former Take That singer Robbie Williams releasing his solo debut album Life Thru a Lens, with the band not wanting to be compared to him. The album was written and recorded during and before the band's US tour of 1998. Before they left the UK, some demos were recorded with a few completed into final recordings, with some of these featuring on their single "Suffocate" as B-sides. "Dry" on CD2 of the single was later made into a full band version, as opposed to the acoustic recording found on the single. Some of the album's lyrical themes were derived from Grant's personal perspective of working in a menial supermarket job ("Day in Day Out"), his experiences after gigs on their US tour ("Insomnia" and "You're My Evergreen"), past relationships (the title track and "Dry"), the music industry ("Hole in My Head") and "fear of commitment in relationships" ("Anaesthetic") amongst others. Musically, the album employed an indie rock feel to it, which also featured extended appearances of an acoustic guitar on some of its tracks. "Dry" was re-recorded as a full band version after the original acoustic version appeared on "Suffocate" as a b-side. That single's b-sides featured tracks from the sessions for that album, therefore revealing what sort of direction it would take on. The album was due for release in June 1999, but this was delayed to include material written after its completion which the band felt was too good to leave off. Accolades #6 on Metal Hammer's 1999 list (the highest placing from a UK act that year). #24 on Melody Maker's 1999 list. #16 on Kerrang's 1999 list. #73 in Kerrang! magazines "Top 100 British Rock Albums of All Time" list. Maxim and Loaded's- "Album of The Month". Track listing Personnel Feeder Grant Nicholas – guitar, vocals, keyboards on "Dry" Taka Hirose – bass guitar Jon Henry Lee – drums, percussion Additional personnel Audrey Riley – string arrangements on "Yesterday Went Too Soon" and "Dry" Matt Sime – engineering Andy Wallace – mixing Al Clay – mixing on "Yesterday Went Too Soon" and "Hole in my Head", additional engineering on "Hole in my Head" George Marino – mastering Rick Guest – photography UK chart performance References 1999 albums Feeder albums The Echo Label albums