Feeder (band)

Feeder
Feeder playing a live gig under their side-project name of "Renegades" at the Electric Ballroom in Camden.
Background information
Also known as	Reel (1992–1994) Renegades (December 2009–June 2010)
Origin	Newport, Wales, UK
Genres	Alternative rock indie rock post-grunge hard rock post-Britpop power pop grunge
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Cooking Vinyl Big Teeth The Echo Label Sony Pony Canyon Victor Elektra Universal Festival Liberation PIAS David Gresham
Associated acts	Renegades Ben's Brother Muddy Apes Raindancer The Red, the White and the Blue Skunk Anansie
Website	feederweb.com
Members	Grant Nicholas Taka Hirose
Past members	Karl Brazil Jon Lee Simon Blight Mark Richardson

Feeder are a Welsh rock band formed in Newport, Wales. They have released nine studio albums, three compilations, two EPs, and 34 singles. They have spent a total of 181 weeks on the singles and albums charts combined with their own releases as of 2016, and have accumulated 25 top 75 singles between 1997 and 2012. The band have also had two chart appearances as featured or guest performers, with their appearance on the Band Aid 20 single in 2004 being their only number one single if regarded.

Feeder's music has been inspired by a wide variety of artists and styles, including The Police, Nirvana, and The Smashing Pumpkins. Their early material showcased a heavy rock sound reminiscent of grunge, but the band would later introduce more acoustic aspects into their music, including elements of pianos and string orchestras.

The band was formed in 1992 under the name of "Reel" by vocalist and guitarist Grant Nicholas, drummer Jon Lee and bassist Simon Blight, three of the four members of Raindancer, after the departure of that band's other member, guitarist John Canham. However, Blight left Reel later in 1992, and the band played with many session bassists before hiring Taka Hirose in 1995, a year after the band signed with The Echo Label.

Feeder garnered media attention in 2001 for their third album, Echo Park, and its lead single, "Buck Rogers", which later become a UK Top 5 single. In January 2002, Jon Lee committed suicide in his Miami home, after which the remaining members began to record and play with former Skunk Anansie drummer Mark Richardson. They released their fourth album, Comfort in Sound later that year, which touched on themes such as loss and coming to terms with death, while also exploring themes of positivity. Richardson was ultimately made an official member, remaining so until May 2009 when he returned to a reformed Skunk Anansie. Feeder employed Australian Damon Wilson and former Mexicolas drummer Tim Trotter for sessions and touring commitments for Renegades (2010), and they have since employed drummer Karl Brazil. Between 2010-2016, the band charted three more top 20 albums, with the latest of these being 2016's All Bright Electric returning them to the top 10.