Dog Man Star is the second album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in October 1994 on Nude Records. The album was recorded in London at Master Rock studios in early 1994, and was produced by Ed Buller. It was the last Suede album to feature guitarist Bernard Butler; growing tensions between him and singer Brett Anderson ended with Butler leaving the band before recording was complete. As a result, some tracks on the album had to be finished with the assistance of session musicians.
In contrast to their debut album Suede, which exhibited the influences of David Bowie and the Smiths, Out-of-step with the mainstream music scene, it featured the band diverting away from the "Britpop pack" of bands.
While Dog Man Star was acclaimed by many reviewers as a masterpiece, In the decade between Suede's 2003 separation and the release of Bloodsports, Dog Man Star steadily gained a strong following as a classic rock record. In October 2013, NME magazine placed the album at number 31 in its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Background
In early 1994, when Suede were about to release the standalone single "Stay Together", the morale within the group was at an all-time low. Butler's father had died just as the band were about to begin their second American tour. The first week of the tour was cancelled, and Suede flew back to London from New York. When the tour did resume, Butler—not only recently bereaved but now engaged to his fiancée Elisa—distanced himself from the rest of the band far more than before. According to Butler, "they got really resentful of the fact that they were on tour with someone who didn't want to party". He even travelled separately, either alone, by taxi, or on the tour bus of support act the Cranberries. Then, in Atlanta, Suede suffered the ignominy of having to open for the Cranberries, who had become a bigger draw, thanks to their recent hit "Linger". The band agreed to let the Cranberries go on last in three places, given that they were picking up airplay; Anderson said the "whole rivalry thing was blown out of all proportion." By the time of their arrival in New York, Suede had enough, and the last few dates were cancelled. According to drummer Simon Gilbert, Butler was becoming intolerable and impossible to work with, and the band could not function together any longer. To record Suede's next album Anderson moved to Highgate, north London, and began to write lyrics while living in a secluded flat; a time which is detailed in the band biography Love and Poison.
The album was later described by writer Nick Duerden as "the most pompous, overblown British rock record of the decade". Anderson has said that its overblown sound was down to his use of psychedelic drugs: "I was doing an awful lot of acid at the time, and I think it was this that gave us the confidence to push boundaries."
Recording and production
The album was recorded between 22 March and 26 July 1994 at Master Rock Studios, Kilburn, London. The rehearsals were very tense and would inevitably split the band into two separate camps. Butler had his own agenda, and he frequently clashed with the rest of the band and producer Ed Buller, over whom he had concerns during the recording of the first album. According to Buller, Butler and the rest of the band were not in the studio together once during recording, perhaps only for a matter of hours. At the end of the song, Butler can be heard changing channels and picking up a section of dialogue from Lauren Bacall from the film Woman's World. Buller also talked of the impromptu recording of Butler playing the intro to "The Wild Ones" on a dobro outside as he sat on the roof of his car. The extended "The Asphalt World" and the experimental ending for "The Wild Ones" were borne out of this affinity.
Osman later expressed he felt Butler's compositions were too experimental: "Lots of the musical ideas were too much. They were being rude to the listener: it was expecting too much of people to listen to them." The arguments over "The Asphalt World" spilled over on to the rest of the album, as Butler became progressively more dissatisfied with Ed Buller's production. In a 2005 interview, the guitarist maintained his position on the matter, stating that Buller "made a terrible shoddy job of it". Butler wanted Buller dismissed, allowing him to produce the record by himself.
It was later revealed that Butler had recommended Chris Thomas as their producer. Thomas was more experienced and had previously worked with punk rock bands The Pretenders and the Sex Pistols; however, Suede's label Nude Records dismissed the idea, saying he was too expensive. Nude's owner Saul Galpern claimed that the guitarist became impossible to reason with, and also made threats to him and Buller. Buller claims he received phone calls where he heard something akin to scratching knives.
Butler issued the band and their management an ultimatum: either they sacked Buller, or he would walk out. The rest of the band refused to comply with Butler's demands, and decided to let him walk out before the record was finished. Butler insisted he was kicked out of the band, for he turned up to the studio one day to find he was not allowed in. He went back the next day to pick up his guitar, and was told through the intercom that his guitar would be left in the street for him (Buller disputes this, stating that the guitars were left at the studio reception desk for collection). Suede's manager Charlie Charlton made a final attempt to reach consensus between the two parties; however, during a tense phone conversation the final words Butler uttered to Anderson were along the lines of "you're a fucking cunt". Anderson offered to play acoustic guitar.
Butler also later criticised the final orchestral arrangement for "Still Life". Osman and Buller share similar views on the final album. Buller described "Still Life" as being "over-the-top"; he said "New Generation" was in the wrong key, and that its drums and mix were "appalling".
Influences and themes
Writing for The New York Times, Neil Strauss said: "Dog Man Star looks back to the era when glam-rock met art rock, with meticulously arranged songs sung with a flamboyance reminiscent of David Bowie and accompanied by anything from a 40-piece orchestra to an old Moog synthesizer." The Bowie influence was still omnipresent, however, unlike their debut, Suede focused on a darker and more melodramatic sound. With many noting "The Power" as the most obvious ode to Bowie. Butler drew inspiration from The Smiths' The Queen is Dead, Joy Division's Closer, Marc and the Mambas' Torment and Toreros and The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling". One critic opined: "There is a proper introduction, a rousing orchestral finale, and arguably a coherent narrative of love, sex, drugs and loss." Anderson was highly influenced by cinema, and admitted that during his self-imposed exile living in Highgate he watched Performance every night. Critics have noted the album's cinematic influence, with Simon Price writing that Anderson used the city as a "cinematic backdrop to the tragic heroism of his own life." Likewise, on the subject of Suede's familiar lyrical themes, the Radio Times wrote that "He [Anderson] would replace it with something deeper and timeless, drawing on old Hollywood and tragic, quotidian love stories." The uncharacteristic single-chord opening song's style and lyrics baffled critics; some were unimpressed, while Stuart Maconie felt the song had a "cryptic, ambience that makes it an ideal opener".
Both songs, according to Anderson, introduce the themes of isolation where the obsession is forming relationships with fantasy figures, as opposed to real people. "She Walks in Beauty like the night", the song's opening line, is the first line of a Byron poem. Anderson wrote the eulogy "Daddy's Speeding", about a dream involving taking drugs with the late American actor James Dean.
"Black or Blue" is a song about racial intolerance and tells the story of a doomed interracial romance. Critics have likened the song to West Side Story.
The piano ballad "The 2 of Us", according to Anderson, is about loneliness against the backdrop of wealth and fame; a professional couple incapable of relating to one another emotionally. It features Anderson's favourite lyrics on the album: the snow might fall and write the line on the silent page. A tap dancer was originally heard over the middle eight section. This was removed and replaced with a flute player. The title is intended as a proud summation of Suede's evolution. "It was meant to be a record about ambition; what could you make yourself into."
An original cover design had been a still from Pasolini's Salò. Taken by American photographer Joanne Leonard in 1971, the front cover picture was originally titled "Sad Dreams on Cold Mornings" and the rear photo "Lost Dreams". Anderson says, "I just liked the image, really, of the bloke on the bed in the room. It's quite sort of sad and sexual, I think, like the songs on the album."
Release and promotion
Promotion for the album took place in a somewhat lukewarm atmosphere. With the departure of one half of the song-writing partnership, fans and the music press had assumed that the band were finished. The choice of lead single had been a subject of debate, with Sony pressuring Anderson to release "New Generation" first for commercial reasons. Bassist Mat Osman felt "The Wild Ones" should have been the first single, and said releasing "We Are the Pigs" was "commercial suicide." The single was performed 22 September on Top of the Pops where Oakes made his first TV performance. The band played three dates in Paris early October, with Oakes making his live debut there before making his official UK debut at a secret fanclub show at Raw Club in London 10 October.
Dog Man Star was released in the UK 10 October 1994 "The Wild Ones" was chosen as the first single in the US going on modern rock radio 4 October. It was also the first single chosen for the European market. The US and Japanese release contained the bonus track "Modern Boys", b-side to "The Wild Ones". The album charted at no. 35 on Billboards Heatseekers Albums chart 12 November. "New Generation" was the last single released from the album charting at no. 21 early 1995. However, at the same time, US sales were only one tenth of UK sales, shifting 23,000. According to Nielsen SoundScan, as of September 2008, it has sold 36,000. By comparison, this is about a third of the sales of Suede. It was certified as gold by the British Phonographic Industry November 1994. The reissue charted at no. 63 in the UK Albums Chart. The special edition included High Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-ray of the album and b-sides; 2 CDs in mini gatefold sleeve and a cassette of entire album with the original 1994 inlay; DVD footage and previously unseen video interviews with the band from July 2013; 1994 performances from Top of the Pops and The O-Zone, Dog Man Star tour films and the "Stay Together" promo video; vinyl 12″ singles of "We Are the Pigs" and "The Wild Ones" and a 7" reproduction of the NME flexi disc in original picture sleeve; 60 page hardback book with notes by Brett Anderson, photos, handwritten lyrics and ephemera; a 48-page sheet music book with five songs; plastic carrier bag with an exclusive design; an A2 poster and a 12″ x 12″ print. There are two versions of the box set packaging artwork. One is identical to the original artwork. The other design, which is the Collector's Limited Edition comes in an alternative colour treatment of an orange tint, which was limited to five hundred units. This version also included a vinyl 12″ "Stay Together" single.
Critical reception
Writing in 2011, Brian Boyd of The Irish Times spoke of how the record drew "mass confusion" among critics, with words such as overblown and pompous in many reviews. Stuart Maconie of Select called it a "great record; at least as good as their debut and probably better when viewed through the reversed telescope of history." Outside the London press, Ireland's Hot Press, the Irish Independent, and Scotland's List magazine published positive reviews.
In the US, Suede never matched the moderate success of their first album. This was principally due to the mix-up over the band's name and because Dog Man Star "was one of the most pretentious albums ever released by a major label," according to music journalist Rob Sheffield. Likewise, Entertainment Weekly were less enthused. Chuck Eddy said: "on ornate gothic ballads, the band that used to be Suede comes off affected and dull."
However, on the contrary some viewed the album as a step forward with the band breaking out of its comfort zone. Simon Reynolds of The New York Times felt that the band "soars to new heights of swoony hysteria," in contrast to the glam rock showcased on the first album. He added: "Dog Man Star deserves attention, if only for its absurd ambition." Echoing feelings of pushing boundaries, Jonathan Bernstein of Spin concluded his positive review stating: "this is a group capable of far surpassing its perceived limitations." Barry Walters of The Advocate called it “an ambitious beast of an album;” and recognised the polarised opinion it may generate, saying: “For some Dog Man Star will be simply too intense. For others this will be rock album of the year.” Dog Man Star featured in many end-of-year lists with Spin, Vox, NME, Rockdelux and Select including it in their top ten.
Legacy and influence
The album featured in best-of lists throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Critics would designate it as a masterpiece into the new century, In a 2006 retrospective review, Michael Furman of Tiny Mix Tapes compared Suede to Radiohead, Oasis and Manic Street Preachers – all of whom issued popular records around this time – and wrote: "It is Suede's Dog Man Star, however, that often slips through the recollections of this period." Similarly, in 2008, Jason Parkes wrote in Head Heritage: "Dog Man Star remains an interesting record and quite odd and too rich for the mainstream at the time."
With the release of the band's sixth album Bloodsports in March 2013, Dog Man Star became a talking point among critics and garnered more retrospective attention. Matthew Lindsay of The Quietus contended that Dog Man Star anticipated the prominence of ambitious British rock with dark and lonely themes in the years that followed, citing bands like Pulp, Radiohead and Spiritualized. Dog Man Star was the first album Okereke bought. "I got it on tape when I was 12," he recalled. "I wanted to take it back after a week, but found myself listening to it obsessively. I was hearing new things in it every time I played it."
Dougie Payne of Scottish band Travis included the album among his nine favourites: "As far as I'm concerned, the Britpop wars were won by Suede and Pulp. They were the most interesting and adventurous people in the movement. Suede had a depth that the things that followed didn't have. Dog Man Star is a band chucking absolutely everything at a record and it's superb!"
The late Greg Gilbert of English band Delays spoke of his admiration for the record in 2004, describing how the band wrote music having grown up in Southampton: "I'm a big fan of Dog Man Star. It's such a fantastic statement. It's very English, that element is part of where we're coming from, looking for that romance and drama, because Southampton is home but it's a very normal place."
In September 2003, Suede played five nights at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, dedicating each night to one of their five albums and playing through an entire album a night. Tickets sold fastest for Tuesday's Dog Man Star night, and were selling for over a £1,000 a pair on eBay. By comparison, tickets for A New Morning went for up to £100. In March 2014, Suede made their second appearance at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust's annual series of gigs. The band performed Dog Man Star in its entirety to mark the album's 20th anniversary.
Accolades
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Publication
! Country
! Accolade
! Year
! Rank
|-
| Alternative Press
| US
| The 90 Greatest Albums of the 90's
| 1998
|align="centre"| 37
|-
| Robert Dimery
| UK
| 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
| 2005
|align="centre"| *
|-
| The Guardian
| UK
| 1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die
| 2007
|align="centre"| *
|-
| Guitar World
| US
| Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994
| 2014
|align="centre"| *
|-
| Colin Larkin
| UK
| All Time Top 1000 Albums
| 1998
|align="centre"| 62
|-
| Melody Maker
| UK
| All Time Top 100 Albums
| 2000
|align="centre"| 16
|-
|Metro Weekly
| US
| 50 Best Alternative Albums of the '90s
| 2014
|align="centre"| 17
|-
| rowspan=3| NME
| rowspan=3| UK
| 100 Best Albums
| 2003
|align="centre"| 78
|-
| The 100 Greatest British Albums Ever
| 2006
|align="centre"| 58
|-
| The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
| 2017
|align="centre"| 5
|-
| rowspan=3| Q
| rowspan=3| UK
| In Our Lifetime: Q's 100 Best Albums
| 1995
|align="centre"| *
|-
| Readers' All Time Top 100 Albums
| 1998
|align="centre"| 35
|-
| 250 Best Albums of Q's Lifetime
| 2011
|align="centre"| 81
|-
| Rockdelux
| Spain
| 150 Best Albums from the 90s
| 2000
|align="centre"| 67
|-
| Select
| UK
| The 100 Best Albums of the 90's
| 1996
|align="centre"| 17
|}
<small>(*) designates unordered lists.</small>
Track listing
2011 remastered and expanded version
Personnel
Suede
- Brett Anderson – vocals
- Bernard Butler – guitars, piano, additional instrumentation
- Simon Gilbert – drums
- Mat Osman – bass guitar
Production
- Ed Buller – production, engineering
- Gary Stout – engineering
- Tracii Sherman – assistance
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
Additional musicians
- Phil Overhead – percussion
- Simon Clarke – trumpet
- Roddy Lorimer – saxophone, flute
- Richard Edwards – trombone
- Andrew Cronshaw – cimbalon, ba-wu flute
- Tessa Niles – additional vocals
- Sinfonia of London – orchestra
- Brian Gascoigne – arrangements, conducting
- The Tricycle Theatre Workshop – children vocals
Design
- Brett Anderson – sleeve concept, art direction
- Brian Cannon – sleeve design
- Karen Davies – sleeve co-ordination
- Joanne Leonard – sleeve photography
- Jo Spence and Terry Dennett – additional photography
- Karlheinz Poll – additional photography
- David Loehr – additional photography
- Philip Jones Griffiths – additional photography
- Della Grace – additional photography
- Christian Vogt – additional photography
Charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Chart performance for Dog Man Star
! Chart (1994)
! Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)
| style="text-align:center;"| 73
|-
! scope="row"| European Top 100 Albums
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
|-
! scope="row"| French Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"| 32
|-
! scope="row"| Japanese Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"| 39
|-
! scope="row"| Swedish Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"| 5
|-
! scope="row"| UK Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"| 35
|}
Certifications
See also
- People Move On – the 1998 debut solo album by Butler