Fun Lovin' Kasabian Set For City Date

“In case there’s any remaining doubt, we’re bang up for it!” With this very quip, delivered wryly to an Orlando audience last month, wiry guitarist Serge Pizzorno inadvertently pinpointed why music fans have embraced Kasabian to their collective bosom.

In the last three years the kaleidoscopic rockers have picked up the 'band of the people' baton once grasped by The Stone Roses and Oasis and well and truly run with it.

And, although they hail from unfashionable Leicester, there’s no doubt a chunk of the quartet’s musical heart lies in Manchester too.

Led by pocket rocket frontman Tom Meighan, the four-piece have infused the passion and everyman spirit of Oasis with the Stone Roses’ feel for a groove.

Thankfully, for Kasabian, the feeling appears to be mutual. Ex-Stone Roses bassist Mani championed the band early on, while Liam Gallagher once turned up backstage just to flourish them with superlatives.

One thing led to another and Kasabian joined Oasis on a memorable US tour.

From a Paris hotel room drummer Ian Matthews describes their first proper meeting: “We met up with them at a Portuguese festival and got beckoned to their area and a genuine relationship developed over the next few weeks.

“Liam and Noel have just been so supportive, they’ve become mates, you know? “We go out with them for beers and watch the football.”

Pleasingly, Matthews is thrilled a natural friendship between the two bands has blossomed.

“It’s nice because they are great guys, but they don’t suffer fools - if they don’t like you, they let you know! So having them on your side is amazing!”

While hyperactive Meighan maybe Liam to Pizzorno’s more reserved Noel, because of the relentless nature of the band’s music - particularly in the live arena - Matthews’ role should not be underestimated.

Impact

A Bristolian, he met the rest of the band in a local studio and is proud of the impact he has made.
“When we play live my job is to make the crowd jump to the beats, it’s an incredibly powerful position to be in as I’m driving the band, the crowd, even the bar staff and the bouncers stood outside!”

In the luxurious state of being in a successful band, yet still relatively unknown, does Matthews enjoy being out of the limelight?

“I don’t know really, it is nice to be able to go to Sainsbury’s and no one know,” he concedes. “It’s like leading a double life.”

“If you want fame, it’s there; I just love what I do though. For me it’s the best job in the world - I get to travel, meet people and play to really receptive audiences.”

Does he agree the group have taken on Oasis’ mantle?

Bard

“I can see why people say that. Tom is the people’s singer, the people’s bard.

“Personally, I’m just an honest musician who wears his heart on his sleeve. I’m not a lord, you know?”

If they share the same outlook on life though, Matthews confirms their music does benefit from their eclectic tastes.

“Our iPods tell different stories, we’ve all got common ground of course, but we’ve all got our own ways.

“We want to experiment and not stay stuck waiting at the bus stop. We want to move things on with each LP and not stand still.”

So with a host of the country’s biggest venues primed what can we expect from the tour?

“We’ve put a lot of thought into it as we want to give the crowd maximum bang for their buck and make it the best night out possible, a real party!”

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk