Grant Nicholas - Feeder

Feeder

The band were formed whilst Nicholas was a producer, before moving to London to gain more experience. He had already met Jon Lee in Newport who moved down afterwards. They formed a band named Raindancer, who despite winning a TV slot never gained a record deal. This seen bassist John Canham part ways with the band, before Simon Blight followed soon after when they reformed as Hum, which was changed to Reel, before then changing their name once again to Real when Hirose took over bass duties in 1994. The band signed to The Echo Label in November of that year, before changing their name to Feeder, with their debut single proper "Stereoworld" reaching number 128 in the UK charts in October 1996, while the second single "Tangerine" reached number 60. The first full-length album, Polythene, was released in May 1997. Produced by Chris Sheldon, it charted at number 65 in the UK and was certified Silver for sales over 60,000 copies in 2003 when the band had already broken through. Metal Hammer magazine included it in its Top 20 Albums of 1997 list at number 1.

The follow-up album, Yesterday Went Too Soon, was produced by Nicholas. Released in August 1999, the album was a much quicker commercial success than its predecessor (entering the UK album chart at number 8 and certified Silver in 2001, with this being upgraded to Gold in 2003). The title track was the band's first UK Top 20 hit.

Two years later, the band released their third and also breakthrough album, Echo Park. Produced by Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, The Pixies, Echo and the Bunnymen and James), the album peaked at number 5 in the UK and was also certified Gold, but in its release year, before going Platinum in 2003. It contained their debut Top 10 single "Buck Rogers".

In 2002, drummer Jon Lee took his own life, which seen the band keep out of the public eye, until the album was nearing its completion. The first play of its lead single "Come Back Around", was the first time since Jon's death that the band made any public appearance and released new material. The single charted at #14, while the follow-up "Just the Way I'm Feeling" made the Top 10, both singles appeared on their fourth album Comfort in Sound, also produced by Norton, which although charting one place lower than Echo Park, became their first Platinum seller. The album featured Mark Richardson of Skunk Anansie on drums, before he parted company with Feeder in 2009, to return to a reformed Skunk Anansie.

Follow-up "Pushing the Senses" in 2005 (also produced by Norton) was not as successful, although it did not go Platinum, it still went Gold and charted at number 2 while also containing their third Top 10 and second top five "Tumble and Fall", and the more notable "Feeling a Moment". 2006 saw their singles compilation, also chart at number 2 but went Platinum. To date this is the last Feeder album to go Top 5 or be certified, although their next three albums Silent Cry, Renegades and Generation Freakshow, with the last two being self-released on Big Teeth Music all charted in the Top 20. All of these were produced by Nicholas, although Chris Sheldon also produced the latter.