Guest column: Calvin Draper-Wright on Kasabian - the new Oasis?

Kasabian, the four-piece indie band from Leicester, broke onto the UK music scene in style in 2004 with their self-titled debut album. Described by guitarist Serge Pizzorno as a "big, psychedelic mash-up", the album went on to gain critical acclaim and a top 5 chart position. Tracks from Kasabian have since been featured in a variety of formats, including 'Reason Is Treason' appearing on Gran Turismo 4, and the anthemic 'Club Foot' featuring in the 2006 film The Guardian. The track 'L.S.F' (Lost Souls Forever) was also remixed and included on Mark Ronson's massive 2007 album Version. Things only got better when the band released their second album in 2006, Empire. The album was a slight change in direction musically, with the first two singles 'Empire' and 'Shoot The Runner' carrying an empowering, military sound. Empire became Kasabian's first number 1 album in the UK, and sold over half a million copies. During this period the band also played a number of high-profile festivals including the Isle of Wight festival, Glastonbury, Live Earth and were the headliners of Scotland's T in the Park. Two and a half years after the release of 'Empire', Kasabian returned earlier this year with the release of their third album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, which became their second number one album and earned them a nomination for the 2009 Mercury Prize. After the release of the singles 'Fire' and the beautiful 'Where Did All the Love Go?", Kasabian are preparing to release their new single 'Underdog' in October, which is undoubtedly one of their best. With an impressive back catalogue and surely many more albums to come, Kasabian are firmly placing themselves at the top of the UK's indie-rock genre, and have impressively managed to straddle the line between commercial success and creative genius. Inspired and praised by the now defunct Oasis, Kasabian have every chance of becoming the UK's favourite rockers.