Grant Nicholas
The driving creative force behind Feeder, crafting anthemic rock songs that have provided a soundtrack for a generation in the UK and beyond.
Born 1967 (age 59)·Welsh musician·Birthday: November 12·Generation X
Biography
Grant Nicholas is the steady, melodic heart of Feeder, a band that carved out a permanent space in British rock with a blend of introspective songwriting and soaring guitar hooks. Formed in London in the early 90s, Feeder's breakthrough came with the album "Echo Park" and its ubiquitous single "Buck Rogers," a song that captured a turn-of-the-millennium rock energy. Nicholas, as primary songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist, has always balanced heavier, riff-driven tracks with delicate, melancholic ballads, a duality that defines their catalog. The band's trajectory was tragically marked by the death of original drummer Jon Lee in 2002, a loss that pushed Nicholas's writing into darker, more personal territory on the acclaimed "Comfort in Sound." Through shifting line-ups and musical trends, Nicholas has remained the consistent architect of Feeder's sound, quietly amassing a legacy of over 20 UK Top 40 hits and a reputation for powerful, emotionally resonant live performances.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Grant was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Grant Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Grant's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led Feeder to a UK Number One album with "Comfort in Sound" in 2002, following the death of drummer Jon Lee.
- Wrote and performed the hit single "Buck Rogers," which became a platinum-selling anthem and a staple of UK rock radio.
- Has accumulated over 20 UK Top 40 singles across Feeder's career, demonstrating lasting chart success.
- Released a well-received solo album, "Yorktown Heights," in 2014, exploring a more acoustic, roots-oriented sound.
Did You Know?
He is a skilled graphic designer and has created artwork for several Feeder album sleeves and promotional materials.
Nicholas is an avid collector of vintage guitars and amplifiers, which influence the band's distinct tone.
Before Feeder, he was in a band called "Raindancer" with future Feeder bassist Taka Hirose.
He composed the official theme song for the Welsh football team, "Feeder - "We Are The People," used during Euro 2016.
“I've always been drawn to melodies. Even the heavier stuff we've done has always had a strong melody.”
