It’s about that time of year again, when exams finish, the sun shines and the ever growing UK Festival circuit begins to do the rounds once more. So here is Grant Nicholas, one third of veteran rockers Feeder, giving a few words as the band gear up to open this years music season with a Sunday night headline slot at this weekend’s Play Fest.
Play Fest is a youngster on the festival scene with a healthy attitude towards Playtime and mischief – what’s your most mischievous memory from when you were young?
Probably family holidays in the South of Spain discovering alcohol and girls!
Where is your favourite place to play and why?
I love playing the UK but Japan is such an amazing country and the Fuji Rock festival is my favorite in the world.
Although you have played to thousands of people, do you ever get nervous when your family comes to the show?
Yes, they can be your hardest critics and you always try extra hard to put on a good show. My Mum and Dad love coming to Feeder shows when we are performing in Wales.
The UK has an amazing festival scene – hundreds taking place throughout the summer. What do you think of the UK festival crowds?
They are some of the best in the world. Some of the smaller festivals tend tohave fantastic audiences who are usually well up for it and the back stage tends to be more relaxed.
You’ve recently released your 8th studio album ‘Generation Freakshow’. Tell us more about it.
It’s very much a song based album. We tried to make a classic Feeder album that had the elements that make it us and that we like. The response from the fans has been great. Sometimes Old School…
What encouraged you to first start making music? Who did you admire growing & your earliest inspirations, musical and otherwise?
I think at school and growing up in a small town it was a way of getting noticed and good for the confidence. I have always been creative and music gave me an outlet to do something with it. I have been influenced from pop, 70’s rock and punk growing up. I am a massive Lennon, Petty, Zepp, Police and Neil Young fan… I was always drawn to artists and bands that seemed to have timeless songs rather than just flavour of the month, here today gone tomorrow acts.
Who are your most revered musicians and what do you find so inspiring about them?
I admire so many artists and mentioned a few earlier but I always look forward to a new Eels or Radiohead album. I still listen to a lot of bands I grew up with.
Play Fest have a strong ethos for supporting local up and coming artists. Having been on the scene for over two decades, do you have any advice for people just starting out? Any pearls of wisdom you couldn’t have lived without?
It is all about the tunes; make the music you really want to make.
What music are you listening to at the moment? Can you give us any tips on up and coming acts or hidden gems we may not have heard of?
I have been listening to a lot of Tom Petty, PJ Harvey and the Pixies, also Fleetwood Mac, Rumors always sounds great and is a real summer album, classic. I have also been writing for a new project.
What can we expect from your performance at Play Fest?
Hopefully a fun night! We will playing a good mix of old and new I guess. Expect to hear some songs from the new album Generation Freakshow also.
