Kaiser Chiefs are a British post punk/art rock band from Leeds, formed early in 2003. The band's explosion onto the global music scene in early 2005 was epitomised when they opened the Philadelphia Live 8 concert.
The band consists of vocalist Ricky Wilson, guitarist Andrew White, bassist Simon Rix, keyboardist Nick 'Peanut' Baines, and drummer Nick Hodgson.
Prior to 2003 the members of the band had been a garage rock band called Parva (before that having been known as Runston Parva). However, after being dropped by their label, the band made a conscious decision to adopt a more typical britpop sound, helping the band reach their current popularity within the UK and beyond as a consequence.
On 18 February 2005 they were the opening act at the NME Awards show and won the Philip Hall Radar Award.
The band re-released the single 'Oh My God' on 21st February, which charted at #6. The debut album Employment was released on 7th March 2005 and entered the charts at #3 that week. Despite becoming favourite after being shortlisted, the album failed to win for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize.
Performances
Kaiser Chiefs were the opening act at the Philadelphia Live 8 concert on 2 July 2005, one of only two British acts in the lineup (Def Leppard being the other). They performed I Predict A Riot, Everyday I Love You Less And Less and Oh My God. June 2005 saw them headline at the May Ball at Queens' College, Cambridge, before August's appearance at the V Festival where, despite lead singer Ricky Wilson having his right leg in plaster, the band performed an epic set.
Influences
Influences include:
* Beach Boys,
* Super Furry Animals,
* The Kinks,
* XTC,
* Beta Band,
* Blur,
* Supergrass,
* 10CC,
* Small Faces,
* Dexy's Midnight Runners, and
* Madness.
Several members of the band are ardent fans of the English football team Leeds United. They are named after the South African Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, the former team of long-serving Leeds captain Lucas Radebe.
Discography
Albums
* Employment (2005) #3 UK, #86 US
Worldwide Sales: Employment: estimated 7.5 million
Singles
From Employment:
* "Oh My God" (2004), #66 UK
* "I Predict a Riot" (2004), #22 UK
* "Oh My God" (re-release) (2005), #6 UK
* "Every Day I Love You Less and Less" (2005), #10 UK
* The Cribs/Kaiser Chiefs split "7 (features "Modern Way") (2005)
* "I Predict a Riot" (re-release)/"Sink That Ship" (2005) #9 UK
|
