Kasabian Interview with Serge Pizzorno (August 2006)

KASABIAN

by Craig Ablitt

If Kasabian’s eponymous debut album was the sound of a band punching above their weight with arrogant swagger to the heavyweight title, then their incredibly anticipated follow-up Empire finds the Leicester four-piece defending their belt with impressive verve. They certainly made a few enemies on their way to the top and some impressive allies. Bloc Party were labelled ‘whingers’, Pete Doherty a ‘tramp’, The Automatic ‘horrible’ and Test Icicles as ‘Kings Cross rent boys’. On the other hand they received Oasis’ Gallagher brothers seal of approval, which as well all know, is very hard to come by and ended up as touring partners across America with Manchester’s finest. On the eve of the Australian release of Empire, guitarist Serge Pizzorno talks to base.ad about the album and the bands’ plans for the future.

“It’s called Empire because it fits the mood, plus I like one word album titles - ‘Entroducing’ by DJ Shadow, ‘Revolver’ by The Beatles. Plus it begins with an ‘e’ and ends with an ‘e’, which helps!” Pizzorno laughs.

The band decamped to the world famous Rockfield Studios in Wales, the scene to many of the world’s greatest recordings and rock and roll fables of years gone by. “We recorded the album over five weeks there. The place hasn’t been decorated in forty years,” Pizzorno explains. “There were tons of old instruments we could mess around with and old recordings - we listened to the original master tapes of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’!” he shouts excitedly.

“We wanted to do it there because it’s part of a great British tradition of bands getting away from the city and going to the country to record,” Pizzorno continues, “It’s that idea of doing things properly in the way bands like Queen and Led Zeppelin did in the seventies - have a cup of tea and then start laying the songs down. There’s a sense of camaraderie. It’s like a pirate ship - all the lads away from home on a mission to steal the gold!”

Between their six-year stay at Rockfield, The Stone Roses were arguably the studios’ most notorious guests, with stories of extreme cocaine binges, car racing at breakneck speeds round the surrounding country lanes and band members fighting, Pizzorno explains that their stay wasn’t quite as debauched. “We didn’t get much chance - we were working pretty intensely in the studio. But we would do the odd raid into Monmouth to stock up on fish and chips and alcohol. There was a great pub down the road - legendary lock-ins!”

On Empire the band have taken their electro-beat rock sound to a new stratosphere, with Serge sighting many new influences on the bands’ sound as well as the obvious classics of before during recording. “It was quite varied, really. Personally I really got into The Pretty Things ‘SF Sorrow’. That’s an awesome record. Then when I got carried away I’d put on DJ Shadow, just to remind me that you’ve always got to keep a rhythm going. Plus all the classics of course - Stones ‘Let It Bleed’; Led Zeppelin,” Pizzorno states as matter of fact.

Listening to Empire, it only takes a couple of listens to realise that Kasabian are here for the long-haul with many tracks on this release being definite possibilities for big hitting singles. Pizzorno talks us through some of his favourites from the album starting with last track ‘Doberman’. “Jesus Christ, I love that tune! I wish I’d been there to hear it played back for the first time without having been part of the process, if you know what I mean, It’s special isn’t it?” Pizzorno exclaims proudly. “When a band gets that in tune with itself, it’s magical. It was written in my kitchen at home. It’s got this really high roof and I was sitting there playing these individual notes on the guitar and it sounded really atmospheric. It had an ominous feel to it, like the chimes of a bell,” he explains. The song is a celebration. It’s about rejoicing in what you’ve got. It’s got a cinematic feel to it too. It makes me think of Clint Eastwood arriving in a deserted town, knowing it’s all about to kick off, but he’s ready for it,” he says with the trademark Kasabian air of confidence. ‘The Doberman’ also sounds like the title of a fucking incredible movie, something Tarantino would direct. And of course we’d supply the soundtrack!”

And what of title track and single ‘Empire’? “Empire is a word we’ve used for years which means something we think is amazing. It could be anything - a record, a night out, you name it. It suited the mood of the song. It’s an anti-war tune. But it can also be related to any part of your life - it’s about disobeying orders and doing what you feel is right instead,” he states.
“We did the video with Wiz (legendary short film maker responsible for Flowered Up’s ‘Weekender’ and Oasis ‘The Hindu Times’ video). It was a long hard shoot over two days but I’m really pleased with the end result. Tom (Meighan lead singer) really got into his role as the army captain - I think we might lose him to Hollywood.” Pizzorno says in all seriousness.

The next single to be released is the electro-rock stomp of ‘Shoot The Runner’, the track many fans are sighting as the key track on the album. “It started off as bass line I had. It’s really simple - only two chords. It had a sexy, sleazy groove and we worked it up into this full-on party monster. It’s ended up as this huge Marc Bolan style stomp. Lyrically it’s about debauched hedonism. It was partly inspired by seeing the film ‘The Libertine’ about the Earl Of Rochester and the party scene in Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Eyes Wide Shut’. It’s a soundtrack to the maddest party you’ve ever been to. ‘Shoot The Runner’ is a reference to seeing someone leave when the night is still in full swing. That’s a good rule of life - never leave a party early!”

Speaking of great parties, Kasabian found themselves supporting the likes of The Rolling Stones and Oasis (which turned into a ‘marathon piss-up’ according to Pizzorno) as an up and coming band around the world, but now they have reached a huge status of their own, Kasabian are now in a position to pick support bands themselves and choose a certain base.ad favourite for the top. “We’re taking The Fratelli’s on tour with us. I love the album, and they’re great chaps. We get on really well with them. They’re not frightened of doing their own thing.”

With the album now due for imminent release, the band are now putting plans in place for the Empire world tour, with Pizzorno relishing the prospect. “I can’t wait. It’s when everyone’s together that you can conjure up the feeling. Playing in front of 40,000 people at a time is something else. It’s magical. We did two solid years of touring but now we’re back and recharged we can’t wait to get out there again.”