This week on Beats 1, Kasabian are Julie Adenuga's UK Represent. Serge will be speaking to Julie each night about their new single “You’re In Love With a Psycho”, their key moments for the band, playing at festivals, writing love songs, their new album and much more.
Kasabian on the legacy of ‘Club Foot'
JA: So from your first single 'Processed Beats' to your latest 'You’re In Love With a Psycho' I want us to go through and pick some key moments that signify points of the Kasabian story. What would be the next song you guys put out that was a significant moment?
Serge: I think 'Club Foot' next that was a seminal moment when we played Glastonbury for the first time we we were first on the Friday it was 20000 it was full we weren't excepting anyone to be there. it was a real call to arms that song even playing it back now I'm really proud of that album. it’s so different and unique.we’ve managed to do it our own way.
Kasabian on ‘Underdog’
JA: The next track is one you’re really proud of musically that you hold up there as one of the best of the best
Serge: I suppose ‘Underdog' would be something I’d go for just because for me production is so important. For me it was, imagine if DJ Shadow was in a band so the production on that track, on all the tracks really, is pure hip hop but it’s got this sort of emotion, humanity, i think that really blends the two perfectly. It’s two worlds meeting.
Kasabian on chart positions
JA: We should talk about the Gorillaz album which comes out the week after yours. Does that ever come into conversation with you and your peers?
Serge: I think maybe the labels definitely they’re the ones with the clip boards and graphs and pie charts. I think with any of that if you make good art then people will find it. I get asked a lot about the state of everything and from what I can see, I suppose with the charts now an artist can have 15 songs in the Top 40 find it pretty odd. It’s taken all the fun out of it. There’s something fun about you had a single and it went in and the maddest stuff could get through. It's a shame, but but other than that I just figure all I need to do is make good art, people will find it and that’s it.
Kasabian on reading reviews
JA: Do you listen to what fans say about your music? Do you read comments about lyrics?
Serge: After the first album, I shot off on every single voice because, I just thought, reviews, fans, I can’t deal with, I’m not doing it for that, it makes me really happy to be in the studio and make a tune, I love it, and I always want to feel that. I don’t ever want to think, it’s just pure expression. If I want to make German techno tune, then I’m going to make one, I don’t care, if I want to make a classical piece, a soundtrack, I don’t want any other voice telling me I can’t do it, or I shouldn’t. I’m not into that. So that’s the freedom, and that’s why I don’t have a Twitter or Facebook, I haven’t got any of the business. I’m not interested in any of it.
Kasabian on the album ‘For Crying Out Loud'
JA: You’re releasing album number 6 For Crying Out Loud which I read you saying that it was this nice happy album but the title is something you want to say when you want to punch someone in the face
Serge: The reason why I chose it was it made me laugh and i thought when i saw it written down music For Crying Out Loud was sort of nice when you see it there in print. these songs are that. it’s a really uplifting record. it reminded me of my dad as a kid shouting at me.