Richard Oakes (guitarist)
| Richard Oakes | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Richard John Oakes |
| Born |
1 October 1976 Perivale, London, England |
| Origin | Poole, Dorset, England |
| Genres | Alternative rock, Britpop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano, strings |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Associated acts | Suede, Artmagic |
Richard John Oakes (born 1 October 1976 in Perivale, London) is an English musician and songwriter, best known as the guitarist and occasional pianist and backing vocalist of the English band Suede.
Richard Oakes was born in Perivale, London, and grew up in the Parkstone area of Poole, Dorset, in the southwest of England. He first started playing when he came across a Spanish guitar that his sister owned. The album that initially influenced him to pursue a career in music was "The Story of the Clash, Volume 1", which he heard when he was 12. Prior to joining Suede, Oakes played in a band called "TED" along with his friends Peter Field (vocals) and Colin Forbes (Rhythm guitar) . The band was actually originally titled 'PIPATED' – 'Plug in Peter and the Electric Daffodils'.
The first gig Oakes attended was one of Suede's at the Poole Arts Centre in May 1993. Upon hearing that guitarist Bernard Butler had left the band and that the band were auditioning for a replacement, he recorded versions of Suede songs and some of his own material on a 4 track recorder, which he sent to the band's fanclub along with a note that read "Take me or leave me." When drummer Simon Gilbert heard Anderson playing back the tape whilst going through audition tapes, he mistakenly believed it to be an early Suede demo. After the second audition Oakes was invited to join the band.
At the age of 17, and after beating approximately five hundred candidates, Oakes officially joined Suede on 17 September 1994 (exactly 2 weeks before his 18th birthday). Oakes first public appearance with the band was on Top of the Pops, while his first full live appearance was at a secret fan club gig at London's Raw Club on 10 October 1994. The first song he performed live, and the first video he appeared in, was "We are the Pigs".
His first co-writing credits were the B-sides of single "New Generation", "Together" and "Bentswood Boys". Oakes went on to co-write many songs with Anderson on subsequent albums and B-side material, several of which went on to become hit singles in the UK.
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