We were lucky to get a mid-afternoon catch up with a sleepy Serge Pizzorno the day after their cracking first Melbourne show of the Australian tour. He chatted with us about finally being back in the country and his new(ish) role as front man of alt-rockers, Kasabian.
How was Melbourne last night?
It was amazing. It was so…like, it was just a wicked, wonderful night. God, it was amazing, it was really sort of joyous…just a great show. We were all really, really buzzing, I think.
That’s great. The Forum’s an amazing venue as well.
Yeah, it kind of feels like you’re outside because you see them so high, it’s really crazy. It’s great.
We’re very delighted to have you back in Australia. It’s been a long time.
It’s been way too long. It’s been way too long, but I think we’re going to make amends. You know, this will be the first of many coming back now. Last night’s show was so good. I feel good in Australia. The streets are great. People are really nice. So, yeah, we’ll definitely not be taking that long of a break next time, promise.
There’s obviously been a significant change with the band since we last saw you. How are you going with the front man duties?
Yeah, good. I feel like…yeah, I’m really enjoying it. We’re sort of two records in now. I feel like I’ve got time to get the hang of it, but, you know, I learn every night. Every show is like another way of learning something new about it, and, you know, I love that. Yeah, and it’s great to sing songs that I wrote all those years ago. It’s kind of nice in terms of just pursuing them and giving them a new lease of life.
I was wondering if now that you’re in that role, if it’s given you a new perspective of some of your old songs?
Yeah, definitely. I mean, I’ve always thought about the old songs when approaching the live aspect and thinking then, like, I always imagine them to be looked at through the lens of the album that we’re in. So, obviously, we’re at Happenings and so it’s like we’ve made the old, you know, we kind of approach the old songs as if we were recording them now on the new record, so it kind of gives it a sort of thread.
It connects the old and the new, keeps it interesting for us and the fans. It kind of helps with when you’ve been playing songs for a long time…so it helps when you’re sort of fleshing them out. I like the idea of them being approached with that in mind, like how we would make them now, you know, through this way of making an album.
It keeps it all nice and fresh. What’s great about them is because they’re sort of, they’re real, there’s a sort of new community and sort of communal vibe about a lot of these songs, which, you know, I feel like now more than ever, like the world’s so crazy, and it’s so nice to play these tunes and just get a reaction like we did last night on a Tuesday night in Melbourne. It felt like a Saturday and everyone was just going to go out straight after and stay out all night and just have an amazing night.
So there’s something really powerful about that and I kind of really respect that. I think, you know, it’s super important now, now more than ever, of all the years we’ve been playing music I feel the duty of having a place where we can all meet and, you know, be together and sing and shout and jump and lose ourselves, whatever and put the phones down and be together.
I think it’s so vital, you know?
Yes, for sure. I think that one of the lessons of COVID for me as a fan of music was how much we missed that community in a room with musicians. One of the things, as a Kasabian fan particularly, that I’ve always enjoyed is the real sense of being in there with a bunch of mates, even if you didn’t know each other, and just having an absolutely sort of uproariously good time. It’s good that you feel that way as well.
Yeah, absolutely. Definitely.
You’ve done a lot of shows over the years, of course, but do you still get any sort of nerves or anything before you perform, or do you have any sort of routines or rituals that you do before you start?
Yeah, I suppose we do maybe sort of half 30 minutes before the show, things start to liven up, you know. I always like to put on music. Music’s quite an integral part, just getting pumped. The funny thing is, there can be none, and then there can be like crazy, crazy nerves, you know. So I don’t know, I just sort of tend to just…yeah, I mean, I don’t really feel nerves as such. It’s more the adrenaline rush that you have to sort of keep your eye on.
If that kicks in too early, you can sort of pace in the room, you know, and keep a good handle on it. Maybe a shot of rum for a few of us, and then just hit them with full throttle rock and roll, you know, that’s it really.
Sounds all right to me. What’s next for Kasabian after the tour?
What’s next? We’ve got some big shows in the UK, and I’m recording, I’m always recording, so it’s not like I’m starting a new record, I’m just always making music. So, you know, we’re back in the studio, you know, getting the tunes together, preparing for a massive year next year and the year after, and then, back to Australia as soon as we can. We’re only one gig in, but it’s just a good time.
So, yeah, we won’t be long.
Lovely. We’ve definitely missed you. I’m going to be there on Sunday night in Sydney, so I can’t wait to see you all again.
Oh, awesome. Thank you. That’s amazing. That’s so sweet. Brilliant. Thank you so much. I think you will have a good time. We’re in a lovely spot, you know, we’re still fine. Everyone’s fine. So, yeah, can’t wait to see you!
Don’t miss your chance to catch Serge and Kasabian on tour this week. Grab your tickets here.
MELBOURNE: Wed 12 March – The Forum – SOLD OUT
SYDNEY: Sat 15 March – Enmore Theatre – SOLD OUT
SYDNEY: Sun 16 March – Enmore Theatre – limited tickets still available
BRISBANE: Tues 18 March – Fortitude Music Hall – selling fast
Header image credit: Pete Dovgan
