Small mistakes add to charm of The Feeling's new release

The Feeling burst on to the music scene a decade ago. Their debut single Fill My Little World was a huge hit and the springboard for huge success in the charts with their catchy brand of indie pop. Their debut album '˜Twelve Stops And Home' was filled with hits such as Sewn, Never Be Lonely and I Love It When You Call.
The Feeling on stage in Bents Park, South ShieldsThe Feeling on stage in Bents Park, South Shields
The Feeling on stage in Bents Park, South Shields

Since then the hits have continued but the band have evolved more into an albums act with an enviable reputation for their live shows. The lads are about to unleash their fifth album and I caught up with lead singer Dan Gillespie-Sells, bassist Richard Jones and drummer Paul Stewart who were all in buoyant mood about the new record. The boys have approached their new album in a different way. It was recorded as live and the whole thing was completed in just a few days.

“We rehearsed the tracks, got them sounding exactly as we wanted,” Dan told me. “And then we miked everything up and just pressed record and went with the best take for each one.”

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Richard added that the due to the nature of the recording there are small mistakes on the record but that is all part of the charm.

Darren Milby, presenter with The Bay radio, with Faye Bowness in the studio on St George's Quay.Darren Milby, presenter with The Bay radio, with Faye Bowness in the studio on St George's Quay.
Darren Milby, presenter with The Bay radio, with Faye Bowness in the studio on St George's Quay.

“It was a bit of a realisation that most of our favourite records of all time, bands such as The Beatles and The Stones, recorded in that way. They would just set up at Abbey Road and with the help of a great engineer, just play. We wanted to challenge ourselves and try to make a record in that way.”

The Feeling have always been known as a live band. They are about to embark on a UK tour. Last summer they managed to perform at 25 festivals across Europe. Recording their album this way must make playing live so much easier because the tracks are already rehearsed to within an inch of their lives. Paul told me, “It’s lovely because the songs just come out sounding exactly like they do on the record. I know that’s an obvious thing for a band to say but quite often that is not the case. There are no overdubs on this record, it’s just us so it makes life easier.”

The band’s new album is out now and they are touring across the UK this month.

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