rip with a searing solo that builds and builds before the chorus comes in again.  The song got to number 7, getting the band into the top ten for the first time.

After 3 sensational guitar pop singles and the release of their debut album 'Suede', perhaps it was time for the band to display their talents in a different way.

'So Young', released in May 1993 was the fourth and final single released from the album (that got to number one).  It is another corker of a single and gained controversy at the time for the lyric 'let's chase the dragon'.

The song is still pop but in a different way from the first 3 singles that were rammed down your throat with hooks. This is a beautiful song, the highlight for me being the verse;

...from our home high in the city where the skyline

Stained the snow I feel for a servant who kept me on the boil

Butler's guitar cuts out and some beautiful piano comes in before building to the chorus.

We're so young and so gone, let's chase the dragon oh

This is an impeccable collection of singles. The fact that they were the first four of the bands career makes them even more remarkable.

After burning so brightly, it was almost inevitable that the light would falter. Anderson seemed to want to take the band off in a new direction - determined not to be lumped in with the Britpop momentum that ironically Suede had helped to create.

A standalone single 'Stay Together' charted at number 3, but all was not well within the Suede camp with tensions running high between Anderson and Butler to the extent that they travelled separately to shows and Butler recorded his guitar parts in isolation.

Something had to give and Bernard Butler left to go on and produce some incredible songs with David McAlmont, notably the stupendous single 'Yes'.

Anderson locked himself away in a mansion with a load of drugs; coming back with 'Dog Man Star' an album completely out of sync with the media and Britain in 1994 that was being seduced by Blur and Oasis.

The album is now largely viewed as Anderson's masterpiece. I'll leave that for another blog.