Frightened Rabbit: 'I'm sad but relieved my brother's not suffering any more'

The brother of Scott Hutchison, the frontman of Frightened Rabbit who took his own life in 2018, says he feels angry, sad and "relieved" about his death.

Grant Hutchison, the drummer of the Scottish band, tells Newsbeat he's "devastated" about the loss but that having his music brings some comfort.

"Losing someone through suicide is one of the most confusing experiences to go through," Grant tells Newsbeat.

"I've felt angry at Scott at times, I've felt extremely sad, I've felt relieved that he's not suffering anymore as well."

"But who Scott was and what he did means he'll continue to help people even after he's died. That's what's amazing and that's what I feel lucky about in this situation.

"Also, even though I'm devastated that when I start a family my kids won't personally know their uncle, they will be able to listen to his words and watch videos and hear his voice and hear him laugh.

"And that's not something that everyone would have in that situation and I feel really lucky for that as well."

Grant was speaking to Newsbeat ahead of the release of a new album of Frightened Rabbit cover versions, performed by artists including Chvrches and Biffy Clyro, who have also paid tribute to Scott.

"He was a wonderfully reliable beautiful person," says Simon Neil, from Biffy.

Scott's brother Grant Hutchison played drums in Frightened Rabbit

The new album, called Tiny Changes, features different bands each taking on a song from Frightened Rabbit's 2008 album The Midnight Organ Fight.

Its lyrics were inspired by Scott's experiences of a break-up - and his battle with depression.

Take the opener, The Modern Leper, where he sings: "I am ill but I'm not dead and I don't know which of these I'd prefer".

And Grant has tells us, even though they were brothers, it wasn't until he heard these songs that he realised how much Scott was suffering.

"It was really difficult to hear Scott write lyrics in that way."

Grant says although Scott was open about his mental health issues when fronting the band, he wasn't so good when it came to talking about them in private.

"I think that's quite a common thing with people that suffer - they become quite good at hiding it."

Although 2013's Pedestrian Verse was the band's most commercially successful album - breaking into the UK top 10 - ask most fans what their favourite is and they'll say The Midnight Organ Fight.

And Grant says "almost everyone he meets" who's heard the album says it's helped them through a break-up too.

Scott and Grant on stage together in 2018

Alongside Lauren Mayberry (Chvrches) and Biffy Clyro, Tiny Changes also features tracks from the likes of Aaron Dessner (The National), Daughter, Manchester Orchestra, Julien Baker and Benjamin Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie).

But, although it's being released now, Tiny Changes isn't strictly a tribute album - as it was put together before Scott died, to mark The Midnight Organ Fight's 10th birthday.

"Scott heard every song that was recorded - he approved them all.

"We wanted to release it last year so it was all done, but for obvious reasons it was shelved for a little while.

"But we really want people to know how much of a hand he had in it and how proud he was of the whole thing."

Simon from Biffy Clyro admits he "struggled to get through" the vocals on the track they cover - The Modern Leper.

Simon Neil, who we spoke to from LA where Biffy Clyro are recording their new album, says he "misses Scott a lot"

"We'd done our first recording of this song before Scott passed - and after he passed I really wanted to revisit it.

"But it was really tough to inhabit Scott's mindset at that moment in time."

He says he remembers first hearing The Midnight Organ Fight.

"I was on a plane and I had to listen to the first song three or four times in a row. I was turning round shouting at Ben and James [the rest of Biffy Clyro] that I'd just discovered the best band in the world.

"After that we were lucky enough to get the chance to take Frightened Rabbit out on tour.

"Scott was just a guy who was straight up. You could get wrecked with him have the time of your life - you could be serious with him if you wanted.

"But he was just a wonderfully reliable beautiful person.

"It really brings sadness to me to think the world won't see his smile anymore and to hear his wicked sense of humour. We miss him a lot."

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