I Predict a Riot (Jade's Music Blog)

On the eve of their national tour, which kicks off in Manchester, Leeds five-piece the Kaiser Chiefs are getting ready to wow the crowds. But this time there are no stripy blazers or black eyeliner.
They have chosen a different look for their new album, Yours Truly, Angry Mob. Frontman Ricky Wilson and chief songwriter Nick Hodgson, both 29, are looking very un-rock `n’ roll in matching black buttoned up cardigans, with Ricky sporting red skinny jeans.
“I don’t get rock `n’ roll,�? Ricky says. “I don’t get all that smashing up the hotel rooms. The next morning, someone’s mum has to come and clean up afterwards. That’s not rock `n’ roll - rock `n’ roll would be buying her a holiday.�?

“Simon (Rix, their bass guitarist) told me about bands who’ve been banned from Travel Lodges. Rock `n’ roll would be staying somewhere nice,�? Nick chips in.
“This particular band flooded a bathroom - they left the duvet in the bath and left the water on. That is such a waste of water. There’s drought in some places in the country. We wouldn’t do anything like that.�?
Ricky admits that he enjoys one rock `n’ roll aspect of his job - the live performances: “The gigs make everything worthwhile. Any band who says otherwise is being stupid, because that’s what being a band is about.
“It’s about playing gigs and making records. It’s not about defining yourself by anything you do before or after you go on stage.�?
He adds: “Anyone can open their mouth and swallow a load of alcohol. It doesn’t take anything. Is that rock `n’ roll? Is it rock `n’ roll to go out in town and get drunk? Anybody can do that, but not anyone can do gigs.�?
This contradiction has carried through on their new album, Yours Truly, Angry Mob, which sees the indie-ness of Employment pushed aside for an angrier rock sound.
“The only two things we wanted to do differently with this album was to get rid of the things that were gimmicky and the things that people categorised as us,�? Ricky explains.
“All the stuff that people categorised as ours on the first album, we ditched, apart from the good songs,�? Nick adds with a smile.
As for their newfound anger, Ricky reveals it’s always been there.
“We’ve always been pissed off. It’s the best inspiration. The new album isn’t that different - it’s just an extension of a particular side that’s on the first album.�?
Their debut offering was so successful that it was voted one of the Top 30 best albums of all time. Despite this accolade, Nick reveals that they didn’t feel under pressure to produce its follow-up.
“You just get to start all over again. The only pressure we got from following up our album was excitement. We were just happy and confident and felt energised. We spent last year touring and were itching to get back into the studio,�? he says.
“We knew we had to do better, but we also knew we had this great amount of time to write the album, and we didn’t have to squeeze in writing an album amongst doing other things on a plane or on a tourbus. We were just left to get on with it.�?
The band - including Andrew `Whitey’ White, Simon Rix and Nick `Peanut’ Baines - formed in 1997 under the name Parva, and reinvented themselves as Kaiser Chiefs in 2002. Debut single Oh My God sold out within three days of release, but it was the second single, I Predict A Riot, which brought the group to worldwide acclaim, leading them to walk away with three Brit awards and two NME awards in 2006.
They are now one of Britain’s biggest bands, and their best-selling single has been covered by Lily Allen and Girls Aloud.
“And Karl Kennedy from Neighbours!�? Nick adds.
“The Girls Aloud version was embarrassing, they changed the lyrics,�? Ricky says. “I’d like Foo Fighters to cover our songs, that would be good. But we don’t want to cover any songs, we prefer to write our own songs.�?

And they remain stunned by their achievements to this day.
“We didn’t see ourselves being what we are today. I always thought we’d be a big indie band,�? Nick says.
“I thought it’d be good to be on Steve Lamacq, maybe a spot play on Jo Whiley and that’ll be it. Hopefully, that will sell out some venues. I thought we’d sell 2,000 tickets in every city and we’ll get on radio a bit and get on the charts a little.�?
Kaiser Chiefs have certainly achieved all that and a lot more. As praise builds up for their new single, Ruby, the band are embarking on a 12-date tour in six UK cities. They will also headline the annual Teenage Cancer Trust gig on Friday March 30 at the Royal Albert Hall - they strongly wanted to get involved.
“Roger Daltrey from The Who called me up, and it would have been pretty difficult to say no after that,�? Nick says.
“It’s important for us to do it. We’ve played for the Teenage Cancer Trust before, and we’ve met the kids who have cancer. It made a big impact on us.�?
Ricky interrupts: “There’s so many people putting so much effort into it, that if we had said no, we’d be dead meat. The only reason we would have said no is because we can’t be bothered. And that’s just mean, and we’re not mean. I mean, if we had said no, we’d be bastards.�?
“Sometimes people go out of their way to be nasty, and it’s harder to be nasty than it is to be normal, and normal is nice. We’d have to have gone out of our way not to do it, that would have been more of a statement than to do it,�? Nick adds.
“When we do a gig, everything is focused on that. But I do want people to buy our new album because we’ve made a great album - and I don’t want it to be devalued. People should leave us a 20% tip, too. I don’t want the money, I just don’t want the album to be devalued!�?
Wednesday February 21 and Thursday February 22 - Manchester Apollo
Their new album, Yours Truly, Angry Mob, is out on Monday February 26.