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Five Questions: The Feeling

Most young bands cut their teeth on the road, but UK pop-rockers the Feeling did it on the slopes. The five bandmates got their start playing two shows a night at a ski resort in the French Alps. "We played our asses off," says singer/guitarist Dan Gillespie, "then we got up the next morning and hit the slopes. We really bonded. Touring now is easy compared to that."

Here, Gillespie answers our five questions and sheds some light on how he and his band achieve their sophisticated, yet seemingly effortless sound.

1. Name a musician who has influenced your sound, but that people may not expect.

One of the more unusual influences on our music (or at least my songwriting) is Cole Porter. A song like "Every Time We Say Goodbye" may not be a pop song, but as a popular love song, it is of a standard that I can only dream of achieving in my own writing. Porter's writing is sophisticated and clever, but never to the point at which the sentiment is lost.

2. Who or what inspires you to make music?

None of us are very good at anything else. None of us would be happier doing anything else.

3. Was there a driving concept behind your new album?

No, the album came about almost by accident. We were treating the recordings as nothing more than a hobby. It was only when we starting listening back to what we had made that we started to take the idea of a record deal more seriously. In retrospect I've realised that this allowed the recording process to be entirely instinctive. We were just having fun.

4. What's the most exciting part of the actual music-making process for you?

I find every stage of the creative process enjoyable. I'd find it hard to pick a favourite. However, it's great to hear the finished mix for the first time.

5. If you could pick a dream band to open for, past or present, who would it be?

We'd love to open for the Band.

The Feeling's new album, Twelve Stops and Home, is available now in the ARTISTdirect Store.