Music Critic Bas Bevan sits down with Feeder’s Grant Nicholas, chatting about their new music, touring, and their 30 year career as a band
Indie rock band Feeder formed in Newport in 1994 and have gone on to have a hugely successful career during which they have released 11 studio albums. Their latest record Torpedo has received widespread praise for its heavy and emotional tracks with huge, optimistic choruses that see them return more towards their earlier sound. Their upcoming tour which starts on the 23rd of April will bring their exciting and uplifting songs across the UK and promises shows as close to Feeder’s early gigs in the mid-90s as they have played since. They are one of my all-time favourite bands so I was extremely excited to speak to their lead singer and guitarist Grant Nicholas about their new album and tour, his favourite Feeder songs and look back on their near 30-year career.
Your new album has been out for nearly a month now and it has been really well received. I really liked it, I thought it was fantastic. How does it feel to be in a position where you’ve not only been able to release 11 albums but they’ve all come with really significant success?
It’s great. You know we’re not an obvious chart band. We started in the early 90s so we were around when it was the whole Britpop thing coming up and obviously all the American rock, all the so-called grunge scene and we sort of fitted somewhere in the middle I guess cause we were quite a bit heavier than all the Britpop bands but we sort of had been influenced by both US and UK music like growing up. We’re a real song-based band so I think that’s why we’re still around cause we’ve never really followed the trend. The thing is we’ve always been a very busy band so it’s only recently when I see press releases and stuff that I actually realise what we’ve done. You don’t really think about it at the time. It’s great the fact that we’re still here and we’ve always been on small kinds of indie labels so we are an actual indie rock band, you know we’ve never been on big majors. Somehow we’ve managed to do it without compromising our music as well which is great.
How much would you say that reviews and the opinions of critics and the media have mattered to you over time?
I mean I’d be lying to you if I said it didn’t matter to me cause I take it quite personally but I suppose of course being a writer it’s lovely to get great reviews. I know everybody doesn’t always get us or hasn’t really maybe given us a chance but you know you aren’t gonna please everybody. At the end of the day I think that as long as people listen to the record and give it a fair review then I’m cool with that but sometimes I don’t think people do, they just make their mind up about what a band is and they just kind of review on that sometimes. That’s what I feel anyway. But I mean it’s great to have great reviews, you know it’s great for me, it’s great for everyone involved with the record.
I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t read the reviews cause I do and my wife dreads me seeing them and probably hides them somewhere! But you know what, we’ve had some of the best reviews that we’ve ever had on this record. Honestly I did not expect it. It was a fan-based release. It was gonna be a mini-album originally, then it was gonna be a double album because I had so many tracks and we decided to just put it out there. We didn’t think that we’d even get any radio play on it so it’s done amazingly well for us and it’s done as well as if not better than our previous one Tallulah which was number four in the charts. That was a slightly more commercial record and that did really well so we just didn’t expect this one to maybe do so well but it has and I think we’ve had some of our best ever reviews, it’s incredible really.
I read that a lot of the album was inspired by your feelings around lockdown and I think when you listen to it, whilst at times it seems quite dark, there are a few dark themes and it’s almost the same musically, but then there’s also several almost maybe more positive moments. Was that more of a natural occurrence or did you set out to structure the songs like that?
Maybe I wouldn’t have written certain things if I hadn’t been in lockdown
Yeah, I think we do that as a band, with Feeder songs even going back to our early days when I was learning the whole songwriting thing, you know I’m still learning now. I mean it’s not easy to write songs and I think you’re always doing a like a songwriting apprenticeship no matter what age you are, you find new ways of doing things or you can get better at some things. But I think a lot of these songs that have been slightly darker, a bit more melancholic and then there’s always a ray of hope and that can sometimes come with the lyrics, it can be with the melody like the way we have the big choruses that make you feel uplifted, that’s something we’ve always done. It’s a bit of a trademark of the band and a trademark of my style of writing.
And I think that this record, yeah of course there are elements that have been affected obviously by the whole lockdown thing, whether that’s just sort of general mental state, you know going back to childhood memories, I certainly was going through a lot of that, struggling to see our parents and friends and stuff like that. I think that’s sort of the record. I think the reason why people like it as well is I think it’s a very universal record and I think if we hadn’t had lockdown I think the songs would still sort of have a place of relevance cause they touch on all sorts of things. I don’t sit down and have a massive plan for every song I do it’s just what comes naturally.
Maybe I wouldn’t have written certain things if I hadn’t been in lockdown, maybe I would. I don’t know. Maybe it was slightly the frustration of not being able to go out and play live that maybe brought a bit more of a rock element to it, I’m not sure. But I think it was a combination of maybe that and also the fact we had such a good tour on the Tallulah album, you know we were really rocking out and I think I kind of had a bit of that in my system as well and that kind of naturally rubbed off on this record.
Listening to the album it seems, in comparison to some of your other records, it’s relatively heavier. Is maybe changing your sound slightly or maybe going in a different direction, is that ever daunting?
No, not really. I never really analyse it too much but then I realise ‘Oh yeah I see what I was doing there.’ I’m not trying to say we’re trying to go back to our youth but I think with some of our records like Polythene and Swim, there are definitely songs on this record that would fit on those albums. I think we’ve learnt a bit more along the way so I think they sound better now the records, they’re a bit denser and I think I’m writing better songs now. I mean some people might disagree but I feel as though I am. But it touches on that sound we had back in the early days that was quite unique to us I think. And I think it has that element but, you know if you look at all of the records there’s always been a heavy track on most of the albums.
I know that some have been a bit more commercial than others, and that wasn’t planned it’s just kind of what I was writing at the time. But if you look at albums like Renegades and albums like All Bright Electric, I mean they’re pretty heavy those records, as heavy as this I think. It’s just maybe those albums went under the radar a little bit for some people. Even though they have still charted quite well and stuff like that, but they didn’t get much radio play so maybe people aren’t so aware of those records.
It’s a bit more kind of like the early Feeder sound in some ways which I love
Renegades, that is a pretty rocky little record. But it’s different. I think Renegades had a slightly punky feel to it as well, it had a little bit more of an edge to it. This is a bit more kind of dense, a bit more anthemic. It’s a bit more kind of like the early Feeder sound in some ways which I love. I went back and listened to some early Feeder stuff which I thought I’d never play again and I kind of moved on from in my mind, and I was sort of not overly happy with it at the time and then when I went back to it I thought ‘Oh actually there’s some good stuff.’ I’d sort of forgotten what we’d done back in the day and I think that probably ignited a bit of a spark as well.
What was the meaning or the inspiration behind the name Torpedo for the album?
I just wanted to come back with a really punchy title. It was just like a song title. I just liked it. It was just like back to the one-word titles that we were known for back in the early 90s. I always used to have one-word titles like Polythene, Swim, you know I liked the punchiness of them. And obviously being a rock record I just thought it was a really good title. And I was amazed it hadn’t been used. I mean I’m a big Tom Petty fan and I know he’s got an album called Damn The Torpedoes but that was the only one I could find. It’s such an obvious rock title. There was no sort of deep meaning, I just liked the impact of it. When we came across the artwork it was just the perfect combination with the artwork and that title. I did have a few other titles sort of floating around but that was the one I kept coming back to and I just quite liked the way, it’s just ‘bang!’ you know. I think after the lockdown thing we wanted to come back with a bit of a bang, it just seemed like the right title you know.
It really fits! So your tour for the album is starting soon. How has touring and really the experience of it changed since you first started as a band and is it any more or less enjoyable?
I really enjoy playing live. I mean, I’m a real studio head and I’ve always said that in interviews. Of course, I love playing live but I’ve always been really comfortable with the writing and producing and being in the studio. I just love that. I used to work in studios when I was very young and I just love that atmosphere. But I also love playing live. I think I enjoy playing live even more now than I did back in the day. I know that might sound weird but I don’t know, I just feel a bit more comfortable with it now. I never really planned on being a singer in a band, I just wanted to play guitar and write songs but I ended up being a singer. I still call myself a guitar playing singer. I guess people see me as like the frontman of Feeder but it was never a burning ambition. I just wanted to be in a rock band and play guitar and write songs you know?
90s music’s actually sort of coming back a bit and I think that a lot of young kids are discovering guitar bands again
I think what’s strange about it is that we’ve got a massive catalogue of music so that obviously changes what you can do live, it opens up things. We can play with quite a few different bands as well if we get offered a new gig doing support slots. You know we could play with heavy bands like Queens of the Stone Age all that kind of stuff but we’ve toured with Coldplay, U2 and The Rolling Stones and it still works cause we’ve got the right kind of catalogue and we can kind of, not sort of like morph into those bands but you know we can make it work. And I think cause we’re very song based as well even if we do a heavier set than those bands it still kind of works.
It’s quite a funny thing to answer really. I just think we’re in a good place. I mean we’ve got a great fan base of all ages which is incredible. You know we’ve got young kids coming to our shows and then we’ve got die hard Feeder fans. And we’ve got people who are fifty plus who are into like rock and classic rock and grunge. You know we’re so fortunate to tick all of those boxes. And the same audience who have got old with the band. You know we’ve got whole families who are into the band and come and see us and I think that’s very similar with bands like Foo Fighters and stuff like that, they have a very similar thing, they have a very diverse age group.
Me: Yeah that’s like my family really!
And I think 90s music’s actually sort of coming back a bit and I think that a lot of young kids are discovering guitar bands again whether it’s artists like Beabadoobee and stuff like that you know I think it’s really encouraging. And it’s a good time for us I think because, you know my daughter’s sixteen and my son’s fourteen and he’s just got into rock now. He’s just been buying some Nirvana and some Hole records and I’m like ‘Yes!’. And he’s saying all his friends are going ‘Oh I like your Dad’s band!’ and they’re discovering us cause they’re into other 90s bands, cause it’s a similar era where it was like Nirvana and all those other bands they realise that we sort of tick that box . I think we’ve become a little bit cooler now for all his mates cause I think they’re sort of getting into that and like discovering it. Whether it’s sort of streaming or whether it’s from their older brothers and sisters or parents. Cause that’s how I got into music, from my older brother and friends growing up in Wales you know?
When you’re coming up to the tour how hard is it to decide what you’re going to play when you’ve got obviously a new album out and then you’ve got so many songs that people want to hear?
Oh it’s a nightmare! It’s an absolute nightmare. I’m still trying to do it now. I’m literally waking up and doing lists all the time because you know, when you sing the songs you know what’s gonna work a little bit so it’s not a case of just throwing them on there. And also you have to make a set flow. I have a lot of different guitar tunings so if you have too many changes it takes away the flow and you can’t get into it. So all that goes into it, it’s not even just the songs. And also you have to like physically pace it so it’s not gonna kill our drummer Jeff. Cause it’s a workout doing a set. Vocally it’s a workout now cause I’m singing songs that I wrote when I was like twenty and I’m singing songs now that I’ve written in my fifties. It is a massive catalogue and you have to find a way of doing it. I think if you do an album tour, I think that’s the one time where you can not do the obvious. And people are gonna expect to hear new songs and isn’t that the whole point of an album tour? Otherwise, you end up being on a best of tour for your whole career.
And I think this is the one time where you can go out and you can play a lot of the record and then you throw in a few gems and a few old classics here and there. That’s what we’re planning on doing. I mean if it was up to me I would just play the whole album cause I think it’s that kind of record and I think it would sound great. But I understand there’s some people that’ll want to hear a few classics as well. But I don’t want to do is like dilute the rock message by trying to tick too many boxes. Hopefully people will go home feeling like they’ve had a great evening.
It’s gonna be a pretty heavy set in general but there will be some mellow moments as well as there is on the record. And what we’d like to do, and I’m not saying it’s gonna happen but, what we’re working on and saying at the moment is maybe revisiting a few song’s here and there from like the Swim and Polythene era just to mix in with the new record because you know, we don’t really play those much and the diehard fans, they’re always saying ‘Oh God I wish you played the old stuff!’ you know, so we’re hoping to maybe slot a few of those in cause they fit so well with this. And then obviously a few classics like ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ and things like that but it won’t be all the typical singalongs cause it doesn’t feel like it’s that kind of record to me.
But hopefully it’ll still be a fun, rocky evening. It’s almost like, we want to go back and let people experience when we were rocking out in the 90s, to try and give that proper experience to people that maybe didn’t come to the shows then or were too young. It think that’ll be really great and if we can pull it off I think it’s gonna be a really rocking tour and that’s something actually quite special. I’m excited about it. It’s gonna be physically, probably our hardest set we’ve done I think for many years. But that’s a bit of a challenge and I think that if the sets feel like we need a few more hits then yeah we’ll change it as we go along. But we really want to play a lot of the new record, that’s our plan. And then, you know, a few gems here and there.
Sort of similar to that really, when you look back now how do you view your older albums? Do you see it as sort of a natural progression to where you are now or do you see them all sort of as an individual moment that can’t really be compared?
Every record is like a chapter. But I think all our records are very much like connected. For me that’s important as a writer
Yeah. Some reviews that I saw said ‘The new Feeder album, it’s fantastic but they haven’t re-invented the wheel with their sound.’ I just thought it was a weird thing to say cause I think bands can try too hard to be something they’re not and I think for me we’ve always tried to be true to what we are, we’ve got our identity as a band, that’s partly down to having good songs as well. You can try too hard to do something different for the sake of it and actually lose your way a bit. You know we do experiment a hell of a lot in the studio, I mean people don’t know how much actually goes on on the Torpedo record. There’s loads of keyboards in there, there’s all sorts of parts, there’s like string arrangements. I really do actually work quite hard in the studio. Even though it might just seem like a guitar mad space. There’s a lot of elements going on in the studio, actually even more so now. But the secret is getting those elements to all fit and not be too over complicated. That’s the secret of our production and that’s what makes it so much fun and a challenge.
To answer your question I think, maybe it’s the fact that we’ve had a lot of time to think about things. Maybe I’d sort of felt like this is what we do and there isn’t many left like us. And I think maybe going back to those early records was a good thing in some ways because it kind of made me realise what we set out to do in the first place. I don’t think it’s ever gone away, it’s just sort of reinforced that belief. And this is what we do and if people like it, great, if they don’t, fine. They don’t have to buy the records or come to the shows but you know we’ve proved that obviously there’s people out there that do like what we do and we like what we do and we’d rather tour a record that we love and we’re proud of.
Cause that can happen. I’ve seen bands do that, where they all of a sudden produce something pretty different and it might be successful but it’s not exactly what they are. Like, it feels a bit disjointed, especially when they play older songs. It’s hard getting the balance right cause you want to keep things fresh but you also want to keep your identity I think. You know it’s just getting that right balance isn’t it?
But I mean, each record is different. Every record is like a chapter. But I think all our records are very much like connected. For me that’s important as a writer. But I think that we have some records that are quite different to each other but that’s hopefully what’s made us a bit more interesting to our fans.
You know we don’t sit down and plan ‘Oh let’s write a heavy record this time,’ ‘Let’s do this blah blah blah.’ It’s just kind of what starts to take shape and then you start to get a plan in your head. But this one I was very focussed. I really wanted it to be like a classic, kind of 70s record, you know like 70s, 80s record. You know, not too long. It was very much sequenced as a sort of vinyl side A, side B. And quite a lot of thought went into that. And you have to be quite disciplined if you’re gonna go for that vibe. You have to really work at that because otherwise you end up with too many songs and then you kind of tick too many boxes and like dilute that message. But we stuck to it and I think it’s what’s made it a better record.
Obviously being Welsh yourself and Feeder really being considered to be a Welsh band, how important of an aspect of your identity would you say that is to you?
Well it’s funny, yeah. I mean, I moved to London cause you couldn’t really get discovered in Wales at the time so I moved here and worked in a recording studio. Then I got Jon to move up and then we met Taka later on. We sort of started off as a three-piece and we used to go back to Wales to rehearse in a cow shed believe it or not cause it was cheap, I mean it was much cheaper than trying to rehearse in London. I was working in a recording studio and then I left and then Jon moved up. I mean, we were in a few bands before that. We met in Wales but we actually broke by playing in London really and other places so you know it wasn’t like we were based in Wales then, I moved to London. But I still see myself as being Welsh. I suppose we’re half Welsh and half Japanese which, you know I’m obviously proud of. I don’t make a big deal about it. I don’t think it’s that important to me but obviously I still see myself as being Welsh and people see us as being a Welsh band I suppose cause we were two thirds Welsh until Jon passed away you know?
But yeah, I think it’s nice. But we never used it to our advantage in the press or anything, even when there was the Welsh scene and stuff. I don’t know if you remember that back in the 90s. You know, we were never really part of that. And we could’ve maybe got our press guys to focus on that a little bit but it didn’t feel right to us. You know if they wanted to bring us into that then that was fine but we were always outside that. You know we’ve never really been part of that many trends. I suppose the only one that we’re kind of part of was the Kerrang, they called it like Brit rock didn’t they or something? There was bands like us and Skunk Anansie and 3 Colours Red and all that, all those kind of acts that were around at the time like Placebo and stuff. But otherwise yeah, we’ve just kind of done our own thing really.
This might be quite a hard question cause I presume it changes quite a lot but if had you to pick like one, two or three of your favourite Feeder songs what would they be?
That’s a tough one. I mean, if you asked me the same question tomorrow I’d probably give you three different songs. I mean I sometimes like songs for the impact they have on other people. You know, when you write a song that really connects. That’s the ultimate compliment for any songwriter. You know when they connect with people and you hear them singing back every word at a show it is quite an amazing experience that. That’s the payoff really isn’t it? When you have a song that does really do that.
Some of the songs you don’t think can end up being my live favourites
But I think if I go back to the early Feeder stuff, I mean I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for ‘My Perfect Day’ and ‘High’. ‘My Perfect Day’ is just undeniably Feeder. I mean it’s just a classic track that I think could’ve done a lot more. And I think you could re-release that now and I think it would do alright. And ‘High’ has just been such a loyal track to us. It was one of the first songs that got us on radio. It was a semi-radio hit in the US as well. It kept us in America for the best part of a year touring so that one I have a soft spot for. And then probably, I mean I like some of the heavy stuff cause, well I love to rock out. I mean, I’d say ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ is a pretty special song and maybe like ‘Forget About Tomorrow’ just cause I love the way it came out with the whole orchestra on that. That was one of the songs that just really came together. There’s four now for you!
That’s perfect!
Well I’ve got lots of other favourites that are a bit more off the radar but those are some of the obvious ones that spring to mind anyway.
Yeah I’m sure it’s extremely hard to pick.
It is, it is hard. Cause you judge it on live sometimes as well as what’s on the record cause there’s that kind of live reaction.
You can see it from lots of different angles and you experience them all in different ways I suppose?
Yeah, some of the songs you don’t think can end up being my live favourites and it’s like that on a record sometimes. Sometimes you can do the songs that maybe got a bit of radio play but it can also be another song on the record that seems to be the one that goes down the best. For example, on the Tullulah tour the title track which wasn’t a single was really popular and also a song on the album called ‘Kyoto,’ I don’t know if you’ve heard that?
Me: Yeah I have, yeah.
That sounds like something off this record almost. That’s great to play live although it wasn’t a single. So you never quite know what’s gonna really connect live.
It’s not really far off now being 30 years since you first formed as a band…
God, I feel old!
I’ve been really conscious of trying not to go on about it a lot but it’s a fantastic achievement! Really just what’s it like looking back on such a long and fantastic career that obviously shows no signs of stopping? How does it feel to be in that position?
I mean, it’s great. It’s gone so quickly. I’ve got two kids and it just feels as though it was only last week I was pushing them round in their little pushchairs and now they’re 16 and 14. It’s like ‘how did that happen?’ and some of these songs we’re talking about I wrote years before they were born, it’s just bonkers! It’s gone so quickly cause I think we’ve always busy you know? I’ve realised a lot of people don’t really follow music so unless you’re all over some TV or all over like A-List on maybe Radio 2 and things like that people think you’re kind of not around, it’s quite bizarre. They go ‘Oh are you guys still going?’ and I was like ‘Yeah?’ and it happened to quite a few acts.
I think what I’m trying to say is it doesn’t feel like that long cause we’ve been busy all the time. You know we haven’t had like 10 years off between records, you know we’re a very busy band. I mean I took one time out to do a solo thing which wasn’t planned. I was meant to do some writing and I got very attached to it and I just wanted to sort of have a little break from the Feeder thing. Do something a bit more stripped back and show people how the songs sound without all the big heavy guitars on and it was a really good thing for me mentally, it was a good thing for me as a writer. It was a good thing for me vocally as well just I suppose to have a bit more confidence in how I approached the other Feeder stuff since then.
I mean it’s been a great journey. I’m still enjoying it. We don’t want to be a band that turn up to festivals every year doing the same old thing and we work hard to try and still make really good records and put out good songs to people. It’s important to us to do that. I wouldn’t be happy just doing a ‘best of’ tour for the rest of my life. I don’t think I’d want to do it. I know some bands make a great career out of that and people love it and they turn up and do the same set every festival and it’s great. And I’m not dissing anyone for that. It’s just not something which I find that exciting. I still want to have some new music in there as well. Course I know when you do festivals it’s all about having the hits and the singles and that’s what we do. But we always also have some new singles in there as well cause it keeps it interesting for us, keeps it fresh and you know I’m still writing loads of songs. At this point in my life I’m writing more music than I ever have so I’m thinking ‘Well, why not put it out?’ you know?
When I wake up and I don’t think it’s fun to write any more Feeder stuff or whatever it is or maybe the time where we just feel like ‘Hey we’re just getting too old to do this’, but I don’t feel like that at the moment. I think we’re gonna continue for as long as we still feel like we’re doing something which is worthwhile, and we’re still enjoying it. I think that’s the most important thing. And you know we’re very lucky that we’re still doing it but it’s been a lot of hard work as well.
And nothing comes easy. But I think you can probably tell I’m still passionate about it and I love being in Feeder. You know we’ve had a lot of ups and downs, we’ve never been necessarily the darlings of the press at any real point. But I think we’re at a point in our career now where I think we’ve actually won people over that maybe didn’t really get us. I think when you reach a certain time if you’re still doing alright and you’re still making good music I think you get a bit more respect and I think we’re kind of at that point a little bit now.
We’re very lucky that we’re still doing it but it’s been a lot of hard work as well
And I’m not doing it for that reason but it’s just kind of quite nice. I feel like we’re in a good place at the moment. And it hasn’t always been like that you know. Sometimes you feel like you’re the underdog and you feel like ‘Why aren’t we getting more exposure?’ I think every band goes through that it doesn’t matter how big you are. You know you do get like that sometimes but you’ve just got to keep on working through it and that’s what we’ve done and we just do what we do best which is make music.
But it is a full-time commitment. I’m always, even at home I’m always writing music. I mean I’ve got a life outside it but writing songs for me is something I enjoy doing so it’s very hard for me to switch it off!
But it’s great. You know at least if we do stop doing a lot of new music or new albums the way we are now we’ve got a massive catalogue to go back to. So even if we were going back and just relying on what we’ve got already we’ve still got over 250 songs I think now to choose from so it’s a fairly good setlist we can pick from!
Yeah wow!
It’s just trying to remember them all!
Yeah I can imagine that!
I’m trying to still keep them all in my brain somehow. You know I do occasionally have a little look on the floor if it’s something which is very new just for a bit of back up if I forget a verse but in general I’ve got quite a good memory.
Wow, that’s impressive to be fair for that many songs!
It’s really difficult though cause as soon as you think about it then that’s when you start forgetting them!
Yeah you don’t want to overthink it do you?
Yeah you’ve just got to just go with it. And sometimes if you have them there like written down on the floor it’s almost worse cause you feel like you have to look at them but if they’re not there you remember them, it’s quite weird.
It’s like it forces you to remember it.
Grant: Yeah exactly. But I go for runs and I just have a playlist, you know something form the early stuff and something else comes on, it just keeps it in the brain so when I haven’t done any gigs for a while like during lockdown and stuff or about a month before a gig I just go out and just have that on and listen to it everyday. It just gets it back into the system you know?
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