Feeder

Feeder is an alternative rock band from Newport, United Kingdom, active from 1995. The group’s line-up includes Grant Nicholas, Taka Hirose, Mark Richardson, Karl Brazil, Mark Bullock and Jon Lee, and its sound sits within alternative rock, indie rock, post-britpop, post-grunge and power pop.

Early releases and breakthrough

Feeder begin with the EPs Two Colours and Swim, then release their debut album Polythene in 1997. That record reaches the UK Top 75 and is followed by Yesterday Went Too Soon in 1999, which reaches number eight in the UK and also receives a strong critical response.

The band’s mainstream breakthrough comes with the single “Buck Rogers” from the 2001 album Echo Park. Around this period, their visibility increases at a time when manufactured pop often dominates the UK top 10.

Line-up changes and later work

Drummer Jon Lee dies in January 2002, and Feeder continue. They release Comfort in Sound in October 2002, an album shaped by the band’s emotions after Lee’s death and well received by critics. Mark Richardson joins the band in August 2002, having previously played with Skunk Anansie and Little Angels.

At the time described, the band’s original line-up is Grant Nicholas, Taka Hirose and Jon Lee. Nicholas plays lead vocals, guitar and piano, while Hirose plays bass.

Chart success and sales awards

Feeder release six studio albums and two compilations, including a singles collection that sells platinum. In the UK they hold three platinum albums, two gold albums and one silver award. Their only sales award outside the UK is gold in the Republic of Ireland for their singles album.

They achieve twenty-three UK top 75 singles and five top 10 albums, and are ranked at 457 in a 2006 chart-act listing based on weeks spent in the singles and album charts.