Feeder (band)

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Feeder are a Welsh band, founded in Newport, South Wales in 1992.<ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref> The band were originally composed of Grant Nicholas (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Taka Hirose (bass) and Jon Lee (drums). Lee committed suicide in 2002, after which Mark Richardson helped out on drum duties.

Feeder did not enjoy great commercial success until 2001's Echo Park, their first gold record. This was followed up by three platinum albums, with Echo Park moving up to the same level.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band have had 19 UK top 40 singles and 5 UK top 10 albums.<ref name="EVERYHIT">Template:Cite web</ref> Alongside their main stage appearances at the Reading/Leeds festivals, Feeder are considered by Kerrang! readers as an important presence on the British rock scene, who in early 2005 voted Feeder's first four albums into a top 100 list of British rock albums.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Displaying a vein of guitar rock that was explained by Grant Nicholas as "heavy but melodic rock" in their earlier sound,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Feeder have further incorporated elements of piano driven rock, and have also made use of a string orchestra on their 4th album Comfort in Sound. The band have cited The Police, The Beatles, The Smashing Pumpkins, U2 and ABBA alongside Sex Pistols as influences. Nicholas once described Feeder's music as "ABBA meets the Sex Pistols".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At other times the band have mentioned Eels and the Pixies.<ref name="FEEDER1997FAQ">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2005, Grant was quoted saying "I wanted to do kind of what John Lennon did in some of his earlier stuff" regarding the lyrical style of the track "Frequency" on Pushing The Senses.<ref name="GRANTPTS">Template:Cite web</ref>

1 Biography
2 Awards
3 Discography
4 References
5 External links

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Biography

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Formation and early years: 1992-2000

When he was 14, Grant Nicholas joined a band called 'Sweet Leaf', named after a Black Sabbath song during which Jon Lee and Taka Hirose were both playing in different cover bands at the time.<ref name="FEEDER1997FAQ">Template:Cite web</ref> Nicholas met drummer Lee and moved to Cardiff, where the duo started a band called 'Temper Temper', but enjoyed very little success.<ref name="FEEDER1997FAQ">Template:Cite web</ref> Disappointed, the duo moved to London, and formed bands under the names 'Reel', 'Rain Dancer', neither of which worked out.<ref name="FEEDER1997FAQ">Template:Cite web</ref> It was then that Japanese bass player Taka Hirose joined the lineup after replying to an advert in a free newspaper called Loot.<ref name="QINTERVIEWMARCH2005">Template:Cite web</ref> The band then named themselves 'Real', a modified version of their earlier name. In 1995, they signed a recording contract with Echo Records, after an A&R person attended one of their gigs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band then changed their name to 'Feeder'- which was inspired by Grant Nicholas's pet goldfish.<ref name="FEEDER1997FAQ">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Their first release was a two-track EP titled "Two Colours". It was only sold at their first gigs and is one of their most sought-after releases, with an estimated value of 40 British pounds and over.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A year later this was followed up by a 6-track EP titled Swim and gained critical acclaim in Kerrang! magazine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The band's debut album Polythene, was released in May 1997.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album was praised by Metal Hammer magazine as their album of the year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album saw the band often compared to The Smashing Pumpkins and Pixies, with the its lyrics focusing on themes such as escapism, relationships, depression and other dark emotions. It also included upbeat tracks like "Polythene Girl" and "My Perfect Day".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Three months after the albums release, the band made their first appearance on the Reading festival main stage. In October the band cliched their first top 40 single, when "High" charted at #24. A year later their first tour in the United States took place, where they supported Everclear with the same band then supporting them in the UK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was during the second tour of the USA that "High" became a top 40 entry on the mainstream and modern rock charts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In August 1999, Feeder played the Reading/Leeds festival main stages before releasing their second album Yesterday Went Too Soon, on August 30, 1999 to critical acclaim with Rob Fitzpatrick then of Melody Maker citing "An absolute stormer it is. unmissable. absolutely", and also receiving the magazine's "Album of the Week" accolade.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On its release week it charted at #8 in the albums chart. The album contained lyrics based on people Grant Nicholas met before forming the band ("Radioman"), life experiences and also writing as if he's looking from a different persons perspective ("Day in Day Out" and "Tinseltown").<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Musically the album employed an indie rock feel to it which also featured appearances of an acoustic guitar on some of its tracks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Most of the following year consisted of playing various festivals such as Glastonbury, V2000, T in the Park and a tour of small venues at the end of the year.<ref name="2000GIGLIST">Template:Cite web</ref> Yesterday Went Too Soon and Polythene both appeared in Kerrang!'s top 100 British rock albums all-time list.

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Mainstream success: 2001-2003

Following the release of Yesterday Went Too Soon, 2001 saw Feeder with renewed purpose and the release of their third album Echo Park. The album included the song "Buck Rogers" in which Grant Nicholas wrote the track for an American band called 'Radio Star', but was convinced by producer Gil Norton not to give the song away.<ref name="QINTERVIEWMARCH2005">Template:Cite web</ref> It became Feeder's breakthrough single reaching #5 on the UK singles chart on January 14, 2001. The single was in heavy rotation on BBC Radio 1, and appears in many all-time lists generated by XFM and Kerrang!, with a 2004 peak of #25 in the annual XFM list.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Grant Nicholas once said that the song is about a relationship ending, but also uses humour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In a 2005 interview in Q Magazine he said of the song- "It's funny, I don't even particularly like that song, I've always thought I was a pretty dark songwriter, and what do I finally get known for?. A throwaway pop song. But I really shouldn't complain, should I?. If it wasn't for "Buck Rogers", I probably wouldn't be here talking to you now".<ref name="QINTERVIEWMARCH2005">Template:Cite web</ref>

The album seen the band take on much more of a commercially influenced sound, and also the appearance of Moog synthesizers,<ref name>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="MELODYMAKERLINE">Template:Cite web</ref> while being lyrically focused on a comedy approach like with "Seven Days in the Sun", but also dark emotions such as those shown on "Turn", "Oxygen" and "Satellite News".<ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="FEEDERLYRICS">Template:Cite web</ref> It was during the campaign for Echo Park that for the first time, the band began performing sold-out tours in the UK, including another slot on the main stage at the Reading/Leeds festivals. The album was a commercial breakthrough for the band and spawned two more top 40 single releases ("Seven Days In The Sun)" and "(Turn"), before "Just a Day" a b-side from "Seven Days In The Sun" reached #12. The year before the albums release, Grant Nicholas said in a Melody Maker interview that if the album didn't sell the band would probably split up, in which he said at the time "It's the same with any band. That's just the way the music business is. There is only a certain amount of money a label will put into a band. I'm just being realistic. We've been around for seven or eight years and I am not planning on giving up, but we're putting everything into this record and I'm just hoping that people like it".<ref name="MELODYMAKERLINE">Template:Cite web</ref> The album was voted the 25th best British rock album of all-time by Kerrang! readers, and was the highest placed Feeder album in the list.

The following year their drummer Jon Lee took his own life in his Miami home,<ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref> meaning that the band kept out of the public eye for most of the following year. Grant Nicholas started to write songs regarding his feelings at the time, and these songs would form the bands fourth album Comfort in Sound. The band drafted in former Skunk Anansie and Little Angels member Mark Richardson for drum duties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album focused mainly on themes such as loss, depression, grievance, and positivity while dedicating "Quickfade" to Jon Lee.<ref name="FEEDERLYRICS">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album was released in November of the same year to widespread critical acclaim in the British music press with Kerrang! stating "Comfort in Sound harnesses the anthmetic appeal of a latter day U2 ... and a quality that propels Feeder from the confines of the everyday into the neighbourhood of everyman ..." and giving the album their "Album of the Week" award, alongside the heavy rock magazine Metal Hammer giving the album the similar accolade of "Album of the Month" while citing "an album they should rightfully be proud of ... ".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band decided to play at the Reading/Leeds festivals that year, making a low-key appearance by playing the second stage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Comfort in Sound was voted by Kerrang! readers as one of their top 100 British rock albums of all-time.

Musically, the album was much more mellow with the use of a string orchestra on "Forget About Tomorrow". Other tracks on the album also used an accordion, trumpet and a piano played by their manager Matt Page,<ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with "Godzilla" being one of two tracks on the album to use loud guitars. This caused many fans to say it didn't fit in with the main feel of the album, with Feeder Fan Site suggesting "As a package CIS is almost as well formed as Yesterday Went Too Soon. The playlist is spot on (Godzilla being the only track that sits, not entirely sure if it really belongs)".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album was their first to receive a platinum sales award, (with Echo Park also going platinum as a result). It also spawned their second top 10 single with "Just the Way I'm Feeling" in January 2003 and is seen by Grant Nicholas as the single that made the album successful, once saying- "It’s one of the best songs I’ve done, but we nearly didn’t do it. I wrote it right at the end of making Comfort in Sound, and our producer Gil Norton said he wasn’t sure we really needed another mid tempo song. But when we played it, we all thought that it definitely did have something. Lyrically it’s quite dark but it’s still an uplifting song. This was the single that really made the album a success. It’s the kind of song I’d like us to be remembered for".<ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref> In December of the same year they took on their first and only arena tour to date, after the albums first tour sold all of its 60,000 tickets.<ref name="CHRYSALIS">Template:Cite web</ref>

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"Pushing The Senses": 2004-2005

Feeder returned to the studio to record their fifth album. The album was seen by Grant Nicholas as more of an extension to "Comfort in Sound", as it focused on the same lyrical themes and musical styles, with Grant Nicholas also saying that it had more of an organic sound, and more upbeat tracks added into the mix. It also seen a number of piano driven tracks, with "Frequency" being an example.<ref name="GRANTPTS">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Gil Norton was on production duties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As a result, 2005's Pushing the Senses received criticism from long time fans and critics, although the album was Feeder's highest charting release at #2 on the UK album chart, and received a gold certification and created their third top 10 and second top 5 single ("Tumble and Fall"). Press response to the album was mixed with Paul Brannigan of Q Magazine citing the album as "An album that could finally establish Feeder as major league players", and Chris Heath of Dotmusic dismissing the album saying "Pushing the Senses is by no means soppy, but Feeder's young fanbase might need some convincing".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The album helped them win a headline slot at the Download Festival, shortly before supporting U2 for a brief period on their Vertigo tour,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2006GIGLIST">Template:Cite web</ref> which was followed by an appearance at the Live 8 concert in Edinburgh.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album in total spawned four UK top 40 singles, which included "Shatter"- a track that was a double A-side with "Tender". Both of these featured on the European release of the Russian film Night Watch, with the former getting fanbase attention after appearing as a b-side on "Tumble and Fall" and a successful petition followed to see its release as a single in its own right.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In September of 2005, Grant Nicholas was misquoted in an interview that the band were set to split, which caused the rumour to be reported on music television and radio. The bands website soon denied the claims made in an official statement that read "Contrary to inaccurate reports in the press and on the radio, Feeder are not recording their last album, nor set to split. An over-enthusiastic reporter seems to have put 2 and 2 together and come up with 43. Indeed the group are looking forward to the release of new single "Shatter"/"Tender" in October and a Far East and UK tour in November. They have already started writing new material for a Singles Album to be released in the New Year and a further studio album to follow the current album Pushing the Senses".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Soon later in a Kerrang! interview, Grant Nicholas said that the interviewer misquoted him, and that he said the next album would be Feeder's last album on their current deal with Echo, before deciding to either re-sign or look for a new label.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Feeder would end the year seeing their then latest album appear at #39 on Q Magazine's end of year list,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and win an award for the album at the Pop Factory Awards in Wales. However the day before, they postponed a winter tour after Grant Nicholas picked up bleeds on his vocal chords.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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Current recording sessions: 2006-present

The following year in 2006 Feeder returned to the studio with this time Stephen Street working as the bands producer, to record three new tracks to appear on their then forthcoming singles collection The Singles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the backlash created by Pushing the Senses, Feeder returned to their heavier roots of Echo Park and approved mellow approach of Comfort in Sound with Grant Nicholas claiming that they "hint at where we’re going".<ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref> "Lost and Found" (which Grant Nicholas described as "an urban love song"<ref name="FeederWeb">Template:Cite web</ref>) became the first single to promote the collection, and would reach #12 in the UK singles chart in May 2006, after completing their delayed winter tour. The Singles, released in the same month of "Lost and Found" was the first Feeder album to have involvement from a major label, with EMI talking part in a one-off collaboration with Echo as the albums distributor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album reached #2 on the UK albums chart, after a previous weeks debut of #3. The number of top 10 weeks would total to four, and was certified platinum in August. Save Us was the second and final single from the album charting at #34 in late July. A version of the album included a DVD of all their videos filmed up to that point, and extensive sleevenotes by Ben Johncock- a freelance author and writer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Feeder returned to the Reading/Leeds festival after a four year break,<ref name="2006GIGLIST">Template:Cite web</ref> before ending the year with a small tour of London playing The Roundhouse and The Coronet. Two of these three gigs seen guest appearances from The Sugababes and Jamelia which were in aid of War Child, who the band are patrons of and earlier in the year visited The Congo as part of their work for the charity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band have talked about their new album during the course of the year, stating in an interview on XFM that the album will be more heavier echoing the sound of their earlier efforts.<ref name="XFM">Template:Cite web</ref>

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Awards

Year	Award	Category
2001	Kerrang! Awards	Best British Live Act<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2003	Kerrang! Awards	Best British Band<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2003	IMA	Best Music Video Online ("Just The Way I'm Feeling")<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2005	Pop Factory Awards	Best Album ("Pushing The Senses")<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>