Feeder - Jan 2001
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Introducing FEEDER - one of Britain's most celebrated rock bands. On tour in Australia recently to promote their album Yesterday Went Too Soon, this rock outfit definitely know their music and know it well. Their recorded life kicked off with the release of the mini-album Swim and the band has never looked back. Producing Indie-rock perfection with an array of vocal and guitar effects, it is only a matter of time before Australian audiences embrace Feeder as well.
GIRL spoke with Grant Nicholas, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter, and got the goss on life on the road, his thoughts on Australia and those fish!
GIRL'S 60 SECOND QUIZ
Name: GRANT NICHOLAS
Star Sign: Scorpio
Fave Food: Japanese
Fave Film: One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest
Fave Band(s): The Eels
Describe yourself in 3 words: Shy, intense and moody.
Best Feature: My Hands.
Worst Feature: My Face!
Person you would most like to meet: President Kennedy but he is dead!
Hobbies/Interests: Art, skiing and rugby.
First Job: I worked with old people as a community visitor.
A talent you wish you had: I wish I could heal.
The best advice given to you: Don't believe what the press writes!
GIRL: Now your album out in Australia is titled Yesterday Went Too Soon. Why did you decide on this particular title for the album?
Grant: I thought it sounded like a title from a James Bond movie! (laughs) No I guess for me, everybody is always going on about living for the future, so I tend to think live in the past a little bit, certainly musically anyway. The bands from the 60s and 70s inspired me. So there's kind of a bit of nostalgia in there with that title. And it made sense with all the songs and the lyrics on the album.
GIRL: How long did it take to record this album?
Grant: In total, it took about 3 months to record. In that time we recorded thirty-six songs of which only thirteen ended up on the album.
GIRL: What's your fave track off the Yesterday Went Too Soon album?
Grant: I really like Tinsel town off that album, it's a slow song but it's one of my favourites.
GIRL: Which do you prefer - recording or performing live?
Grant: Personally I enjoy being in recording studios. I love producing and being a songwriter, it's nice to be there where the song is kind of being born really. Obviously I do enjoy touring but traveling, you don't get a chance to see as much of the countries you're in at the time, as you'd like to.
GIRL: Why the band name FEEDER?
Grant: For me, naming a band is like naming a baby really. You pick a certain name that you like and feel comfortable with. I mean the word "feeder" originally came from a fishing book and I just thought it was a good name. I liked the way it looked when it was written down and it hadn't been used before and it obviously stuck.
GIRL: Now you're currently on tour in Australia. Is this your first visit?
Grant: Yes, this is my first time here and I love it!
GIRL: What have you enjoyed the most about Australia so far?
Grant: Well I haven't really had a chance to see all that much but I actually loved Melbourne, I thought it was a really cool place. It's been such a fast trip that there hasn't been much time to let everything sink in really.
GIRL: Now you just played at the Livid Festival here in Australia. What was that experience like?
Grant: That was really good fun! As this is our first time here, it was a way of introducing people to Feeder. We had to start somewhere and we received a really good reaction, it was a good crowd.
GIRL: As the main songwriter of the band, how much input do the other band members have?
Grant: We are a band and there's a real chemistry there so they have equal input into all our songs. Everyone has an opinion and a place in the band and is part of the whole thing.
GIRL: What do you draw upon for inspiration and ideas when writing lyrics?
Grant: People I think. I find people are interesting and especially people from all parts of the world. Different states of mind can also inspire me to write a song. I write almost like I'm walking around with a video camera viewing these different people. I find that's the easiest way to write for me. Some of the characters are based on some of my experiences from which I then build on that.
GIRL: Now prior to Feeder, you all were involved in other bands like Temper Temper. Then having formed a new group, was there ever any doubt about the musical direction Feeder would take?
Grant: Not really. Temper Temper was a band that I didn't really do much writing in that band, I was just helping out really singing and that's where I met John who is our drummer and then Take who placed an ad in the paper. So we pretty much knew from the word go where we were headed.
GIRL: When exactly was Feeder born?
Grant: The whole idea of the band started about eleven years ago.
GIRL: Where do you envision Feeder in five years time?
Grant: Hopefully in a hotel room that is a penthouse! (laughs) Hopefully still continuing doing what we're doing, we're in it for the long term. In this sort of business it can be very short term. So really we'd like to continue playing all over the world and hopefully come back to Australia and do some bigger gigs next time and see how things grow.
GIRL: Now we have to ask, what are with the fish images on your latest CD booklet?
Grant: No we're not a Christian band if that's what you're thinking! The fish images are a play on the Feeder name. I've been drawing a stupid little fish image on my signature for years, and it's almost like a good luck thing. And then people kept asking me if we were a Christian band because of the fish but I can tell you it's got nothing to do with that!
>> Visit their website http://www.feederweb.com for further info.<<
- Annemarie Failla & Michelle Palmer
Research: Annemarie Failla
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