#Rockcellar Magazine

[pop-art-sixties-seventies]

Flower Power, Beatle, Rockcellar Magazine

[midnightiscoming-kasabian]

Q&A: Kasabian’s Serge Pizzorno Talks ‘For Crying Out Loud,’ Touring the U.S. and His Band’s Shape-Shifting Career

Kasabian is practically a household name among alternative rock fans in Britain. Hailing from Leicester (located just outside Birmingham), the band’s 2004 self-titled debut record sold more than a million copies at home and spawned four top 20 singles.

Since then, each successive studio release has entered the U.K. charts at No. 1. The four-piece has also won a Brit Award and routinely headlines the country’s biggest music festivals (including Reading and Leeds this past August).

Here in the States, the Tom Meighan-fronted band maintains a large cult following for its brash, electronic and dance-infused rock music that has often taken stylistic cues from the likes of Primal Scream and Happy Mondays.

The solid sixth album For Crying Out Loud, Kasabian’s first in three years, finds multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/producer/principal songwriter Serge Pizzorno getting more personal than usual. Meighan has said singing the Loud lyrics saved his life after an especially dark period.

There are sonic nods to LCD Soundsystem (“Are You Looking for Action?”), Prodigy (“Ill Ray-The King,” whose music video stars Game of Thrones actress Lena Headey), Ramones-meets-late ‘60s-Stones (the racing, distorted standout “Bless This Acid House”), The Beatles (closing, campfire-type singalong “Put Your Life on It”) and Spaghetti Western soundtracks (“The Party Never Ends”), not to mention some of the musicians’ usual humor (a surrealistic “You’re in Love with a Psycho”).

We recently caught up with Pizzorno to get an update on all things Kasabian following its brief North American tour of theaters.

Rock Cellar: You’ve admitted to being more excited about performing live lately. Why?

Serge Pizzorno: The creation, the process of making albums is my favorite thing. The performance side is always secondary. I figured, ‘you’re on stage more than you are in the studio.’ So, I just try to find a way of embracing it and making it interesting for me. Every night, I [attempt] some moves.

What kind of response have you gotten from fans about For Crying Out Loud?

Serge Pizzorno: It’s a shame more people don’t know about us, which is funny, because around the world, we’re massive. Here, no one’s heard any of the music. People that come to the shows feel blessed that they get to see us in such small venues. I like playing those little venues, by the way. They’re a lot of fun. Reminds you of when you start out. It’s not such a bad thing for bands to feel like that.

You handled the production reigns again, instead of having someone like Dan the Automator at the controls. At this point in your career, do you feel you have a firm handle on how Kasabian should sound?

Serge Pizzorno: To be honest, I have a clear vision and feel someone else would get in the way. I have an idea of exactly what I want. It’s not always worth it [to have a producer]. But moving forward, I definitely think I’ll work with someone on the next album.

Do you find it easier to work on the album in your home studio, where you can put ideas down at your leisure?

Serge Pizzorno: Exactly, and every album the bedroom gets a little bigger, which is fun. I feel most comfortable at home, but to create, I have to sort of go to the Himalayas and find a hut somewhere.

A couple songs were inspired by 1970s rockers like The Stooges and Ramones. Have you come to appreciate them more as you get older?

Serge Pizzorno: You know what? I’ve always been into them and loved their energy. As you get older, I suppose you realize that on the face of it, bands get a bad rap for being dumb or simple. You learn more about how clever and difficult it is.

People see them as straightforward things, but it’s like, ‘you’re missing the point.’ Those bands are supremely intelligent. The music press sold them short because they were so clever. The bands knew exactly what they were doing. Every decision they made was considered and chosen because that’s what they wanted to put out. I buzzed off that.

I thought, ‘let’s go down this road for that album.’

I’ll bet a lot of people were surprised by “Put Your Life on It,” the unabashed love song that closes the album.

Serge Pizzorno: I think people that have followed us from the first record can see the overview of the journey we’ve gone on, like, ‘Ah, it’s that album.’ We’ve made a stoner album, an alcohol album, the concept record. I look at the legacy bands leave behind. You see a career band make albums to supply the demand for hits and radio. Then there are other bands that leave a tale of their life. I think one’s kind of accepted there’s less experimentation and more straightforward melody and structure [here]. Next time will be completely different. I’m already starting to see what the next one is going to be like.

You’ve done projects with Noel Fielding of British comedy troupe The Mighty Boosh and you tend to leaven some Kasabian lyrics, such as on “Comeback Kid” and “Wasted,” with a bit of humor. Is adopting that tone more important than ever in these rancorous times?  

Serge Pizzorno: In a way. I like songs that have comedy and I’m obsessed with standup. I’ve always loved lyricists that could make me laugh. In my head, I see the school bully or some big dude that’s trying to put you down. Growing up where I’m from, there were always some – what do you call them – jocks – in America? Kids like me that were into [painter] Basquiat and [poet] Dylan Thomas always got a bit of abuse. [‘Comeback Kid’] is about the idea of tearing that dude down and going, ‘I’m going to end you and put you in a bin bag.’

The 8 ½ minute long party jam “Are You Ready for Action?” really stands apart from everything else on the album. What is the story behind it?

Serge Pizzorno: Originally, I had a 3 ½ minute maximum for all the songs. At the end, I felt it should be like a Roxy Music song or those old Dub tapes back in the day, where they’d take a pop song and make an [extended effort] out of it. I got well into that and thought, ‘Everything else is so tight and considered and direct. To complete the album, we need a moment where you get taken away.’ In that context, it works because that musical break is really sweet.

You’re not involved with social media, but the band does have an official Instagram account. Who runs it?

Serge Pizzorno: We have a girl that deals with the photos, but all the content is directly from us. We could have been at the forefront of it, but we’re from a generation where the mystique of a band was normal. I really don’t want anyone to know anything. You don’t know anything about stars from the past. You know the myth, but you don’t really know anything about them. I don’t like what people have to give away of themselves to gain followers. It doesn’t interest me.

What’s ahead for the band after the current world tour?

Serge Pizzorno: I’ll probably go back into the studio and make more music.

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[spooky-stille]

Rockcellar Magazine: During the band’s early gigs, Dan tended to hide in the back, while you were front and center onstage. These days, he’s very energetic and often climbs speakers. How do you feel about his progression as lead singer?

Will Farquarson: It’s quite amazing. I sometimes forget

that he used to be so shy. You’d have to give him a half spot of wine, sit down and have a talking to just to get him onto a stage. Now he’s boundless in his energy. I’m quite grateful. I’ve adopted the opposite approach – sultry, moody rock star cool. Which means when I’m hungover, I still can look exactly the same without doing anything. Dan has to jump and stay fit. I’m also amazed that he’s never out of breath! If I walk up a flight of stairs and try to have a conversation, I have to sit down and I can’t speak.

[alwayssummerblog]

New Artist Spotlight: Chelsea Williams

Meet Chelsea Williams, the artist who has been performing on Santa Monica Third Street Promenade for 10 years and has sold an astounding 100,000 copies of her three indie albums. Williams has even impressed her idols and stars like Ron Howard and Sheryl Crow enough to have them purchase one of her CDs.

Since getting spotlighted in the “Playing For Change” version of Maroon 5’s “Daylight” video, Williams has been featured as one of Rolling Stone’s “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know” and has released her first LP on Blue Elán Records, Boomerang.

Williams explained her creative approach to the 12 folk-pop tunes that compromise Boomerang to Rolling Stone, "Writing has always been an organic creative process for me. I think the best songs write themselves if you can just manage to get out of the way. That's why I really wanted to keep the Boomerang sound pallet pretty organic and natural. In an era of synth pop and sample-driven music, I strove to make this record as human as possible. The closest thing to a sample on the record is the Mellotron on 'Lonely Girl.'"

Watch the official video for “Lonely Girl” below:

Williams has been on the road supporting Boomerang and has already made plans for when’s done. She tells Rockcellar Magazine, “...and then after that I’m looking forward to taking a month to just go out into the desert somewhere with no distractions and write again. I’m really itching to write. The last year and a half has been such a whirlwind and I’m really interested to find out what comes out of me musically after this year. It’s been a lot of firsts.”

Get Boomerang everywhere HERE! We can’t wait to see where the future takes rising-star, Chelsea Williams.

[hansonstage]

Hanson Release ‘Middle of Everywhere’ Greatest Hits LP as Part of 20th Anniversary of “MMMBop,” Corresponding Tour

Rockcellar Magazine  Would you believe it’s been 20 years since Hanson‘s “Mmmbop” was an inescapable radio hit you’d hear on TV, at the store and pretty much everywhere else? The trio of brothers burst onto the pop scene with that infectious single and their debut album, Middle of Nowhere, in 1997 and set in place…

Hanson Release ‘Middle of Everywhere’ Greatest Hits LP as Part of 20th Anniversary of “MMMBop,” Corresponding Tour was originally published on hansonstage

[netdaddy]

Deeper Digs in Rock: Jeff Slate Pt. 1

We had the distinct privilege to speak with musician and Esquire magazine music and culture writer Jeff Slate, about so much we had to make a two part Deeper Digs in Rock!

Part one has Jeff tells us about growing up near NYC and the call from the City, the Clash sets the tone, we follow Jeff as he works to make his music which leads to encounters with Gene Simmons and Pete Townsend and like all artists, looking for ways to keep the lights on, he puts pen to paper and writes about what he knows. And after articles with Rolling Stone, Guitarist Magazine, Guitar World, Rockcellar Magazine, he lands with Esquire.

So how did he get there?

Jeff is on Twitter @jeffslate and find his music, writings and more at jeffslate.net

Please subscribe, rate and review and head over to Patreon to help support our network of rock based podcasts.

Check out this episode!

[myincubusupdate]

A Few Questions With…Incubus Singer/Songwriter Brandon Boyd

Written by: Adrian Garro 

For roughly twenty years, Brandon Boyd has headed the Calabasas, California-bred alternative/rock band Incubus.

After rising to prominence in the rock scene with 1999′s Make Yourself, the band has evolved its sound over the years while still managing to maintain a firm grasp on the rock charts – just look at the strength of singles such as Drive, Pardon Me, Wish You Were Here, Megalomaniac, Love Hurts, Anna Molly, Warning and Adolescent.

With the band currently on hiatus while its members pursue individual projects, Rock Cellar caught up with Boyd for a few questions regarding his new solo album, non-musical ventures, Jesus Christ Superstar and the first concert he ever attended:

Rock Cellar Magazine: Describe the Sons of the Sea, the side project you released. What else are you up to?

Brandon Boyd: Brendan O’Brien ( producer)  and I had mused about writing together for many years and finally had the time and the space to try it out. The results were a lot of fun. The impetus to make Sons of the Sea was one of pure curiosity and desire to see what would happen if I tried writing with Brendan after having worked with him in one way for over ten years. I very much enjoy the results, if I could be so bold as to say so.

I am preparing to do a huge US and Canadian tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar. I am playing the role of Judas Iscariot and it’s playing in arenas all summer long. I have never done anything like it before so I am thrilled about the opportunity to step so far beyond my comfort zone!

Rock Cellar Magazine: Tell our readers a bit about your book So The Echo.

Brandon Boyd: The new book is a collection of paintings, sketchbooks, photographs, poems and musings gathered from the last four or five years. I have been drawing and painting since I was a child and publishing art books since 2003. This is the third.

Rock Cellar Magazine: You’ve been in the limelight musically for more than fifteen years. What prompted you to branch out from the alternative/rock world and venture into more introspective material with your 2010 solo debut The Wild Trapeze and now Sons of the Sea?

Brandon Boyd: My motives and desires really haven’t changed much over all of these years; I love making music and art and enjoy following it wherever it takes me. Sometimes into recognizable territories and sometimes into more abstract realms.

Rock Cellar Magazine:What is the current status with Incubus? Is anything planned in the near future?

Brandon Boyd: We are still taking a break from things but talking happily about reconvening early next year to write some new music.

Rock Cellar Magazine: What was the very first concert or musical you remember attending? Any fond memories of that show?

Brandon Boyd: The first show I ever saw was Bon Jovi and Skid Row in San Diego, California. It was pretty fun. I was 12 or 13. Everyone was high and drunk and I was sort of scared, but the energy was infectious. The first musical I saw was actually Jesus Christ Superstar. I was a young teenager.

So it’s sort of a weird and serendipitous full circle that I should be playing a role in that show so many years later.

Rock Cellar Magazine: Tell us a bit about Jesus Christ Superstar tour. How are you preparing for the part of Judas?

Brandon Boyd: I am preparing for the part by doing as many jumping jacks as I can, drinking raw egg yolks, shadow boxing, listening to 80’s Montage Rock and running really fast on the beach while making weird grunting noises.

Rock Cellar Magazine: What is it about performing live that resonates the most with you? Do you have any pre-show routines to get ‘in the zone’?

Brandon Boyd: Everything I said in the previous answer but then I stretch my hamstrings to ‘get in the zone’ as you say.

[helpmeexcorcisemymind]

Rockcellar Magazine: During the band’s early gigs, Dan tended to hide in the back, while you were front and center onstage. These days, he’s very energetic and often climbs speakers. How do you feel about his progression as lead singer?

Will Farquarson: It’s quite amazing. I sometimes forget

that he used to be so shy. You’d have to give him a half spot of wine, sit down and have a talking to just to get him onto a stage. Now he’s boundless in his energy. I’m quite grateful. I’ve adopted the opposite approach – sultry, moody rock star cool. Which means when I’m hungover, I still can look exactly the same without doing anything. Dan has to jump and stay fit. I’m also amazed that he’s never out of breath! If I walk up a flight of stairs and try to have a conversation, I have to sit down and I can’t speak.