Kasabian: ‘Newer bands aren’t good enough for headline slots’

Kasabian made a triumphant return to the Isle of Wight Festival on Friday, playing their first headline set there since 2011.

Tom Meighan and Serge Pizzorno from the Leicester band told Sky News it felt particularly good to come back to the event because the weather was so bad last time they played there.

“It rained and rained and rained, it rained from the Friday to the Sunday night and it was hard work,” Pizzorno admitted.

Meighan agreed: “It was horrific, it was like a thunderstorm, the whole place collapsed.”

The weather was far more clement on Friday night when they took to the main stage and played the show they had been waiting to perform.

“When this (booking) came in, we felt like we had unfinished business in this place, so when it came through it was like thank god,” said Pizzorno.

“Because it was like we feel like we owe a show, we owe something.”

Kasabian have been making their way up the bill since the release of their debut self-titled album in 2004.

The other headliners at the Isle of Wight festival were Depeche Mode, who formed in 1980, and The Killers who have been together since 2001.

I asked Meighan why newer bands aren’t making it into the coveted headline slots – something he thinks is simple to answer.

“They ain’t good enough, I don’t think they’ve got many big songs, you know what I mean?” He explained.

“If you’re a big band you have big songs, it’s simple as that isn’t it, that’s how I look at rock and roll, it’s obvious isn’t it?”

Pizzorno believes plenty of acts release exciting debuts, but struggle to keep their trajectory going.

“It’s the follow-up record, it’s amazing debuts and amazing starts but the second and third it starts to… it’s hard for everyone though, anyone that’s a songwriter, anyone that’s in a band, to maintain at a level,” Pizzorno explained.

“It’s not easy, but it’s there, if anyone wants it it’s there, you’ve just got to come and get it.”

But he thinks there is potential in a band Kasabian recently shared a stage with.

“We played with The Slaves, did a tour in America, and they’re a phenomenal band,” Pizzorno said.

“If I was a betting man, they won’t be too far away [from headlining] in the next couple of years – maybe this album, maybe album after, they’re an unbelievable, incredible band.”

It’s not long since Kasabian released their sixth studio album.

For Crying Out Loud came out in May 2017, and Pizzorno is coy about how much he’s thought about their next record.

“There’s always things going on,” he said.

“We’ve got a nice little tour, we’ve got a beautiful European tour, we got South America, and then we’ll see.”

The band are known for being big supporters of Leicester City, and played two concerts when the club won the Premier League in 2016.

Meighan admitted he’s caught World Cup fever this summer – and has high hopes for England.

“They might win it probably, they’re sneaky, they might sneak through it,” he said.

“There’s always one team that surprises everyone and it might be England’s turn this year,” Pizzorno added.

“I didn’t say they’d go all the way – I feel like they’re definitely going to progress, probably get past the quarters.

“It would be nice.”

Meighan agrees: “It would be great for the country as well, coz of spirits, it lifts everyone up, y’know.”

Kasabian are continuing festival season from next month when they play Espacio Mad Cool in Madrid.

They return to the UK for shows in Edinburgh and Belfast in August.

(c) Sky News 2018: Kasabian: ‘Newer bands aren’t good enough for headline slots’