Buck Rogers (song)
Encyclopedia
"Buck Rogers" is a song performed by the British rock band Feeder
. It was written by frontman and lead guitarist Grant Nicholas
for the band's breakthrough album Echo Park
. The song was originally written by Grant for an American band called Radio Star, but the band's label and producer Gil Norton
liked the song and convinced the band that it could be a hit for them. It was also performed by the band at the Live 8
concert in Edinburgh
.
The song is about a relationship ending, in which the character in the song meets a person named "Buck Rogers" who owns a "brand new car" that "looks like a Jaguar". His partner leaves him for the "Buck Rogers" character, which leads him to say "but I don't want to talk about it anymore", before looking on a positive side saying that he thinks he's going to make it through if he buys "a house in Devon
", and starts "all over again" with her. The character then reunites with his friends to "drink cider for a living". While lyrically incisive and a scathing dissection of a meaningless coupling, Grant also said the song employs an element of humour upon closer scrutiny.
The track's name came about when Grant was playing on a keyboard and invented a piece of music he said was "futuristic", and asked his engineer Matt Sime what to call the piece. They both thought "Buck Rogers" would sound appropriate for a working title which then stuck. The recorded song was originally for an American
band named 'Radio Star', but was convinced by producer Gil Norton
not to part with the song as he believed the band could have a hit with it.
The first ever live performance of "Buck Rogers" at Glastonbury in 2000 featured the lyrics "Driving wheel to stone" instead of "Looks like a Jaguar", the song has been played at every gig on tour, one-off gigs and festivals, until the May 2008 tour, which saw the song dropped from setlists (excluding TV appearances and a gig supporting Coldplay
), for the first time in its history. Since then the song has made a comeback into the bands sets. It also appeared in the video game Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
, the DVD & VHS versions of the 2003 Human Bodyboarding Teahupoo Challenge, as well as the high-impact Top-Gun style opening sequence of 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines.
items, while looking around the velodome looking complex, wondering where they have landed. After the chorus, shots of the band standing still in mid-air positions are shown, and then the band mostly performing the song in fast motion with occasional freeze-frame shots added in.
Before the last chorus, the band make their way back inside the elephant spaceship and look surprised as the inside is bigger than it looks on the outside
. Here the band perform the last verse playing on instruments already inside the elephant, while the camera pans round the band before the screen turns black as the song ends at the same time.
The video was shot in Berlin
, Germany
in an underground car park and a sports complex.
and appeared on their A-list, meaning the single would be in high rotation.
On the day of single release, the band performed an in-store at the now closed London
branch of Tower Records
. Due to the single selling strongly during the course of the week, the band were invited onto The Pepsi Chart Show
on Channel 5, and BBC One
's Top of the Pops
. The band were forced to cancel two signings as a result of this.
, it went on to spend a second week in the top 10 at #8.
In South Africa, the track was very well received by radio DJ's by reaching #1 on the 5FM
top 40. Later in the year the band were invited by the radio station as a headline act for their 26th birthday celebrations concert, due to the success the band had with them at the time.
After the top 5 success of the single, Grant was asked in an April 2001 edition of a Feederweb fanzine if he felt under pressure to deliver another radio-friendly song, in reply he said:-
Grant said in a 2005 Q magazine interview that he did not want to be remembered for it, as he said it is "a throwaway pop song" and he is more of a dark songwriter. However, he said if it was not for the song, Feeder would not be here today.
" at #81.
Feeder
-Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...
. It was written by frontman and lead guitarist Grant Nicholas
Grant Nicholas
Grant Nicholas is a Welsh musician, best known as the lead singer and lead guitarist of the rock band Feeder, along with bassist Taka Hirose and drummer Karl Brazil.-Early years:...
for the band's breakthrough album Echo Park
Echo Park (album)
-Personnel:*Taka Hirose – bass*Bob Ludwig – mastering*Grant Nicholas – guitar, keyboards, vocals, producer*Jon Lee – drums-Accolade:...
. The song was originally written by Grant for an American band called Radio Star, but the band's label and producer Gil Norton
Gil Norton
Gil Norton is a British record producer known for his work with such bands as Pixies, Echo & the Bunnymen, Foo Fighters, Tribe, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Feeder, The Distillers, Maxïmo Park, Counting Crows, Terrorvision, The Triffids, Del Amitri, James, The Feelers, The Beekeepers,...
liked the song and convinced the band that it could be a hit for them. It was also performed by the band at the Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concert in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Background
The song was written by frontman Grant Nicholas for their third album Echo Park. During the year the band played festivals in the UK which previewed the material they were working on at the time, and would then play a series of small venues near the end of the year. Amongst the new songs they played, was their then forthcoming new single "Buck Rogers".The song is about a relationship ending, in which the character in the song meets a person named "Buck Rogers" who owns a "brand new car" that "looks like a Jaguar". His partner leaves him for the "Buck Rogers" character, which leads him to say "but I don't want to talk about it anymore", before looking on a positive side saying that he thinks he's going to make it through if he buys "a house in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
", and starts "all over again" with her. The character then reunites with his friends to "drink cider for a living". While lyrically incisive and a scathing dissection of a meaningless coupling, Grant also said the song employs an element of humour upon closer scrutiny.
The track's name came about when Grant was playing on a keyboard and invented a piece of music he said was "futuristic", and asked his engineer Matt Sime what to call the piece. They both thought "Buck Rogers" would sound appropriate for a working title which then stuck. The recorded song was originally for an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band named 'Radio Star', but was convinced by producer Gil Norton
Gil Norton
Gil Norton is a British record producer known for his work with such bands as Pixies, Echo & the Bunnymen, Foo Fighters, Tribe, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Feeder, The Distillers, Maxïmo Park, Counting Crows, Terrorvision, The Triffids, Del Amitri, James, The Feelers, The Beekeepers,...
not to part with the song as he believed the band could have a hit with it.
The first ever live performance of "Buck Rogers" at Glastonbury in 2000 featured the lyrics "Driving wheel to stone" instead of "Looks like a Jaguar", the song has been played at every gig on tour, one-off gigs and festivals, until the May 2008 tour, which saw the song dropped from setlists (excluding TV appearances and a gig supporting Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
), for the first time in its history. Since then the song has made a comeback into the bands sets. It also appeared in the video game Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec is considered a critical and commercial success for Sony in Japan, Europe, and North America. The game is highly praised by game reviewers and players as one of the best racing games ever made. GT3 also received a Platinum Award from Electronic Gaming Monthly...
, the DVD & VHS versions of the 2003 Human Bodyboarding Teahupoo Challenge, as well as the high-impact Top-Gun style opening sequence of 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines.
Music video
The video starts with the band walking out from a spaceship, which is disguised as an elephant. During the first chorus after they walk out they are holding various fast foodFast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
items, while looking around the velodome looking complex, wondering where they have landed. After the chorus, shots of the band standing still in mid-air positions are shown, and then the band mostly performing the song in fast motion with occasional freeze-frame shots added in.
Before the last chorus, the band make their way back inside the elephant spaceship and look surprised as the inside is bigger than it looks on the outside
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
. Here the band perform the last verse playing on instruments already inside the elephant, while the camera pans round the band before the screen turns black as the song ends at the same time.
The video was shot in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in an underground car park and a sports complex.
Reception
In the UK the single was released on January 8, 2001. The song was played on Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and appeared on their A-list, meaning the single would be in high rotation.
On the day of single release, the band performed an in-store at the now closed London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
branch of Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
. Due to the single selling strongly during the course of the week, the band were invited onto The Pepsi Chart Show
Pepsi Chart (UK)
The Pepsi Chart was a networked Sunday afternoon Top 40 countdown on UK radio that started life on 1st August 1993 with Neil 'Doctor' Fox hosting the show live from the Capital Radio studios in London...
on Channel 5, and BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. The band were forced to cancel two signings as a result of this.
Chart performance
"Buck Rogers" entered the charts at #5 in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, it went on to spend a second week in the top 10 at #8.
In South Africa, the track was very well received by radio DJ's by reaching #1 on the 5FM
5FM
5FM is a South African FM radio station that follows a Top 40 music format and is owned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation , South Africa's public broadcaster...
top 40. Later in the year the band were invited by the radio station as a headline act for their 26th birthday celebrations concert, due to the success the band had with them at the time.
After the top 5 success of the single, Grant was asked in an April 2001 edition of a Feederweb fanzine if he felt under pressure to deliver another radio-friendly song, in reply he said:-
Grant said in a 2005 Q magazine interview that he did not want to be remembered for it, as he said it is "a throwaway pop song" and he is more of a dark songwriter. However, he said if it was not for the song, Feeder would not be here today.
All-time list appearances
"Buck Rogers" has made numerous appearances in the all-time lists conducted by Kerrang! magazine, and the radio station XFM. The track charted at #37 in a December 2002 readers poll conducted by Kerrang!. This was later followed up by four successive appearances in the annual XFM X-List, with a #25 peak in 2004. Kerrang!'s writers have also approved of the track as one of the 666 Songs You Must Own, when it appeared at #5 in the rock songs list in November 2004. In May 2009, listeners of XFM were invited to vote for their top 10 fave British singles of all-time; their top song would get 10 points, while their 10th song would get just the one with all the points added up to compile the order. "Buck Rogers" ended up at #86 in their all-time top 100 list with "Just a DayJust a Day
"Just a Day" is a song by Feeder, released as the band's final single of 2001, notable for being their last with drummer Jon Lee. The Alan Moulder Mix featured as the opening track for the European version of Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec. It was first released on the "Seven Days in the Sun" single as a...
" at #81.
CD2
- "Buck Rogers" - 3:13
- "We the Electronic" - 4:00
- "21st Century Meltdown" - 3:07
- "Buck Rogers" (video)