Kasabian: "The album feels so joyful, almost like we’ve come out of black and white into colour"

Happenings, the new album from Kasabian, possesses a glut of genres, including garage, Balearic beat, desert rock, psychedelia and Italo disco. Paradoxically, however, the expansive record also clicks in at one minute shorter than The Ramones’ debut.

“You’ve got to have your goals before you start,” notes frontman Serge Pizzorno. “The Ramones and the ethos of the punk era, just getting in and getting out, was definitely a guideline that I kept for the whole process.”

Indeed, Happenings comes complete with boss artwork reminiscent of ’80s punk zines. The title itself, meanwhile, harks back to ’50s artists such as Allan Kaprow and Claes Oldenburg, who emerged from the theatrical elements of Dada and surrealism.

“It’s a combination of the old Oz counterculture magazine of the ’60s and punk zines, with ’80s cartoons mashed in,” Serge agrees. “The album feels so joyful, almost like we’ve come out of black and white into colour. In the live shows, we’ve sort of adopted it all. The aesthetic just feels perfect for the record, it’s empowering man. I appreciate you picking up on the that idea of the Happenings.

“I’ve always loved the idea of taking art out of the gallery and into the world. The concept of pockets of happenings, little things occurring in the street. It removes the gatekeepers where art is locked away in buildings, and sets it free in the world. I feel having that name on the album, we can use it and do our own little things. We’ve got some plans where our gigs kind of become Kasabian happenings.”

There’s an argument that the mammoth use of mixed media at headline shows offers a fine opportunity for such activities.

“You’re so right,” Serge nods. “For me, the rave scene was all that. Kids going, ‘We’re going to find a bit of land, get a big circus tent and find a PA from somewhere.’ You would find out literally three or four days before the event where it was going to be. The live show has always been the lifeblood of music. Obviously, you write at home and it’s very insular.

“Then you give it to the world and everyone experiences it together – that’s what makes music so amazing and profound. It is essential that there are places we can all meet together, even if it’s just for that night. It’s primal and it’s kind of where we came from.”

I wonder about the Leicester rave scene when Serge was coming up.

“For me, ground zero for music was the early rave scene,” he explains. “I was too young to go to raves, but I just connected with the music and the tribal, underground nature of it all. You could only find these records in one store. Those places were frightening man, because we were kids and it was a drug scene. The beats were heavy and you had to pluck up the courage to get in there and take flyers and stuff. So that was kind of the start.

“Then, I was the prime age for Britpop. For a year, Britain was the centre of the culture, really. That definitely had a big impact in terms of belief. For a lot of kids who were looking for direction, it gave them the attitude that anything was possible. Those two things had a huge impact. Also, getting into guitar music opened the door to the psychedelic scene, which I’ve always felt the most kinship with.”

The first three tracks on Happenings cover a lot of stylistic terrain: ‘Darkest Lullaby’ is Larry Levane-style garage-disco; ‘Call’ is hip-hop, Balearic beat and Basement Jaxx-singed; and ‘How Far Will You Go’ recalls the desert-rock of Kyuss. How did you begin to write this record?

“You always kind of hold your breath when someone starts to say, ‘This is what I heard’,” Serge laughs. “So I’m really pleased that you nailed it! The process of me writing has been exactly the same since the first record. I’ve written all these songs with Kasabian using the same process – wake up, either have a stamp-on or a loop, or a traditional guitar, whatever. Then I’ll just hone in on it and things will start to stick.

“I lock myself away and and find things that interest me. A lot of it is curiosity, really. I’m going, ‘I wonder what this sounds like’, and then if I’m feeling it, it makes the record. But I definitely get bored quickly. So, those three songs you picked up on, they do span a wide range. But essentially, we’re a rock guitar band that just bends the genre a little.”

Similarly, how do they plan the production?

“My background with production has always been very much how you’d make a hip-hop record,” Serge explains. “Even if it’s a traditional guitar song, once I’ve got the bass down, then I’ll cut it into loops. I think that’s what always set us apart, especially starting off – I produced the records as if it was Cypress Hill or DJ Shadow.”

To my ears, much of Happenings brings to mind the production of Jason Pierce.

“Definitely, he’s a pioneer,” says Serge. “I remember not necessarily being into those records, but knowing they weren’t made by just heading into a rehearsal room. The people I liked were the ones pioneering and experimenting. It’s weird, when I was making music like that, no one really was. But now it seems that’s the way everyone makes music, it’s wild.”

July sees Kasabian play one whopper of a show in their hometown of Leicester. I wonder have they played any of the new tracks live yet?

“We played our first show with the new songs in Denmark,” Serge explains. “We were playing with Lauryn Hill, which was mad, because obviously we went on before her, and most people there had no idea who we were. What was great was the new songs were getting treated the same as the old classics, because the audience weren’t familiar with the old classics. Weirdly, ‘Call’ got the biggest response, which is fucking great – that’s a testament to that tune. They just slotted in perfectly.

“For the Leicester show, it’s going to be amazing, I can’t wait. Obviously, the football team got promoted, which adds a little bit of energy and drama. Going back where we started with that rave scene – we are putting on a night for the city we grew up in, the city we love.

“It’s for the people in the city to have an event that will remain with them forever – that’s the most perfect thing you could ask for as an artist. We’ve just packed this gig full of stuff. I mean, it’s exhausting man. I don’t know how we’re going to make it through!”

For good measure, Kasbian are also supporting the mighty Liam Gallagher in Belfast.

“Yes!” nods Serge exclaims. “He’s doing the Definitely Maybe tour – selfishly, I just want to go to that gig, I can’t wait to see it live! We played a gig in Belfast, at The Telegraph Building. Honestly, you could still smell the concrete, I don’t know how long it had been open. It was a wild venue; it felt like an underground Berlin club.

“Man, the atmosphere was just electric. There are certain gigs that burn into your memory, and that one was unbelievable. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like with Liam. They’re in for a real treat, that crowd.”

• Happenings is out now. Kasabian play with Liam Gallagher at Boucher Road Playing Fields, Belfast on Friday, August 16.