The Feeling

Drawing heavily from the rich harmonies and melodies of '70s soft rock, British quintet the Feeling includes vocalist/guitarist Dan Gillespie-Sells (previously of Scottish pop/rock act Speedway), bassist Richard Jones, guitarist Kevin Jeremiah, keyboardist Ciaran Jeremiah, and drummer Paul Stewart. Former students of the Brit School of Performing Arts in Croydon, the quintet initially performed as Super Fly, a resident cover band playing at La Tania Ski Resort in the French Alps. The bandmembers soon realized they wanted to create their own classic rock-inspired pop and, upon returning home, rechristened themselves the Feeling. One month after their return, the Feeling had landed a record deal.

With the backing of Island Records, the band's polished debut, Twelve Stops and Home, was released in the U.K. in June 2006, where it charted three Top Ten U.K. singles ("Sewn," "Fill My Little World," "Never Be Lonely") and garnered a Brit Award nomination. The album was re-released on the Cherry Tree/Interscope label the following year in America -- complete with revised cover art and retooled track listing -- but failed to match its overseas success. Nevertheless, the band's popularity at home continued to soar, and the sophomore effort, Join with Us, topped the U.K. charts upon its release in February 2008, even if its overall sales failed to match those of the previous album. ~ Andrew Leahey, Rovi