The Auteurs
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Key people | Luke Haines (frontman), Alice Readman, Glenn Collins, James Banbury, Barny C. Rockford |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
The Auteurs were a British alternative rock group active during the 1990s, fronted by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Luke Haines (guitar, piano, vocals).
History
After departing from the Servants, Haines established The Auteurs alongside his then-partner Alice Readman on bass and former schoolmate Glenn Collins on drums, with James Banbury later joining to play cello. Their early demos and live performances led to a recording contract with Hut Records. The band's initial single "Show Girl" garnered praise from Melody Maker, while their 1993 album New Wave earned a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. Although often linked to the Britpop era, Haines frequently distanced himself from the movement.
Following the release of New Wave, drummer Glen Collins was replaced by Barny C. Rockford, who was brought in through producer Phil Vinall. The 1994 album Now I'm a Cowboy built upon earlier themes and included the standout track "Lenny Valentino". Setting themselves apart from their peers, The Auteurs issued The Auteurs vs. μ-Ziq, a remix project featuring electronic producer μ-Ziq (Michael Paradinas), reflecting Haines' preference for techno and house music rather than mainstream Britpop trends.
In 1996, they unveiled After Murder Park, produced by Steve Albini, which contained songs such as "Land Lovers" and "Unsolved Child Murder". This album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios during a time when Haines was largely confined to a wheelchair due to an injury. Concurrently, Haines launched his solo endeavor Baader Meinhof, with contributions from some Auteurs members; the band also performed live in support of Baader Meinhof in Camden.
Their final studio release, How I Learned to Love the Bootboys (1999), came after Alice Readman left the group, with various musicians filling in for live performances during tours.
Post-Breakup
After The Auteurs disbanded, Haines became one-third of the art-pop ensemble Black Box Recorder. In 2001, he issued the soundtrack for Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry, followed by his solo debut album The Oliver Twist Manifesto. Two years later, he released Das Capital, which featured reimagined Auteurs tracks alongside new compositions, marking a definitive conclusion to the band's chapter.
James Banbury collaborated with Paul Morley under the name Infantjoy, producing Where the Night Goes, which included vocals by Sarah Nixey of Black Box Recorder and a cover of Japan's "Ghosts". Infantjoy's 2006 album With – featured contributions from artists like Tunng, Isan, and Populous.
In January 2009, Haines released Bad Vibes, an autobiographical work detailing his experiences with The Auteurs and insights into the 1990s Britpop scene. Within the book, Banbury is referred to as "the Cellist", although his full name is acknowledged. Subsequently, Banbury teamed up with Pete Davis as Dadahack; their debut release TAP3, a combined cassette/mp3 player format, appeared in April 2010.
In 2014, independent British label 3 Loop Music reissued all of The Auteurs’ albums along with Haines' Baader Meinhof project as expanded editions that included b-sides, demos, radio sessions, live recordings, and remixes. Additionally, the label re-released New Wave and Baader Meinhof on heavyweight 180gsm vinyl.
Members
- Luke Haines – vocals, guitar, piano (1991–1999)
- Alice Readman – bass guitar (1991–1999)
- Glenn Collins – drums (1991–1993)
- James Banbury – cello, keyboards (1993–1999)
- Barny C. Rockford – drums (1994–1999)
Studio albums
- New Wave (1993) – reached UK No. 35
- Now I'm a Cowboy (1994) – peaked at UK No. 27
- After Murder Park (1996) – charted at UK No. 53
- How I Learned to Love the Bootboys (1999) – attained UK No. 114
EPs
- Live Acoustic EP (1993)
- The Auteurs Vs. μ-Ziq (remix collection) (1994)
- Back with the Killer (1995) – achieved UK No. 45
- Kids Issue (1996) – reached UK No. 163
Singles
- "Show Girl" (1992)
- "Housebreaker"/"Valet Parking" (1993)
- "How Could I Be Wrong" (1993)
- "New French Girlfriend" (1993)
- "Lenny Valentino" (1993) – UK chart position No. 41
- "Chinese Bakery" (1994) – UK No. 42
- "Light Aircraft on Fire" (1996) – UK No. 58
- "The Rubettes" (1999) – UK charted at No. 66