Bernard Butler Signs Global Publishing Deal
BIMM London songwriting tutor and UK indie rock guitar legend Bernard Butler recently enhanced his long list of musical accolades by signing a worldwide publishing deal with Warner/Chappell.
The former Suede guitarist was recently revealed to have signed a global contract with the major league publishing company; a move which sees him joining an incredible roster of artists including the likes of Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Elbow and Katy Perry.
Bernard’s impressive musical history includes gold certified number 1 records and a Mercury Music prize-win for his work with legendary Britpop troupe Suede. Plus production and co-writing credits with the likes of The Libertines, James Morrison, Tricky and Paloma Faith. Onstage, he has performed alongside such household names as Paul Weller, Neneh Cherry, Roy Orbison and Nerina Pallot.
“I’m so delighted that Bernard is going to be working with us.” Said Warner/Chappell’s Managing Director Mike Smith. “He’s written songs that have been part of the soundtrack of my life, and he’s as innovative and exciting today as he’s ever been.”
Rob Owen, VP, Creative, Catalogue and Marketing, Warner/Chappell, added: “I’ve always thought that Bernard is an exceptional talent across so many disciplines: as a musician, a songwriter, a producer and, of course, as an artist in his own right. There’s so much for us to be working on across his back catalog, but we’re also looking forward to supporting his continuing writing career.”
Bernard’s incredible past achievements speak for themselves. Yet this new deal with Warner/Chappell reveals how his current creative output is as strong as ever, with future compositions being a key focus during talks for the signing. Bernard explained:
“From those meetings, it was clear that whilst Mike and Rob could acknowledge the strength of my catalogue, we shared a vision for the future. They can see that I have always been driven by new possibilities. That is what excites me most about our relationship.”
BIMM London’s BA (Hons) Creative Musicianship and BA (Hons) Songwriting Course Leader Ian Sillett is an avid supporter of Bernard’s latest contract singing, as well as his continued involvement as a tutor at BIMM London.
“Since Bernard joined our Songwriting faculty two years ago, he’s brought a wealth of expertise and attention to detail to the Pre-production and Live Performance Workshop modules, which have become the jewel in the crown for our first year Songwriting cohort, and it continues to go from strength to strength. It was a real coup to acquire his services and the students absolutely love him, as do most of the staff and lecturers alike.”
The news serves to highlight the continued creative relevance and up-to-date industry know-how of our faculty members at BIMM. We offer our heartfelt congratulations to Bernard in light of his latest signing and look forward to seeing his future songwriting and production projects flourish.
If you’re interested in studying Songwriting at BIMM London, why not Apply Now or attend an Open Day to see our facilities, meet our lecturers and get a taste for a life in music.
