Brett Anderson, the lead singer of the now legendary band Suede wrote an autobiography called Coal Black Mornings, I read and enjoyed it. It’s very well written as you’d expect from someone whose entire career has been based on creative writing, albeit up to this point mainly in the form of lyrics, but it seems that it’s not a huge leap for him to go from songs to prose and retain a lyrical flavour. I did encounter one large flaw with the book however and that was how it ended. Anderson chose to tell his story right up to the point where it became really interesting. Just as the band was about to achieve success and fame, he chose to end the story and leave us, the readers, wanting more. A classic trope I suppose but still, ultimately, frustrating. I would assume most people, including myself, had decided to read the book because of Suede’s fame and success and to truncate the story just at the point when a large proportion of the audience became aware of Anderson and his cohorts seemed almost perverse. Typical Suede, I suppose. Trying to subvert and evade your expectations.
The release of his sequel autobiography, Afternoons With The Blinds Drawn, finally allows us to see what was happening backstage as Suede began to climb the ladder of success, to hear one side of the story as they stumbled on guitarist Bernard Butler’s acrimonious departure and to witness how incredible good fortune and serendipity conspired to bring them their greatest successes. It is not a long book at 260 pages and is an easy enough read despite some flowery language reminiscent of the first book. He does gloss over his drug addicted days that coloured the recording and release of their fourth album Head Music which was carried along in the wake of the huge success of Coming Up. He barely gives mention to the fifth and final (at the time) Suede album, A New Morning and instead treats it with the derision he believes it deserves.
Naturally this is Brett’s version of events, seen through his unavoidably, prejudiced prism and although age and time have given him wisdom and perspective how can the story not been guided by his memory or version of the story. Then again, it’s his story to tell in whatever fashion he feels comfortable with. A better, probably more balanced version of the Suede legend is presented in the fantastic documentary, The Insatiable Ones, released in 2018 to deserved acclaim. Named after an early B-side and Suede’s more fervent fans, this documentary includes input from the entire band and some close associates right up to and including their graceful comeback instigated by what they believed at the time to be a one off appearance in 2010 for the teenage cancer trust charity at the Royal Albert Hall some 7 years after their last live performance.
Maybe Anderson plans to make his autobiography into a trilogy and the final book will include this period, his solo albums, the reconciliation with Butler and the Tears album that resulted, the little anticipated but much longed for reunion and the stories behind the three albums released since. I’ll definitely read it.
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