Feeding Frenzy

IT is 16 years since Feeder first strutted out in a bluster of hook-laden riffs and melodic rock.

A lot has changed since then, with the band plumbing the depths of despair as well as soaring to the heights of stadium rock idols.

As a band, Feeder not only survive but seem to escalate in passion, drive and energy. By turns uplifting and contemplative, their ability to rock out is tempered by moments of great emotional honesty, with lyrics prompted by real-life events and people. And that, says frontman Grant Nicholas, is what they always intended.

“The idea behind this band was that we were a very noisy three-piece, but with melody,” he says.

“If you listen back to those first demos, it’s not that different from what we’re doing now. I’m amazed when people say we’ve changed so much because actually we’re still doing exactly what we set out to do.”

Grant formed the band back in the grungy Welsh industrial town of Newport, with drummer Jon Lee, and, bassist Taka Hirose, who they recruited in London.

They called themselves Feeder, after Grant’s pet goldfish, got signed and set about releasing the first of eight studio albums.

The turning point – and moment which would have derailed many lesser bands – was drummer Jon’s suicide in Miami in 2002.

The tragedy sparked a period of introspection for the band, who recruited Skunk Anansie sticksman Mark Richardson to fill in.

“It was a really scary time,” says Grant. “We didn’t know whether we should carry on. It was really hard and you never get over that. But I think it’s made me more driven.”

Mark has latterly been replaced by drummer Karl Brazil and, in their revitalised form, the band kicked off the year with two undercover tours under the name of Renegades, performing new material.

Unveiling a much rockier sound than the previous Feeder records, the shows gave the band the chance to rock out and unleash the energy they built their live reputation on. The Renegades album received their best reviews in years and showed they have lost not of the verve of their fiesty early days.

“When the guy that signed us came into our tatty little rehearsal room in King’s Cross, we just rocked out and played like we were doing a gig,” Grant recalls. “We probably looked a bit stupid looking back on it, but he asked us what we wanted and we said we wanted to headline Wembley Stadium.

“It must have sounded a bit naïve but we still kind of share the same vision. We’re a different band now in some ways, but we still push ourselves towards trying new things.”

And yes, they did headline Wembley – playing to 20,000 people.

This weekend they step down a gear to play the more diminutive setting of Oxford’s O2 Academy. But it promises to be an equally lively night, with a chance to hear all those mosh-tastic anthems.

And that, of course, includes live favourite and top five hit Buck Rogers (remember: that one about moving to Devon, and drinking cider from, err..a lemon?).

“That song is not like anything else we had ever done or really feel we need to do again but it is now part of our heritage.”

The release of the new album came as a relief, following rumours that they were breaking up – something not helped by the release of a singles collection four years ago.

“Any album now is important because it could be your last one, you just don’t know,” says Grant.

“I thought after The Singles people would think we were calling it a day and I wasn’t sure about putting it out because of that, but I think what it did was make me realise what we’d done.

“It was always a dream to me to be in a band which made lots of albums, and it made me realise we were actually starting to achieve that and we can still make better music. I think that made us feel stronger as a band. We may not be the big new thing now, but I didn’t want to compromise or come back with a stale record and it doesn’t feel that way to me.”

Of late, Grant has become something of a commentator on the world. Feeder is certainly not about escapism.

“I don’t want to feel like I am trying to preach to anybody, but I do touch on issues a bit more,” he explains. “I’m just saying: ‘This is my view of how I feel and what’s happened to us and the people around me’.

“Maybe that’s from being a parent. I’m not trying to be boring but that does make me feel differently about things and there’s definitely been a lot happening in the world and I think that’s affected me a little bit.”

* Feeder play the Oxford O2 Academy on Saturday. Tickets have sold out, but they have announced new dates next year, the nearest of which are in Leamington Spa on February 17, and two days later at London's Roundhouse.

Tickets are £20 and £22.50 respectively.