KASABIAN have had an epiphany. Despite having sold nearly two million records and been invited to tour with good friends Oasis, the band have only just realised they’re huge.
“It’s weird, man,” begins front man Tom Meighan, with puppy-dog enthusiasm.
“We were doing Jools Holland the other week and we were the biggest band on it.
“Before, we’ve been on with big names, Smokey Robinson, Jarvis Cocker and people. We were looking at the list for this one, and those names aren’t there – we’re the biggest band. It’s funny,” he says, chuckling, pleased with himself. “About time.”
Kasabian’s star will shine even brighter come June 8, the day they release their cryptically titled third album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, ahead of their gig at Liverpool University on June 25.
“It was a real hospital in Wakefield. Serge (guitarist and songwriter) Pizzorno saw it on a documentary and thought it was a cool name and that was about it,” Tom explains.
While that might be a simple explanation, the reason the album is so titled has deeper roots.
This third effort from the Leicester quartet is a homage to the psychedelic albums of the 60s, albums with ludicrous titles and equally preposterous contents.
“That’s it, brother,” asserts 28-year-old Tom. “All those mad records, like The Rolling Stones’ Their Satanic Majesties Request, or Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake by The Small Faces. None of the titles really make sense, and that’s what we wanted, in a way, but to make it modern and for the 21st-century.”
A swaggering frontman from the simian school of Liam Gallagher and Ian Brown, Tom’s never been short of confidence, even when, as he admits, the band weren’t all that.
Now, however, with their best, most ambitious album in front of them, he’s positively brimming with emotion.
Thankfully, that cocksure streak doesn’t manifest itself as arrogance – he’s too likeable for that. Instead, it’s his boundless enthusiasm that comes to the fore.
“I’m so excited at the moment,” he says. “As well as confused, on edge, you know, all these emotions are coming up before the album comes out. I’m not sleeping properly, neither is Serge.
“I don’t know if other bands get that pattern, but I just can’t switch off, it’s bizarre. I go to bed for about two hours, but I can’t sleep. I’m just waiting for things to happen. It’s what we’re like when we’re on tour as well,” he says.
The band have been away from the public eye for around a year, although nine months of that was spent recording what would become West Ryder.
After getting to a point with the album, “about 70% done”, Kasabian decamped to San Francisco to seek out the services of renowned producer Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, highly acclaimed for his work with Beck, Gorillaz, DJ Shadow and various hip hop artists including Busta Rhymes and Kool Keith.
“He’s not a natural choice, I guess,” admits Tom, “but Serge has wanted to work with him for a while. It was amazing to get him, and to have another pair of ears on the album, to guide us through. He’s brought out the big beats and the album sounds amazing.”
KASABIAN play Liverpool University on June 25.
