Closer
Travis
"Closer" was the first single for the album "The Boy With No Name". The album contrasted the dark aura of the previously released album, which reflected the difficult times the bandmembers had gone through. "Closer" released in April 2007 and peaked at number 10 in the charts.
Travis is a post-Britpop band from Scotland. At present, Fran Healy, Dougie Payne, Andy Dunlop, and Neil Primrose comprise the four irreplacable parts of the band. Though world renowned, the were not always so popular. In fact, during the first three years of their career was extremely difficult.
Originally formed by two brothers, Chris and Geoff Martyn, Andy Dunlop joined the duo as a guitarist nd Neil Primrose on drums soon after. They titled their band "Glass Onion", but when lead-vocalist Catherine Maxwell, they were forced to audition for a new singer. The person destined for the job was drawn into the group when drummed Neil Primrose poured him a pint. Although a simple inexperienced art student, Fran Healy joined the band, now called "Travis" after the character in the film Paris, Texas.
Debut album "Good Feeling" sold merely 40,000 copies, regardless of the positive reviews that appeared along with Healy. It wasn't until The Man Who (1999) that Travis charted number 1 on the UK album charts. Upon first release, The Man Who placed 7 with little radio play of its singles, but quickly slipped down. Critics complained that the melodic sound of the album was tainted by its more rocky preceder. New Music Express magazine stated that "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records". Things for the band were looking bleak. When their album had sunk to No. 19, it finally stopped. Word of mouth began to increase popularity of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" consequently raising Travis back up in the charts. Then, when Travis took the stage to perform the song at the 1999 Glastonbury festival in England ,what happened was nothing short of a miracle for the band. As Fran Healy sang the opening line, it began to rain unexpectedly. Newspapers and telivision, as well as mouting radio popularity and word of mouth, jumped their popularity to No. 1 on the British charts. In 2000, Travis also was named Best Band at BRIT Awards.
In 2002, their rising renown came to a screeching stop. Drummer Neil Primrose dove into a shallow pool while on tour in France, breaking his neck and would have drowned if not for his bandmates. The injury resulted in major spinal damage. Fortunately, despite the severity of the accident, Primrose made a full recovery.
"After Neil's accident it came close to the end of Travis," said Fran Healy, "this band would no longer exist without one of the four members—but we were given another chance." This second chance came in the form of "12 Memories". After such a difficult period, Healy called the album as a whole being about him as he worked through his own depression, and the twelve reasons for reaching the depressed state. "Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful", said Elton John. But it wasn't until the release of album five, "The Boy with No Name" (2007), that the past was really behind the band. Healy descibed the album making process as "like coming out of the forest". From then on, they proceeded with much more positive outlook.
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