Popular culture: too often these days it’s used to describe tabloid tittle-tattle or the abject TV you find when you stray too far beyond the favourites on your Sky remote. But not so long ago, it stood for something else - a rejection of elitism for an experience everyone could appreciate.

In the past, pop music has ushered in the age of the teenager (Elvis), encouraged experimentation with drugs and Eastern philosophy (Beatles/Stones) and given a voice to those outside the parameters of what society considers ‘normal’ (everyone from Vince Taylor to Polly Styrene to Beth Ditto). Even the disruption of Simon Cowell’s pop production line by X Factor twins John and Edward is, in a weird way, proof of pop’s ability to upset the applecart.

As pop prophet Mick Farren once said of those intent on maintaining the status quo: “You are frightened of everything. You call it caution. You call it common sense. You call it practicality. You call it playing the odds, but that’s only because you’re afraid to to call it by its real name, and its real name is fear. “

All of which makes Kasabian’s infiltration of the mainstream all the sweeter. Hearing the band perform live from Serge’s place on Radio One or appear on Jonathan Ross is a reminder of days when rock’n’roll could threaten the established order, even if only for three and a half minutes. Long may it continue. In the meantime, here’s our latest update from Serge, down the wire from Germany.

Keep decoding the secret alphabets. There’s hope for everyone.

Elliot Palm
Consulant Narcologist
WRPLA



How was it when Radio One turned up at your house as part of Jo Whiley’s show?

Serge: The whole day was pretty strange. In my mind I pictured about three people knocking on the door, but an entire squadron of technicians turned up. There were cables everywhere and people running around wearing headphones. It felt like I was in the field in one of those old Vietnam films, where they call in a bombing raid. It was mental, but I really enjoyed it The performance was fantastic, we played really well.

How did the Gwen Stefani cover come about?

Serge: I hate ironic covers, they do my head in, so I wanted to do something we liked but that would make people sit up and listen. Amy my girlfriend suggested ‘The Sweet Escape’. We made the verse sound like The Animals, and the chorus like old school pop. We played a bit of Blackalicious at the end. I slipped that in, under the radar. If can get them on the radio and people check their music out afterwards, it’s job done.

You mentioned the fact you’ve got an old jukebox in your front room…

Serge: Yeah, it’s a beautiful thing. I want to get some more. I’m going to start collecting them. It came fully stocked with old 7”s. I’ve got some records of my own that I’d like to put on there, but in a funny way, I quite enjoy the fact it’s got
a bizarre mix of music. There are some good tunes on it, but it also spits out some really strange tunes you’d never consider buying in a million years. It can throw some real toffee apples at you. But they can sound pretty amazing when you’re off your head at six o’clock in the morning!

How was the gig in Dublin as part of Guinness’ 250th birthday celebartions?

Serge: It was called Arthur’s Day in honour of the company’s founder Arthur Guinness, and there were lost of strange collaborations and gigs going on all over Dublin. The whole day was pretty odd. Tom Jones supported us, which was the strangest thing imaginable.

We got to play in this pub, and the people there didn’t know we were going to play -the gig was pandemonium. It was like going right back down to the roots of where we started. It was totally mobbed. There were people trying to pull our shirts off, people screaming, the works. It was electric. We did forty minutes minutes of high intensity rock’n’roll. I’m really glad we did it. I mean, how could we not?

You were on Jonathan Ross the other week –any enjoyable memories?

Serge: You have to hang around for hours, but it was a good day though, to be fair. It’s funny sitting in the room upstairs at the start. It’s tiny. There’s a little television in there but that’s about it. It’s like a shoebox. That’s TV though. Jonathan is a sound chap. He’s a cheeky man, but he’s funny. And he buzzes off us, he gets the zone we’re in.

It was great performance…

Serge: I think it was a much needed injection of excitement into mainstream TV. When you’re on the box you want to make the most of it and I think we did. ‘Underdog’ is sounding great live now, and we did it justice. I want to wake people up, get them out of their chairs and be wowed and amazed. I want them to see that we fucking mean it, that we’re the real deal. We meant every note.


NEXT WEEK: Playing Europe, hanging out at the Q Awards, and what it felt like taking over the NME for a week.