Words by Abi Whistance
‘Tunes that connect with people have always been the main focus.’ – Grant Nicholas, Feeder
It’s been a pretty wild ride.
With over two decades in the making, Feeder have lived a life long enough to suffer turbulence like you wouldn’t believe; their career tackling the highs and the lows, the riches and the rags. It’s safe to say the Welsh rock stars have been through the wringer, earning them a lifelong place in our hall of fame, even if not in the actual one (yet).
Ups and downs aside, the run-up to the release of their latest album Tallulah has begun, and here at Birmingham Review we wasted no time in pulling frontman Grant Nicholas for a chat.
BR: You have your new record Tallulah coming out on 9th August – what can we expect from the album?
GN: I feel that Tallulah has a bit of a road trip feeling about it in some ways. Positive, nostalgic and generally pretty uplifting, so hopefully it’ll take the listener on an interesting journey. It was a really enjoyable album to make and I’ve had time to live with it over the past few months. It feels fresh but still classic Feeder.
BR: So, you’re dubbing Tallulah as a ‘classic Feeder’ record – what about it makes you feel that way?
GN: Feeder has always been about melodies, dynamics and lyrics that tell a story or moment. I think Tallulah has a lot of those key elements and will tick a few boxes for our diehard fans, as well as the new generation of young fans coming to our shows.
BR: It feels like you’ve heavily focused on creating a narrative with this album, and Feeder are known for their storytelling – is this something you’re conscious of when writing?
GN: I generally write with a very visual image and narrative in my head. This is a massive part of the process and as you get older you experience more about life and it fuels a lot of creative ideas. I guess it gives a bigger musical canvas to work with and touches on new subjects and emotions.
BR: With 25 years in the bag, do you think you’ve matured as a band musically? Has your music become a lot more reflective of your own experiences?
GN: I think we know our strengths and at the end of the day it’s always been about the songs. Tunes that connect with people have always been the main focus. That and the dynamic and honesty of the band live and on record is what makes it Feeder.
BR: You’ve got a handful of festivals lined up for the rest of this year, do you see them as an opportunity to get your music out there to a wider audience, especially with the new record on the way?
GN: Doing festivals is always a great way of gaining new fans for any bands or artists. We’re doing less festivals this year as we have the Tallulah album tour coming up in November. Festivals can be so unpredictable at times as you never really know how it’s going to go until you step out onto stage, but when you have a good one the buzz after is something I never grow tired of experiencing. It’s what keeps being in a live band so exciting.
‘Dirty Habit’ – Feeder
Feeder release their tenth studio album, Tallulah, on Friday 9th August – out via BELIEVE, available through all online and traditional music outlets.
Feeder will be playing at the O2 Institute (Birmingham) on Monday 11th November. For direct gig information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham/feeder-tickets
For more on Feeder, visit www.feederweb.com
________
NOT NORMAL NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.
To learn more about the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here.
If you have been affected by any of the issues surrounding sexual violence – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL NOT OK website.
