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Dec 03, 2020 By Celine Teo-Blockey Travis

This year we launched a new podcast, simply titled Under the Radar, and also announced that as well as being available on all podcasting platforms the podcast will also be airing on WLUR, an NPR affiliate based in Lexington, VA (the city where Under the Radar is currently based). Our sixth episode, featuring an interview with Fran Healy, frontman of Scottish rockers Travis, is airing today (Thursday, December 3) at 5 p.m. EST. You can listen at the station’s website (www.my.wlu.edu/wlur) or via the TuneIn app and those in the Lexington area can hear it on a good old fashioned radio at 91.5 FM.

Travis recently released their nineth album, 10 Songs, which debuted recently at No 5 on the UK Charts. It is a return to form and touted as one of their best albums since their sophomore classic The Man Who (1999). That album delivered beloved singles such as “Writing To Reach You,” “Driftwood,” and “Why Does It Always Rain On Me?”—a song that would change their fortunes when the heavens opened up during their now legendary set at Glastonbury in 1999. They would return to the festival in 2000 triumphant, as headliners, together with David Bowie and The Chemical Brothers. On the heels of its success, they followed up with 2001’s The Invisible Band and were poised to take on America.

In this episode, you’ll hear frontman Fran Healy reveal the events that unfolded around the time—which includes drummer Neil Primrose “dying”—and why they never made it big in America in a way they had hoped. Still, growing up in a working class, council estate in Glasgow instilled in Healy a strong work ethic and drive that have helped Travis the band to continue releasing albums, touring, and building their fanbase, even after their brand of latter-Britpop lost its appeal.

Healy also opens up about being a father and how that has impacted his songwriting. And after 14 years of other members of the band contributing to songwriting, 10 Songs marks his return fully to its creative reins—from writing all the songs, to visual aspects of the album including designing the album artwork, hand-drawing and animating the music video for “A Ghost”—reminiscent of a-ha’s “Take On Me”—and directing all the other music videos they’ve released from the album. Mitigating the complications of the pandemic and social distancing, he has happily enlisted the help of his 14-year-old son, Clay who worked a drone camera to shoot the live action sequences for “A Ghost.”

More importantly, the podcast reveals a darker side to Healy we don’t often imagine, given the sunny pop of Travis.

Each monthly episode of Under the Radar features an interview with a different musician conducted by host and producer Celine Teo-Blockey. Episode one featured an in-depth story on Black Belt Eagle Scout (aka Katherine Paul), episode two featured gender non-conforming artist Ezra Furman, episode three featured Caroline Rose, episode four featured British art-rockers Everything Everything, and episode five featured Fantastic Negrito.

As well as writing features and reviews for Under the Radar, Teo-Blockey is an independent radio producer and Transom Traveling Workshop alumni. She has previously produced radio stories for Sound & Vision, a podcast from the Seattle public radio station KEXP, and a sonic postcard for Sounds LA, from the Los Angeles public radio station KCRW.

Jeremy Franklin is the station manager at WLUR. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Support Under the Radar on Patreon.