| Kasabian facts | - Kasabian are: Tom Meighan (vocals), Sergio Pizzorno (lead guitar, keyboards), Christopher Karloff (guitar, keyboards), Chris Edwards (bass)
- Their debut album Kasabian, is out on 06 September
- The band have played Glastonbury and T in the Park this year and head for Reading later in August
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Riotous gigs by the Walkers Stadium, impromptu sets on the steps of a city centre bank; Kasabian aren鈥檛 your average Leicester musical act. The four members live in a farmhouse on the outskirts of the county 鈥 mercifully, this is about as different from Mark Morrison as one can get. | "We鈥檙e Leicester born and bred. It鈥檚 the only place that keeps you sane, we鈥檝e been halfway around the world now and it鈥檚 kind of nice to be back." | | Sergio Pizzorno |
We meet Kasabian just before they鈥檙e due to do a signing in HMV, a sure signal that they鈥檙e well on their way to fame. On Saturday, they have a mid-afternoon slot at Summer Sundae, which they鈥檙e looking forward to. 鈥淚t鈥檚 gonna be massive and it鈥檚 good for Leicester鈥, says guitarist Christopher, with fellow band member Sergio adding that the event鈥檚 line-up is pretty impressive. This is a far cry from when Kasabian were growing up in Leicester. 鈥淭here was no live music, none whatsoever鈥, Christopher recalls. Despite this, the band aren鈥檛 going to turn their backs on the city in favour of a more rock 鈥榥鈥 roll location. 鈥淲e鈥檙e Leicester born and bred,鈥 says Sergio. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the only place that keeps you sane, we鈥檝e been halfway around the world now and it鈥檚 kind of nice to get back. Plus, we鈥檝e got the accent now.鈥
 | | Kasabian down on the farm |
Another possible reason the band won鈥檛 decamp to Hoxton or Shoreditch is that they sound a million miles apart from their contemporaries, instead comparable to the Happy Mondays or Primal Scream. The latter they see as a fair comparison, although they see themselves as giving people something different from a band such as Jet. Says Sergio: 鈥淲e鈥檝e never been part of a scene anyway, we鈥檝e got too many ideas.鈥 Though mention of the word 鈥榠deas鈥 by a musician brings to mind fights over artistic freedom in the recording studio, Kasabian are primarily a gang of friends. 鈥淭he gang鈥檚 the band, that鈥檚 the thing,鈥 says Christopher. 鈥淎nyone else who loves it - great, I鈥檓 glad you鈥檙e enjoying it, but we鈥檙e just doing what we love, simple as that.鈥 After Summer Sundae, the band release their eponymous debut album in September and then head out on tour. A stunning live band, Kasabian acknowledge how important playing live is. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely the most important thing, everything surrounding it is insignificant. When you get on stage and make it happen, that鈥檚 the best bit, the bit you truly enjoy鈥. They may be a million miles away from the Mack and Engelbert Humperdink but nevertheless, Kasabian are flying the flag for Leicester with pride. And at the rate they鈥檙e going, no one will be able to stop them. -Single 鈥楲SF鈥 is out this week. The album 鈥楰asabian鈥 is due out on September 06. Kasabian play Summer Sundae this weekend. |
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