Riotous gigs by the Walkers Stadium, impromptu sets on the steps of a city centre bank; Kasabian aren’t your average Leicester musical act. The four members live in a farmhouse on the outskirts of the county – mercifully, this is about as different from Mark Morrison as one can get. | "We’re Leicester born and bred. It’s the only place that keeps you sane, we’ve been halfway around the world now and it’s kind of nice to be back." | | Sergio Pizzorno |
We meet Kasabian just before they’re due to do a signing in HMV, a sure signal that they’re well on their way to fame. On Saturday, they have a mid-afternoon slot at Summer Sundae, which they’re looking forward to. “It’s gonna be massive and it’s good for Leicester”, says guitarist Christopher, with fellow band member Sergio adding that the event’s line-up is pretty impressive. This is a far cry from when Kasabian were growing up in Leicester. “There was no live music, none whatsoever”, Christopher recalls. Despite this, the band aren’t going to turn their backs on the city in favour of a more rock ‘n’ roll location. “We’re Leicester born and bred,” says Sergio. “It’s the only place that keeps you sane, we’ve been halfway around the world now and it’s kind of nice to get back. Plus, we’ve got the accent now.” Another possible reason the band won’t 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: “We’ve never been part of a scene anyway, we’ve got too many ideas.” Though mention of the word ‘ideas’ by a musician brings to mind fights over artistic freedom in the recording studio, Kasabian are primarily a gang of friends. “The gang’s the band, that’s the thing,” says Christopher. “Anyone else who loves it - great, I’m glad you’re enjoying it, but we’re just doing what we love, simple as that.” 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. “It’s definitely the most important thing, everything surrounding it is insignificant. When you get on stage and make it happen, that’s the best bit, the bit you truly enjoy”. 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’re going, no one will be able to stop them. -Single ‘LSF’ is out this week. The album ‘Kasabian’ is due out on September 06. Kasabian play Summer Sundae this weekend. | 
