Serge from Kasabian going mental in a dustbin on Later With Jools

[BlodwynPig]

Fair enough, I'll leave you to your upper middle-class Richard Curtis fantasy.

HOW DARE YOU

[checkoutgirl]

Isn't this Serge chap just ripping off the lead singer of Kasabian

Can someone explain this?

[checkoutgirl]

Hilariously Noel Fielding is listed under the "Associated Acts" section on Kasabian lead singer's Wikipedia page. They must be swapping skinny jeans, eyeliner and bouffant hair ideas with each other. People with big hair seem to be trapped in that one hairstyle, like there's no coming back from it. Similarly Noel and Liam Gallagher have the exact same hairdo for 25 years. Once you go big hair be prepared to commit yourself to it for life as that's what happens.

[checkoutgirl]

The most depressing thing about Kasabian is the music and the sonic flatness of it all. It's terrible. Not a single thing about it stands out in any way. Imagine being in a band with that lump of nothing as the front man. Just trying so desperately to be a rock star. And you have no tunes.

[imitationleather]

Hilariously Noel Fielding is listed under the "Associated Acts" section on Kasabian lead singer's Wikipedia page.

He used to tour with them, I remember hearing.

[checkoutgirl]

He used to tour with them, I remember hearing.

As what, the stylist?

[ajsmith2]

Hilariously Noel Fielding is listed under the "Associated Acts" section on Kasabian lead singer's Wikipedia page.

They had (have?) a band together: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loose_Tapestries

They did an Xmas single together 4 years ago which I thought was pretty bad. Noel Fielding lazily intoning 'my wife is a walnut.. a Christmas walnut' as late as fucking Xmas 2015 is a low amongst lows in the the saga of whimsy comedy. Serge's sleazy bits ('but by February.. I be tapping up your sister') are if anything worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSQx51l23fs

Having said all that I don't generally agree with the blanket '00s lad indie is the worst kind of music' opinions oft expressed here, but by gum the above track is a bad 'un.

[Norton Canes]

Sort of ironically, on the same show slowthai was also doing his berserk singy/shouty thing, except he was brilliant. I'd like to say it's a thin line between a brilliant berserk singy/shouty thing and a stroke-tier berserk singy/shouty thing buy in this case it's clearly not, it's a fucking chasm.

[Icehaven]

The only time I've ever seen anyone wearing a Kasabian T-shirt was in their spawning ground of Leicester, so I conclude the entire city is their sole fanbase and absolutely no one anywhere else likes them.
He reminds me of the Maroon 5 bloke there, for which I am not grateful, not at all sir.

[jobotic]

That hit sounded like a weak rip off of Primal Scream at their worst and Primal Scream at the worst is unbelievably fucking dreadful.

[poodlefaker]

I tell you what that Little Simz is such class she even comes out of this looking good

[phantom_power]

What is point of haircut man if haircut man cut hair?

[Thomas]

_{I like some of Kasabian's first album.}

[flotemysost]

_{I like some of Kasabian's first album.}

Yeah, I had it when I was navigating the waters of 00s indie rock fandom (I think may have been a 15th birthday present from a mate) and I enjoyed it for a while, went off them not long after and everything I've seen/heard since reaffirms this. Also my brother served Serge in the HMV in Leicester and he was a knob apparently.

My uni leaver's party thing had a Kasabian tribute act as the night's entertainment. Desolation right there.

[checkoutgirl]

They had (have?) a band together: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loose_Tapestries

Loose grip on reality more like.

[jobotic]

Going for that Os Mutantes look. They fucking wish.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Yeah, I had it when I was navigating the waters of 00s indie rock fandom (I think may have been a 15th birthday present from a mate) and I enjoyed it for a while, went off them not long after and everything I've seen/heard since reaffirms this.

My mate's the same, didn't like them then heard their first album a few years after and really enjoyed it. Something about an original member's influence all over it before leaving and the band turning bland(er)? Could be remembering that wrong though.

[alan nagsworth]

Going for that Os Mutantes look. They fucking wish.

Os Poo-pantes more like

[ajsmith2]

I like 'Empire', the lead single from the second album. Chorus totally sounds like The Fall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVTEqG9enEY

[Icehaven]

Also my brother served Serge in the HMV in Leicester and he was a knob apparently.

Was it definitely him though? Not that I'm doubting your brother or that Serge Kasabian is a complete knob, but I bet there's a legion of lookalikes storming around Leicester hoping desperately to get mistaken for the real one and acting the arrogant rock star twat accordingly.

[buzby]

My mate's the same, didn't like them then heard their first album a few years after and really enjoyed it. Something about an original member's influence all over it before leaving and the band turning bland(er)? Could be remembering that wrong though.

Yes, Chris Karloff, the lead guitarist and one half of the writing partnership with Serge on the debut album left/was asked to leave during the making of their second album Empire. He co-wrote Empire, Stuntman and By My Side before the split, and it's no coincidence that they are the probably the best 3 songs on it. They became a much more lumpen and oafish proposition once Serge was in sole control of their direction and output.

[PaulTMA]

The only positive thing I can say about Kasabian is that I discovered that when you speed up Shoot The Runner, it sounds like a decent Suzy Quatro song.  I learned this while being harrassed for dozens of requests by one irritating bar-hanger when I was DJing with the Dejay app, and I'd passive-aggressively massively boost the pitch and tempo on every song he selected.  So well done Kasabian.

[SteveDave]

"Eez-Eh" the one about the horse meat scandal and "being watched by Google" is good but that's it.

[Utter Shit]

I was all ready to come in here and defend Serge as someone who, while admittedly part of a terrible band, comes across much more charming, thoughtful and likeable than you would expect. But nah, I'm not defending that, he's got to meet me halfway.

[purlieu]

I think their first two albums did show signs of promise: the odd track with an unusual choir arrangement or something, but they always had two fundamental problems: a lack of really good songs, and a tedious sneery singer. With various electronic interludes and breakbeats and stuff, I always got the feeling they were aiming for Primal Scream at their peak, but the result is more like Beady Eye with a keyboard player.

[Thomas]

Yes, Chris Karloff, the lead guitarist and one half of the writing partnership with Serge on the debut album left/was asked to leave during the making of their second album Empire. He co-wrote Empire, Stuntman and By My Side before the split, and it's no coincidence that they are the probably the best 3 songs on it. They became a much more lumpen and oafish proposition once Serge was in sole control of their direction and output.

I think their first two albums did show signs of promise: the odd track with an unusual choir arrangement or something, but they always had two fundamental problems: a lack of really good songs, and a tedious sneery singer. With various electronic interludes and breakbeats and stuff, I always got the feeling they were aiming for Primal Scream at their peak, but the result is more like Beady Eye with a keyboard player.

Those early songs, with Karloff's involvement, do have some interesting stuff happening in the music (I speak as a musical layperson). If you listen closely, or find the instrumentals, you'll hear all sorts of zips and zaps and weird flourishes that aren't typically present in associated indie rock acts. I like the atmospheric intro to 'Club Foot', for example. 'Cutt Off' was always my favourite from the first album.

They were my first favourite band, so I'll admit to some personal soft spot, but I do defend those early instrumentals on their own merit. And lead singer Tom was always flapping about onstage in camp flowery shirts, often looking more Jarvis than Liam. I never felt that they were the direct progeny of Oasis, staid and blokey, not at first. Perhaps it was all down to Karloff. I'm probably alone on CaB in that if I met the derided Tom Meighan I'd get a photo with him. Not bothered about yer man Serge, though. Always annoyed me when a song began and his soft, weedy, tryna-be-dead-cool vocals came in. Never seemed to actually play his guitar, either.

'Eez-eh' though. Sound of the summer.