THE ESSENTIAL SUEDE >> specials >> love and poison

love and poison

the only suede stuff you need - apart from their music

"skips the mundanity and gets straight to the meat of the matter. 4/5" - bang
"really top read!" - zoe ball, xfm
book of the month - x-ray magazine
book of the month - observer music monthly

Suede didn't just wake up one day finding fame and glory falling from the sky onto their laps. Have you ever wondered how it all began? If you think you know their story, think again. You know nothing until you read this book.

On every page [and there are some 300 of them] there's at least 1 fact or story that will take you by surprise. The whole story is told in an amusingly witty and intimate way that can only be done by Mr. Barnett himself. Every chapter is a piece of puzzle that will get you eagerly read to the end to see the complete picture. When you've finished reading it, you'll be amazed at the perfect picture of their gradual climb from the gutter to the stars. It's Suede, raw, honest, and in-your-face.

Even if you're not a hardcore fan, it would make an interesting reading to witness this insane story of a band's struggle to success. It will also open your eyes that popstars too are human.

Brett was not joking when he said that the history of the band was ridiculous and that it'd "make a fucking good book". Indeed it has.

Buy it online at these recommended stores:
>> amazon.co.uk
>> ica bookstore

the author

who is he anyway?
meet david barnett, the biggest suede fan in the universe.

"i was a really sad, obsessive suede groupie/stalker type fan. i used to follow them around everywhere. i even flew to switzerland and places like that. the first time i met them was at bernard's last gig in edinburgh in february 94. i'd just done the first issue of "suave and elegant" and was selling it to other fans outside the venue. then simon came off the tour bus so i gave him a copy. he went back on the bus and the next person to emerge was brett who said "which one of you lot is david then?" i presumed he was annoyed at me for taking the piss in the fanzine but it turned out he really liked it. so after that i used to get in to a few aftershows and soundchecks and eventually they asked me to write some stuff for the official fanclub mag. i ended up doing a couple of other jobs for them, the most famous of which is probably coming up with the "gayanimalsex" t-shirt. then charlie, their manager, was taking on another band and his original assistant was moving back to the states so they were expanding the office and took me on as office boy. i actually got offered the job on the night of suede's phoenix festival appearance in 95."

the interview

David kindly shares some interesting bits about the book with us...

Apart from this interview, he also opened a chance for fans to ask questions on a live chat held on October 27, 2003, on The Essential Suede's very own chatroom. To see the transcript of that chat, click here.

>> when and how did the idea to write this book strike? was it hard to put it into reality?

it was a long, arduous and rather dull process. we were originally approached by virgin books around 97/98. i had a go at starting it (i actually interviewed mike joyce and peter anderson around this time) but it kind of fizzled out when the editor, ian gittins, left virgin and also it became clear that i didn't really have the time or experience to do it at that point. ian eventually came back to us about doing the book with the new company he was working for. it was also intended that i would co-write it with simon price who'd just done the manics book and obviously had a lot more writing experience than i did. however, when we eventually got the green light (which had a lot to do with the idea of the book coinciding with the greatest hits release), simon had just landed a job as features editor at bang magazine. so suddenly it was back to me to write the whole thing.

>> how long did it take to write it?

the bulk of it was written between february and august this year, apart from a few odds and ends i'd done before. the oldest bit in the book is the introduction which is basically my original suave and elegant review of the edinburgh gig from 94.

>> how did the band react when you ran it through them for the first time?

simon was hugely enthusiastic, alex cautiously so. brett sent me a one line email - "the book moved me, nice one." i just about fell off my chair!

>> did they cut anything from the first original draft?

simon and alex made a few changes, just about all of which i agreed with entirely. the rest didn't touch it. the lawyers and editors changed or cut quite a few things but i can't really grumble as that probably saved me from going to jail!

>> did it take you a long time to research, or were you mostly just writing off your head?

most of it is based on first hand interviews with the band and everyone else. the thing that took the longest was transcribing the hours and hours of interviews i had. i think i had about 5 hours of interviews with mat alone, which took me about a week to go through. it was fairly exhausting.

>> who designed the cover and was it meant to be in unison with Singles?

the album cover was designed by scott king. it was always the intention to use the same sleeve for the book and the album.

>> any interesting experiences during the writing process that you'd like to share with us?

the writing of the book was almost as debauched as the book itself. i have a lot of happy memories of some of the hilarious interviews, including loads of stuff that couldn't be used for one reason or another. meeting mike joyce was pretty exciting as he's been in just about all my favourite bands - smiths, buzzcocks, pil, suede. after the interview we went to the pub and had such a good laugh i ended up missing my train. he had some fantastic stories about morrissey and john lydon. in fact, he should write a book himself.

>> the most memorable comment you've heard about the book so far?

brett's original email was quite a magical moment. i've just found out it's gonna be book of the month in the next observer music monthly which is rather amazing. apparently they're using the bit where i accidentally take crack, so i'm a little worried about my mother reading it.

>> your favourite bit in it?

impossible to say. there's loads. i am very fond of the story about phill savidge trying to persuade bernard to wear a pair of high heels for a photo shoot while two blokes are shagging in the background.

>> are you going to write more books?

maybe. not yet though.

>> persuede us to buy Love & Poison, in 1 sentence.

buy my book or george the dog gets it.