Neil Codling
Encyclopedia
Neil John Codling is an English musician. He is best known as the keyboardist
for the alternative rock
band Suede
.
and studied English and Drama at Hull University.
He and the drummer of Suede, Simon Gilbert
, are cousins.
, Coming Up.
His first appearance for Suede took place in Hanover Grand, on a secret fanclub gig on 27 January 1996, while his first public performance with Suede was in September 1996.
For their 1999 album Head Music
, his role became considerably larger within the band, co-writing many of the album's song
s. Aside from singer Brett Anderson
, Codling was the only member of Suede to receive sole writing credit on several of the group's songs, which included "Elephant Man", "Digging a Hole", "Waterloo" and "Weight of the World", and sang lead on the latter three songs, all B-side
s. Codling also played some rhythm guitar
during live shows
while he was in the group. Together with Richard Oakes
, Codling gave Suede's style a touch of pop and electricity, giving birth to two #1 albums in the UK: Coming Up and Head Music.
His last appearance with Suede was in the Iceland Airwaves Festival on 21 October 2000. On 23 March 2001, it was announced that Codling had quit Suede, due to his Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
. In December 2004 he played a show featuring his musical project Barry O'Neil, which is a duo
comprising him and Harriet Cawley.
Subsequently, Codling has played keyboards on tour with the pop
singer Natalie Imbruglia
. In April 2007, it was announced that Codling would be playing keyboards for two Anderson solo
concert
s in Germany
—the first time the pair would be re-united since he left Suede.
Codling joined his former bandmates for three UK Suede concerts in 2010, and the reunited band has continued playing occasional gigs around the world throughout 2010 and 2011.
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
for the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
.
Early life
Neil Codling was raised in Stratford-upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
and studied English and Drama at Hull University.
He and the drummer of Suede, Simon Gilbert
Simon Gilbert
Simon Gilbert is an English drummer and member of the English band, Suede....
, are cousins.
Suede
In the autumn of 1995, Codling joined the band as a keyboardist and backing vocalist whilst recording their third albumAlbum
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Coming Up.
His first appearance for Suede took place in Hanover Grand, on a secret fanclub gig on 27 January 1996, while his first public performance with Suede was in September 1996.
For their 1999 album Head Music
Head Music
Head Music is the fourth album by English alternative rock band Suede, released by Nude Records in May 1999.Produced and mixed by Steve Osborne, Head Music features a more electronic sound, which was a new approach to their music...
, his role became considerably larger within the band, co-writing many of the album's song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s. Aside from singer Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
, Codling was the only member of Suede to receive sole writing credit on several of the group's songs, which included "Elephant Man", "Digging a Hole", "Waterloo" and "Weight of the World", and sang lead on the latter three songs, all B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
s. Codling also played some rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
during live shows
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
while he was in the group. Together with Richard Oakes
Richard Oakes
Richard Oakes may refer to:*Richard Oakes , Mohawk Native American leader of the 1969–71 occupation of Alcatraz Island*Richard Oakes , English musician and former member of the band Suede...
, Codling gave Suede's style a touch of pop and electricity, giving birth to two #1 albums in the UK: Coming Up and Head Music.
His last appearance with Suede was in the Iceland Airwaves Festival on 21 October 2000. On 23 March 2001, it was announced that Codling had quit Suede, due to his Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...
. In December 2004 he played a show featuring his musical project Barry O'Neil, which is a duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
comprising him and Harriet Cawley.
Subsequently, Codling has played keyboards on tour with the pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
. In April 2007, it was announced that Codling would be playing keyboards for two Anderson solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
—the first time the pair would be re-united since he left Suede.
Codling joined his former bandmates for three UK Suede concerts in 2010, and the reunited band has continued playing occasional gigs around the world throughout 2010 and 2011.