Ever imagined what it would be like to just leave school and become an international pop star ? To travel the world in five-star style and score hit after hit with one of the most celebrated band of the 90's ? Well, that's what happened to suede's Richard Oakes and Neil Codling. One day, they were students; the next, top international celebs...
It happened like this. In 1993, Brett, Bernard, Mat and Simon shot to fame as a
four-piece. Then they lost guitarrist Bernard Butler (who would go on to have hits with
singer David McAlmont) in an acrimonious split in 1994, having finished their second
album. The three remaining members advertised in newspapers for a new guitarrist and
plucked unknown 17 year-old Richard Oakes straight out of school as a replacement. Then,
at the end of 1995, they added keyboardist/singer Neil Codling (21, and also a student) to
the line-up.
Here, Richard and Neil explain their incredible rise to fame...
How did you both end up in Suede?
Richard: I auditioned after seeing an ad in the paper and joined
just after Bernard left. We were days away from a UK tour, and within 30 seconds of me
joining, it was in the newspapers.
Neil: I signed up last November. Basically, I knew them through
Simon, who's my cousin. They wanted a keyboard player who could sing.
What were you doing before that?
Richard: I was in the middle of my A-Levels and dropped out.
Neil: You rock'n'Roll rebel ! Erm, I was leaving university and
about to make tea for a television company that makes documentaries about Tutankhamen and
African squirrels... that kind of nonsense.
How did your parents and friends react?
Richard: Great, it was such a golden opportunity. I'd have been
stupid to turn it down and they knew that.
Neil: My parents still don't know. They think I'm playing piano
in a bar on a ferry that goes backwards to Oostend !
Is being a group what you've always wanted?
Richard: Yeah. All any of us ever wanted was to have a career in
music.
Neil: I quite fancied being a Government-sponsored layabout!
How hard has it been adjusting to the life of a pop star?
Richard: It took a while to take used to things like interviews.
Neil: Yeah, this is my first ever interview - I'm sweating!
Were you Suede fans when you joined?
Richard: They weren't my favourites, but I really liked them. I
saw them live in 1993 - it was my first ever gig. A year later, I was in the group.
Weird!
Neil: I change like the wind - I like different things each
week.
What would you be doing now if you weren't in Suede?
Richard: I dread to think.
Neil: I've got a degree to fall back on. I wouldn't advise
people to leave in the middle of their exams.
Richard: I would advise it, obviously.
Have you got used to being stars yet?
Neil: No, it's very new.
Richard: I've only done three gigs - the first was a fan club
gig in front of 800 people , the last one was 40.000!
Have you been able to write songs for the band?
Richard: Well, the writing's shared on the new album.
Neil: It's good - we're all in this album, hammer and tongs. I
play the hammer and Richard plays the tongs!
How's the cash as band juniors?
Neil: It's OK. You get to come back from abroad with loads od
foreign change in your pocket.
Richard: My wallet eas stollen last week.
Neil: You left it on the tour bus!
Richard: No, it was stolen. It wasn't my fault. There were at
least a couple of five peseta pieces in there.
Is there anything about being in a band that you don't like?
Neil: Of course there is, but you put up with them because they
get you the important bits, like being admired by thousand of screaming girls!
Richard: The things that annoy you are things you can't complain
about, like getting up early.
Do you like being recognised?
Richard: Yeah, in London people tend to stare and wonder 'Is
that him?' Whereas Neil can't go on the tube anymore, people just bite bits out of him. It
really annoys me when people complain me about that, though.
Neil: Unless it's like a stalker with a manchete.
What's been your strangest experience?
Richard: I woke up and found a dead rat in my bed one morning.
Neil: That was awful!
Richard: Yeah, and I didn't even know its name. I said , 'Go
home, I don't love you!' A one-night stand with a dirty rat...
Typed in by: Thays Hungria