Kasabian (band)
Encyclopedia
Kasabian are an English rock
band formed in Leicestershire
in 1997. Originally comprising vocalist Tom Meighan
, guitarist and keyboardist Christopher Karloff, guitarist and backing vocalist Sergio Pizzorno
and bassist Chris Edwards
, the band has released four studio albums – Kasabian
(2004), Empire
(2006), West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
(2009), and Velociraptor!
(2011). The band currently features Meighan, Pizzorno, Edwards, drummer Ian Matthews
and former touring guitarist Jay Mehler
who became a full-time member in late 2010. Pizzorno has become Kasabian's lead songwriter since Karloff's departure.
and Blaby
, and the band formed while Pizzorno and Meighan were attending Countesthorpe Community College
. The influence of The Stone Roses
can be heard in their first jams. The first demo EP
was produced by Scott Gilbert and handed to the band late on 24 December 1998. Three songs were recorded live: 'Whats Going On', 'Life of Luxury' and 'Shine On'. Their first public appearance was at the Vipers Rugby Club to celebrate Edwards' 18th birthday with family and friends. The band were soon spotted and changed their name to Kasabian, after Linda Kasabian
, a member of the Charles Manson
cult (aka the Manson "family") famous for serving as his getaway driver. In an interview
with Ukula
, bassist Chris Edwards explained how the former guitarist Chris Karloff picked the name. Reading up on Charles Manson, the Kasabian name stuck with Karloff. "He just thought the word was cool, it literally took about a minute after the rest of us heard it... so it was decided,” says Edwards.
Kasabian is a common Armenian surname, originated from the Arabic
word, Kasab, meaning a butcher
or slaughterer, and suffix (ending) -ian.
was released in the UK
on 13 September 2004 receiving good sales and generally positive reviews. During the recording, the band lived in a farmhouse near Rutland Water
to avoid being disturbed. Kasabian featured at Glastonbury Festival 2005 on the 'Other Stage'.
Despite having two prior single releases with debut single "Processed Beats
" and lead single "Reason Is Treason
", it was their third single release "Club Foot
" that finally gave Kasabian success in the UK Singles Chart
. The song, which was written in the early years of Kasabian, went on to enjoy both critical and commercial success, becoming one of the band's best loved songs, and being performed at nearly every Kasabian live performance since its release. The song was the theme for the skate game Tony Hawk's Project 8
, Pro Evolution Soccer 5
and WRC: Rally Evolved
, as well as being featured in the movies The Guardian
and Goal!. The song was also featured on the hit TV show "Alias" in Season 4, Episode 11 "The Road Home" and later used to promote the 2008 Series My Own Worst Enemy
.
"Reason Is Treason" was featured in the games Gran Turismo 4
on the PlayStation 2
and Shaun White Snowboarding
on the Xbox 360
. "L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)
" was featured in the game FIFA 2004 also on the PlayStation 2
.
During this period, various drummers played with Kasabian as they did not have a permanent drummer, including current keyboard player Ben Kealey
, DJ Dan Ralph Martin, brothers Mitch and Ryan Glovers and some others. While recording in Bristol, the band met Ian Matthews
, who plays on "Processed Beats
", "Butcher Blues", "Beneficial Herbs" and possibly some other songs on the debut album and b-sides. He was asked to tour with them in 2004 and became a permanent member in April 2005.
, Christopher Karloff, one of the band's chief songwriters, had "artistic and creative differences" and was asked to leave the band, according to the band's website, although there is evidence to suggest that Christopher Karloff left due to personal circumstances and a lack of evidence to suggest he was "kicked" from the band. He had contributed to three of the songs on Empire.
The album was released in the UK on 28 August 2006. "Empire" was released as the first single from the album, and reached #9 on the UK Singles Chart
"Shoot the Runner" reached #17 in the same chart. A third single, "Me Plus One", was released on 2 January 2007.
Kasabian won the Best Live Act award at the 2007 NME Awards
.
Kasabian started work on their third album in late 2007 with producer Dan the Automator
. On 5 March 2009, it was revealed that the album title would be West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
, with a release date of 8 June 2009. The song "Vlad the Impaler
" was released as a free download for a period of 4 days, as a preview for the album. The promo video for "Vlad the Impaler" stars Noel Fielding
of The Mighty Boosh
. The album's first official single was the track "Fire
", which was released on 1 June 2009, and the song "Where Did All the Love Go?
" was released as the second official single. The third single "Underdog
" was used in the movie Takers (2010).
On 14 June 2009, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
reached #1 in the UK Albums Chart
, spending two weeks there. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum was shortlisted for the 2009 Mercury Prize
, and was named 'Best Album' at the 2009 Q Awards
. The band won "Best Group" at the 2010 Brit Awards. At the 2010 Q Awards
the band won the "Best Act in the World Today".
The song "Fire
" was used as the Barclays Premier League theme song for matchday program from 2010-11 season
onwards.
, in November 2010 with Dan the Automator
as producer. It was revealed in a number of interviews that some songs were already written. One track, titled "Green Fairy", which featured on the London Boulevard
soundtrack, is present on the record under the name "La Fée Verte", but the Album Version is different to the soundtrack version.
In June 2011, Kasabian closed the Isle of Wight Festival
. They also headlined Rockness festival and played at Rock Werchter
in July 2011. The band confirmed that the album will be released on 19 September 2011.
"Switchblade Smiles" first song to be heard from the forthcoming album "Velociraptor!" was exclusively played on UK radio on 7 June 2011 during Zane Lowe's show on Radio 1. The title and release date of the fourth album was also confirmed on the show. This first single from the album is available for visitors to listen to on the Kasabian website, and is available as a download for people who pre-order the album.
Two tracks from the album ("Velociraptor" and "Switchblade Smiles") were premièred throughout the four-date warm-up tour including playing at the Leeds O2 Academy before the RockNess and Isle of Wight festivals in June 2011. A track from the album "Days Are Forgotten" was due for radio release on 22 July 2011. However, it surfaced online the night before.
On Monday 5 September 2011 the band played a gig to a small crowd of just 230 people, on a Boeing 747
at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome
for online music video platform VEVO. The crowd witnessed the band play new songs "Velociraptor", "Days Are Forgotten", "Switchblade Smiles" and previously unheard "Re-Wired".
On 9 September 2011, the album leaked online, 10 days ahead of its official UK release.
The album failed to crack the Billboard Top 200 charts upon its first week of release in the United States.
On 27 November 2011, Kasabian Performed "Goodbye Kiss" during the BBC's
Formula 1 2011 closing season montage.
Former members
Touring members
For a few performances they also have been joined by James Morton and Andrew Kinsman on the horns section.
Studio members
, winning three awards: Best Live Band (2007) for the band, and Best Album and Best Album Artwork (2010) for the album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
. After the release of Empire
, the band received several nominations. The band won 5 awards out of 18 nominations.
is an annual awards ceremony established in 1977. To date, Kasabian has received one award.
|-
| 2005 || Kasabian || Best British Rock Act ||
|-
| 2005 || Kasabian || Best British Live Act ||
|-
| 2005 || Kasabian || Best British Group ||
|-
| 2006 || Kasabian || Best British Rock Act ||
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best British Live Act ||
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best British Group ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best British Group ||
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
|| Mastercard
British Album ||
are the UK's annual music awards run by music magazine, Q
. To date, Kasabian has won two awards.
|-
| 2004 || Kasabian || Best New Act ||
|-
| 2006 || Empire || Best Video ||
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
|-
| 2009 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
|-
| 2009 || Fire
|| Best Track ||
|-
| 2009 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
|| Best Album ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Act In The World Today ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
. To date, Kasabian has won three awards.
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best Live Band ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Live Band ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best British Band ||
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
|| Best Album ||
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
|| Best Album Artwork ||
are the UK's annual music awards run by music magazine, MOJO
. To date, Kasabian has won one award.
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
|| Best Album ||
|-
| 2010 || Fire || Song of the Year ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
in 1997. Originally comprising vocalist Tom Meighan
Tom Meighan
Thomas Peter Meighan is an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist for Indie Rock band Kasabian.-Career:Meighan has been the lead vocalist of Kasabian since the band's inception in Leicester in 1999...
, guitarist and keyboardist Christopher Karloff, guitarist and backing vocalist Sergio Pizzorno
Sergio Pizzorno
Sergio Lorenzo "Serge" Pizzorno is a British guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with the indie rock band Kasabian. He became Kasabian's lead song-writer after the departure of Christopher Karloff....
and bassist Chris Edwards
Chris Edwards (musician)
Christopher "Dibs" David Edwards is an English musician, best known as the bassist for indie rock band Kasabian.-Biography:...
, the band has released four studio albums – Kasabian
Kasabian (album)
Kasabian is the debut album by the British indie rock group Kasabian, released in September 2004 through BMG Records subsidiaries Arista Records and RCA Records. The album spawned four singles and rose to fourth place on the UK Album Chart....
(2004), Empire
Empire (Kasabian album)
Empire is the second album by British indie rock band Kasabian, released in August 2006. The album went onto #1 in the UK Albums Chart upon its release and was preceded by the release of new single "Empire" on 24 July 2006....
(2006), West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
(2009), and Velociraptor!
Velociraptor!
Velociraptor! is the fourth album by the British indie rock group Kasabian, released on 16 September 2011.-History:"La Fée Verte" originally called "The Green Fairy" appeared on the soundtrack for London Boulevard, the 2010 film directed by William Monahan...
(2011). The band currently features Meighan, Pizzorno, Edwards, drummer Ian Matthews
Ian Matthews (drummer)
Ian Matthews is an English musician, best known as a drummer for Kasabian.Prior to Kasabian he played with a number of local Bristol bands, such as K'Passa, and Milk. He met Kasabian when they were recording their first single "Processed Beats" in Bristol...
and former touring guitarist Jay Mehler
Jay Mehler
Jason "Jay" Mehler is a guitarist who is currently a member of Kasabian, having officially joined the band in 2010 after touring with them since 2006...
who became a full-time member in late 2010. Pizzorno has become Kasabian's lead songwriter since Karloff's departure.
Early years (1997–2002)
The band was formerly called Saracuse and started recording at Bedrock Studios in Leicester where Chris Edwards worked as an engineer. The original band members all hailed from CountesthorpeCountesthorpe
Countesthorpe is a large village and civil parish in the Leicestershire district of Blaby, with a population of 6,393 . It lies to the south of Leicester, and is about six miles from the city centre, but only two miles south of the suburb of South Wigston...
and Blaby
Blaby
Blaby is a village in central Leicestershire, England, some five miles south of Leicester city centre. It has population of around 6,240 , and its proximity to the city causes it to form part of the Leicester Urban Area....
, and the band formed while Pizzorno and Meighan were attending Countesthorpe Community College
Countesthorpe Community College
Countesthorpe Community College is a upper school situated on the western edge of Countesthorpe in Leicestershire near the A426-History:When the school first opened its doors in the 1970s, its informal learning environment caused controversy, with much interest from national press. Many features of...
. The influence of The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
can be heard in their first jams. The first demo EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
was produced by Scott Gilbert and handed to the band late on 24 December 1998. Three songs were recorded live: 'Whats Going On', 'Life of Luxury' and 'Shine On'. Their first public appearance was at the Vipers Rugby Club to celebrate Edwards' 18th birthday with family and friends. The band were soon spotted and changed their name to Kasabian, after Linda Kasabian
Linda Kasabian
Linda Kasabian is a former member of Charles Manson's "family". She was the key witness in District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi's prosecution of Manson and his followers for the Tate-LaBianca murders, one of the highest-profile murder trials in American history.-Early life:Born as Linda Darlene...
, a member of the Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
cult (aka the Manson "family") famous for serving as his getaway driver. In an interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
with Ukula
Ukula
UKULA Magazine was an independent arts and culture quarterly founded in 2004, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was created by co-founders Kevin Renton and Graeme Maclean, who first started out DJing under the now well known UKULA moniker at the city's Andy Poolhall in 2002. Copies of UKULA...
, bassist Chris Edwards explained how the former guitarist Chris Karloff picked the name. Reading up on Charles Manson, the Kasabian name stuck with Karloff. "He just thought the word was cool, it literally took about a minute after the rest of us heard it... so it was decided,” says Edwards.
Kasabian is a common Armenian surname, originated from the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
word, Kasab, meaning a butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
or slaughterer, and suffix (ending) -ian.
Debut album (2003–05)
Their eponymous debut albumKasabian (album)
Kasabian is the debut album by the British indie rock group Kasabian, released in September 2004 through BMG Records subsidiaries Arista Records and RCA Records. The album spawned four singles and rose to fourth place on the UK Album Chart....
was released in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 13 September 2004 receiving good sales and generally positive reviews. During the recording, the band lived in a farmhouse near Rutland Water
Rutland Water
Rutland Water is Anglian Water's drinking water reservoir in the county of Rutland, England, just east of the county town Oakham. It was known as Empingham Reservoir during its construction and until its official opening in 1976. The centre of its dam is at British national grid reference...
to avoid being disturbed. Kasabian featured at Glastonbury Festival 2005 on the 'Other Stage'.
Despite having two prior single releases with debut single "Processed Beats
Processed Beats
"Processed Beats" is the third fully released single from Kasabian. It was released on 18 September 2004 and entered the UK Charts at #17. It was originally released as a demo, as Kasabian's first single, in limited numbers.-Maxi CD:*PARADISE21...
" and lead single "Reason Is Treason
Reason Is Treason
"Reason Is Treason" is the second limited release from British rock band Kasabian. As a limited release it was ineligible for chart entry.The 10" release was packaged with a Kasabian stencil secured with two elastic bands. The Promo CD was wrapped in brown paper with the Kasabian logo stencilled on...
", it was their third single release "Club Foot
Club Foot (song)
"Club Foot" is a song by English indie rock band Kasabian, featured on their 2004 debut album Kasabian. It was released on 17 May 2004 in the UK. This song is dedicated to Czech student Jan Palach, who committed suicide in political protest by self-immolation...
" that finally gave Kasabian success in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The song, which was written in the early years of Kasabian, went on to enjoy both critical and commercial success, becoming one of the band's best loved songs, and being performed at nearly every Kasabian live performance since its release. The song was the theme for the skate game Tony Hawk's Project 8
Tony Hawk's Project 8
Tony Hawk's Project 8, officially abbreviated as THP8, is the eighth installment in the Tony Hawk series of video games. It was released on sixth-generation and seventh-generation consoles...
, Pro Evolution Soccer 5
Pro Evolution Soccer 5
Pro Evolution Soccer 5 is an football video game developed and produced by Konami as part of the Pro Evolution Soccer series...
and WRC: Rally Evolved
WRC: Rally Evolved
WRC: Rally Evolved is a WRC video game for the PlayStation 2 and was released in Europe on October 21, 2005...
, as well as being featured in the movies The Guardian
The Guardian (2006 film)
The Guardian is a 2006 action-adventure drama film starring Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, and Melissa Sagemiller. The film was released on September 29, 2006, and was directed by Andrew Davis, director of The Fugitive...
and Goal!. The song was also featured on the hit TV show "Alias" in Season 4, Episode 11 "The Road Home" and later used to promote the 2008 Series My Own Worst Enemy
My Own Worst Enemy (TV series)
My Own Worst Enemy is an American television drama that aired on NBC in 2008. It premiered on October 13 and ended on December 15 after 9 episodes. The series was produced by Universal Media Studios. Jason Smilovic was the executive producer; David Semel was the director and executive producer...
.
"Reason Is Treason" was featured in the games Gran Turismo 4
Gran Turismo 4
is a racing simulator for the Sony PlayStation 2 which was developed by Polyphony Digital. It was released on December 28, 2004 in Japan and Hong Kong , February 22, 2005 in North America , and March 9, 2005 in Europe , and has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Greatest Hits' line...
on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Shaun White Snowboarding
Shaun White Snowboarding
Shaun White Snowboarding is a sports video game for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 systems. It was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 14, 2008...
on the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. "L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)
L.S.F.
"L.S.F." is the second single released by British rock group Kasabian. The song earned the band their first UK Top 10 hit, peaking at # 10 and staying in the Top 75 for 5 weeks...
" was featured in the game FIFA 2004 also on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
.
During this period, various drummers played with Kasabian as they did not have a permanent drummer, including current keyboard player Ben Kealey
Ben Kealey
Ben Kealey is the keyboardist of the Leicester indie rock band Kasabian.He was born in Leicester, England.-Kasabian:Ben was the drummer of the band in its original format which was called Saracuse. In 2006 he rejoined the band as the Keyboard and Synth player...
, DJ Dan Ralph Martin, brothers Mitch and Ryan Glovers and some others. While recording in Bristol, the band met Ian Matthews
Ian Matthews (drummer)
Ian Matthews is an English musician, best known as a drummer for Kasabian.Prior to Kasabian he played with a number of local Bristol bands, such as K'Passa, and Milk. He met Kasabian when they were recording their first single "Processed Beats" in Bristol...
, who plays on "Processed Beats
Processed Beats
"Processed Beats" is the third fully released single from Kasabian. It was released on 18 September 2004 and entered the UK Charts at #17. It was originally released as a demo, as Kasabian's first single, in limited numbers.-Maxi CD:*PARADISE21...
", "Butcher Blues", "Beneficial Herbs" and possibly some other songs on the debut album and b-sides. He was asked to tour with them in 2004 and became a permanent member in April 2005.
Empire (2006–07)
During the recording of Kasabian's second album, EmpireEmpire (Kasabian album)
Empire is the second album by British indie rock band Kasabian, released in August 2006. The album went onto #1 in the UK Albums Chart upon its release and was preceded by the release of new single "Empire" on 24 July 2006....
, Christopher Karloff, one of the band's chief songwriters, had "artistic and creative differences" and was asked to leave the band, according to the band's website, although there is evidence to suggest that Christopher Karloff left due to personal circumstances and a lack of evidence to suggest he was "kicked" from the band. He had contributed to three of the songs on Empire.
The album was released in the UK on 28 August 2006. "Empire" was released as the first single from the album, and reached #9 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
"Shoot the Runner" reached #17 in the same chart. A third single, "Me Plus One", was released on 2 January 2007.
Kasabian won the Best Live Act award at the 2007 NME Awards
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....
.
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2008–10)
The band released an EP titled Fast Fuse in late 2007 which featured the songs "Fast Fuse" and "Thick as Thieves", however the EP was not given any promotion or advertisement. Both tracks are featured in their third album.Kasabian started work on their third album in late 2007 with producer Dan the Automator
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
. On 5 March 2009, it was revealed that the album title would be West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
, with a release date of 8 June 2009. The song "Vlad the Impaler
Vlad the Impaler (song)
"Vlad the Impaler" is the eighth song of Kasabian's album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. It was released as a free download with an accompanying music video in March 2009. It was released as a single physically on 15 February 2010....
" was released as a free download for a period of 4 days, as a preview for the album. The promo video for "Vlad the Impaler" stars Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding is a British artist, comedian and actor. He is known for his roles as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-writes with comedy partner Julian Barratt, and as team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.-Stand-up comedy:Noel Fielding performed regularly as a...
of The Mighty Boosh
The Mighty Boosh
The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Developed from three stage shows and a six episode radio series, it has since spawned a total of twenty television episodes for BBC Three and two live tours of the UK, as well as two live shows in the...
. The album's first official single was the track "Fire
Fire (Kasabian song)
"Fire" is a song by English rock band Kasabian and is the lead single from their third album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. It was released 1 June 2009....
", which was released on 1 June 2009, and the song "Where Did All the Love Go?
Where Did All the Love Go?
"Where Did All the Love Go?" is a song by English rock band Kasabian and is the second official single from their third album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum...
" was released as the second official single. The third single "Underdog
Underdog (Kasabian song)
"Underdog" is the third single released from the Kasabian album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. It only peaked at #32 in the UK Singles Chart on the week after the album's release. Despite this it became a widely popular song.-Popular culture use:...
" was used in the movie Takers (2010).
On 14 June 2009, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
reached #1 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, spending two weeks there. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum was shortlisted for the 2009 Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
, and was named 'Best Album' at the 2009 Q Awards
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event...
. The band won "Best Group" at the 2010 Brit Awards. At the 2010 Q Awards
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event...
the band won the "Best Act in the World Today".
The song "Fire
Fire (Kasabian song)
"Fire" is a song by English rock band Kasabian and is the lead single from their third album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. It was released 1 June 2009....
" was used as the Barclays Premier League theme song for matchday program from 2010-11 season
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
onwards.
Velociraptor! (2011)
Kasabian started work on their fourth album, Velociraptor!Velociraptor!
Velociraptor! is the fourth album by the British indie rock group Kasabian, released on 16 September 2011.-History:"La Fée Verte" originally called "The Green Fairy" appeared on the soundtrack for London Boulevard, the 2010 film directed by William Monahan...
, in November 2010 with Dan the Automator
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
as producer. It was revealed in a number of interviews that some songs were already written. One track, titled "Green Fairy", which featured on the London Boulevard
London Boulevard
London Boulevard is a 2010 British film noir released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2010. It is based on a novel by Ken Bruen with screenplay and direction by William Monahan, marking his directorial debut...
soundtrack, is present on the record under the name "La Fée Verte", but the Album Version is different to the soundtrack version.
In June 2011, Kasabian closed the Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
. They also headlined Rockness festival and played at Rock Werchter
Rock Werchter
Rock Werchter is a Belgian annual music festival held in the village of Werchter, near Leuven, since 1974. It is one of the five biggest annual rock music festivals in Europe...
in July 2011. The band confirmed that the album will be released on 19 September 2011.
"Switchblade Smiles" first song to be heard from the forthcoming album "Velociraptor!" was exclusively played on UK radio on 7 June 2011 during Zane Lowe's show on Radio 1. The title and release date of the fourth album was also confirmed on the show. This first single from the album is available for visitors to listen to on the Kasabian website, and is available as a download for people who pre-order the album.
Two tracks from the album ("Velociraptor" and "Switchblade Smiles") were premièred throughout the four-date warm-up tour including playing at the Leeds O2 Academy before the RockNess and Isle of Wight festivals in June 2011. A track from the album "Days Are Forgotten" was due for radio release on 22 July 2011. However, it surfaced online the night before.
On Monday 5 September 2011 the band played a gig to a small crowd of just 230 people, on a Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome and Proving Ground is a privately owned airport in Leicestershire near the village of Bruntingthorpe. It was opened as RAF Bruntingthorpe in 1942.- United States Air Force use:...
for online music video platform VEVO. The crowd witnessed the band play new songs "Velociraptor", "Days Are Forgotten", "Switchblade Smiles" and previously unheard "Re-Wired".
On 9 September 2011, the album leaked online, 10 days ahead of its official UK release.
The album failed to crack the Billboard Top 200 charts upon its first week of release in the United States.
On 27 November 2011, Kasabian Performed "Goodbye Kiss" during the BBC's
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Formula 1 2011 closing season montage.
Band members
Current members- Tom MeighanTom MeighanThomas Peter Meighan is an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist for Indie Rock band Kasabian.-Career:Meighan has been the lead vocalist of Kasabian since the band's inception in Leicester in 1999...
– lead vocals (1997–present), tambourine (live) - Sergio PizzornoSergio PizzornoSergio Lorenzo "Serge" Pizzorno is a British guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with the indie rock band Kasabian. He became Kasabian's lead song-writer after the departure of Christopher Karloff....
– guitar, backing vocals, keyboards & electronic programming (1997–present) - Chris EdwardsChris Edwards (musician)Christopher "Dibs" David Edwards is an English musician, best known as the bassist for indie rock band Kasabian.-Biography:...
– bass (1997–present) - Ian MatthewsIan Matthews (drummer)Ian Matthews is an English musician, best known as a drummer for Kasabian.Prior to Kasabian he played with a number of local Bristol bands, such as K'Passa, and Milk. He met Kasabian when they were recording their first single "Processed Beats" in Bristol...
– drums (2004–present) - Jay MehlerJay MehlerJason "Jay" Mehler is a guitarist who is currently a member of Kasabian, having officially joined the band in 2010 after touring with them since 2006...
- guitar (2010-present; previously touring member: 2006-2010)
Former members
- Christopher Karloff – lead guitar, bass (on 'Club Foot'), keyboards & electronic programming (1997–2006)
Touring members
- Ben KealeyBen KealeyBen Kealey is the keyboardist of the Leicester indie rock band Kasabian.He was born in Leicester, England.-Kasabian:Ben was the drummer of the band in its original format which was called Saracuse. In 2006 he rejoined the band as the Keyboard and Synth player...
– keyboard (2006–present) - Gary Alesbrook – trumpet (2006–present)
For a few performances they also have been joined by James Morton and Andrew Kinsman on the horns section.
Studio members
- Ryan Glover - drums (2004)
- Daniel Ralph Martin - drums (2004)
Awards and nominations
Kasabian has found success in the UK primarily at the NME AwardsNME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....
, winning three awards: Best Live Band (2007) for the band, and Best Album and Best Album Artwork (2010) for the album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
. After the release of Empire
Empire (Kasabian album)
Empire is the second album by British indie rock band Kasabian, released in August 2006. The album went onto #1 in the UK Albums Chart upon its release and was preceded by the release of new single "Empire" on 24 July 2006....
, the band received several nominations. The band won 5 awards out of 18 nominations.
Brit Awards
The Brit AwardsBrit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
is an annual awards ceremony established in 1977. To date, Kasabian has received one award.
|-
| 2005 || Kasabian || Best British Rock Act ||
|-
| 2005 || Kasabian || Best British Live Act ||
|-
| 2005 || Kasabian || Best British Group ||
|-
| 2006 || Kasabian || Best British Rock Act ||
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best British Live Act ||
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best British Group ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best British Group ||
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
|| Mastercard
MasterCard
Mastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
British Album ||
Q Awards
The Q AwardsQ Awards
The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event...
are the UK's annual music awards run by music magazine, Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
. To date, Kasabian has won two awards.
|-
| 2004 || Kasabian || Best New Act ||
|-
| 2006 || Empire || Best Video ||
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
|-
| 2009 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
|-
| 2009 || Fire
Fire (Kasabian song)
"Fire" is a song by English rock band Kasabian and is the lead single from their third album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. It was released 1 June 2009....
|| Best Track ||
|-
| 2009 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
|| Best Album ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Act In The World Today ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show founded by music magazine, NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. To date, Kasabian has won three awards.
|-
| 2007 || Kasabian || Best Live Band ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Live Band ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best British Band ||
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
|| Best Album ||
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
|| Best Album Artwork ||
MOJO Awards
The MOJO AwardsMOJO Awards
The MOJO Awards is an awards ceremony that began in 2004 by Mojo, a popular music magazine published monthly by Bauer in the United Kingdom...
are the UK's annual music awards run by music magazine, MOJO
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
. To date, Kasabian has won one award.
|-
| 2010 || West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
|| Best Album ||
|-
| 2010 || Fire || Song of the Year ||
|-
| 2010 || Kasabian || Best Live Act ||
Discography
- KasabianKasabian (album)Kasabian is the debut album by the British indie rock group Kasabian, released in September 2004 through BMG Records subsidiaries Arista Records and RCA Records. The album spawned four singles and rose to fourth place on the UK Album Chart....
(2004) - EmpireEmpire (Kasabian album)Empire is the second album by British indie rock band Kasabian, released in August 2006. The album went onto #1 in the UK Albums Chart upon its release and was preceded by the release of new single "Empire" on 24 July 2006....
(2006) - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic AsylumWest Ryder Pauper Lunatic AsylumWest Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
(2009) - Velociraptor!Velociraptor!Velociraptor! is the fourth album by the British indie rock group Kasabian, released on 16 September 2011.-History:"La Fée Verte" originally called "The Green Fairy" appeared on the soundtrack for London Boulevard, the 2010 film directed by William Monahan...
(2011)