The Kaiser Chiefs
From LoveToKnow Music
| Kaiser Chiefs | |
| Genre | Britpop |
| Origin | Leeds, England, U.K. |
| Active | 2004-present |
| Albums | Employment (2005) |
| Songs | Oh My God I Predict A Riot Modern Way |
| Website | Kaiser Chiefs Official Website |
The Kaiser Chiefs have become one of the major Britpop revivalists if the 21st Century. Born and raised in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the Kaiser Chiefs are one of the original bands of the NME coined New Yorkshire. The Kaisers are huge fans of football team Leeds United, though they’re named after the South African Kaizer Chiefs Football Club. They were originally a garage rock band called Parva, though 2003 saw a reinvention of both their sound and band name, and have consequently taken the world by storm. The Kaiser Chiefs’ close friendship with Wakefield indie-punksters The Cribs has instilled a sense of community into the music industry, both locally and nationally.
Kaiser Chiefs - Early Music
When Ricky Wilson (lead voacals), Andrew ‘Whitey’ White (guitar), Simon Rix (bass), Nick ‘Peanut’ Baines (keyboards) and Nick Hodgeson (drums and backing vocals) became the Kaiser Chiefs, they were rehearsing for only a year before they were offered a slot at 2004’s Carling Weekend Reading and Leeds Festival. Prior to Ricky’s involvement in the group, he was lead singer of a Rolling Stones tribute band. Luckily the other boys snapped him up in time to create some of the most innovative music since the time of the Stones themselves. Before the Kaiser’s achieved worldwide success, the boys were prominent figures of the Leeds indie scene, and were the original hosts of Pigs, the city’s monthly ostentatious electro-punk night at the Hi-Fi club in the city centre. The Kaiser Chiefs released their debut single ‘Oh My God’ in 2004, permeating the charts at 66, an impressive feat for an unsigned band.
By the onset of 2005, and now signed to B-Unique, the boys re-released their first single ‘Oh My God’ on February 21st, which pummelled into the charts at number 6 and proved an absolute stomper on the dance floor. Debut LP Employment was released on 7th March and was a resounding success, reaching number 3 in the charts and was later short-listed for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize. Stephen Street, former producer for Blur, produced the album, ensuring the Britpop vibe rang true from the core. The band headlined the October 2005 NME tour with The Cribs and Maximo Park, they’ve toured with indie champions Franz Ferdinand, and the Kaiser Chiefs have just won awards for ‘Best British Rock Act, ‘Best Group’ and ‘Best Live Act’ in the British Music Awards 2006. The Kaiser Chiefs won ‘Best Album’ for Employment at the 2006 NME Awards, and ‘I Predict A Riot’ was also nominated for ‘Best Track’.
Musical History
Aside from injecting some cheeky-chappie sentimentality into an otherwise stagnant scene, the Kaiser Chief’s significance in the history of British indie music has become paramount: they signalled a reassessment of northern England as an agent for musical talent. London is no longer the predominant pool from which rock bands are plucked. Neither is Manchester, the northern city which underwent a huge cultural growth in the 1980s as a result of bands like Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses. The progression of British pop in the ‘90s demonstrates a rise in grand guitar anthems, from artists like Oasis, Blur, Ocean Colour Scene and the Bluetones. Towards the end of the decade interest in flamboyant pop dwindled. At the dawn of the millennium, the resurge of Britpop came from overseas with the likes of The Strokes and The Hives. In 2005 Leeds stole the limelight, and the Kaiser Chiefs are the most successful band to come out of this new northern focus. The band’s t-shirt slogan “Everything is Brilliant in Leeds” has surely become a legendary statement.
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Comments
The writer of this piece woulnd't happen to be from Leeds would he? As good a period as Leeds may be having musically, it seems a bit strong to claim that Leeds is now at the forefront of new music. I'm not knocking the Kaiser Chiefs, but you need more than one big band and a couple of lesser acts with a couple of albums between them to be claiming that Leeds is suddenly the musical city of the UK.
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