Kasabian Tour Overview
Kasabian are an English rock band formed in Leicester in 1997 by lead vocalist Tom Meighan, guitarist and second vocalist Sergio Pizzorno, guitarist Chris Karloff and bassist Chris Edwards. Drummer Ian Matthews joined in 2004. Karloff left the band in 2006 and founded a new band called Black Onassis. Jay Mehler joined as touring lead guitarist in 2006, leaving for Liam Gallagher's Beady Eye in 2013, to be replaced by Tim Carter, who later became a full-time band member in 2021. Meighan left the band in July 2020, with Pizzorno stepping up as full-time lead vocalist.
In 2010 and 2014, Kasabian won the Q Awards for "Best Act in the World Today", while they were also named "Best Live Act" at the 2014 Q Awards and the 2007 and 2018 NME Awards. The band's music is often described as "indie rock", but Pizzorno has said he "hates indie bands" and does not feel Kasabian fit into that category.
About Kasabian
The band was formerly called Saracuse. They started recording at Bedrock Studios in Leicester where Chris Edwards had once worked as a sound engineer before moving into the telecommunications & data industry where he was employed by Bedrocks parent company Micina Technologies Group. The original band members came from Countesthorpe and Blaby, and the band formed while Pizzorno, Meighan and Edwards were attending Countesthorpe Community College. The first demo EP was produced by Scott Gilbert and handed to the band 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. Saracuse had several tracks included on a triple cd album called RED which was produced by Bedrock Studios which showcased Leicester bands in late1999 and were also invited to take part in the event of the same name at Leicester De Montfort Hall later the same year but declined following the advice of their then manager Alan Royland. The band was signed to BMG by London DJ and producer Sam Young and changed their name to Kasabian, after Linda Kasabian, a member of the Charles Manson cult who later went on to testify against Manson at his trial. In an interview with Ukula, bassist Chris Edwards explained how 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... so it was decided", says Edwards. Kasabian is a common Armenian surname, from the dialectal Armenian ղասաբ ġasab taken from Arabic . Sam Young had been working at Concept Music, a small independent label, when the band's manager left the Saracuse demo on his desk. Concept wanted to sign the band and a two single deal was offered. However, Young did not take over managerial duties and did not solely get them signed instantly to BMG. EMI were interested in the band as well.
Kasabian Facts
- The band received a total of 9 award nominations for their album "48:13" at the NME Awards in the year 2015, beating the record held by Oasis band for a total of 7 nominations in the year 2009.
- For the recording of their debut self-titled album, the band members reportedly stayed in a farmhouse near Rutland Water, in an effort to avoid being disturbed.
- Kasabian played a homecoming gig in Victoria Park, Leicester to over 60,000 people, around the ten year anniversary of their debut album, in June 2014.
- The fourth single "Stevie" from the album "48:13" was featured as a part of the soundtrack of the game "FIFA 15," made by EA Sports.
