I interviewed Nick Hodgson from the Kaiser Chiefs a few weeks ago and he recounted a very amusing meeting with Liam and Gem at Top of the Pops. It's towards the end of the article.

Kaisers take on the world

Leeds band the Kaiser Chiefs, arguably the
most successful group the city has ever produced, are set to play to a global audience in the American Live8 concert.
Grant Woodward reports on their remarkable rise


A COUPLE of years back they were struggling in a doomed band called Parva, and 12 months ago they didn't even have a record deal.

But one night last week, 20 million Americans watched Leeds lads Nick Hodgson, Ricky Wilson, Simon Rix, Andrew White and Nick Baines belt out a hit from their huge selling album on national television.

The five friends - most of whom have known each other since school - have entered a weird parallel universe in the last few months.

It's one in which they hang out with Blur star Damon Albarn, win praise from Sir Paul McCartney and discuss the perfect dunking time for rich tea biscuits with Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher.

But the bizarrest is still to come.

In a week's time, the Kaiser Chiefs will take the stage for the American leg of the Live8 concerts.

Alongside them on the bill will be veteran rockers Bon Jovi, Motown legend Stevie Wonder and gangster rap phenomenon 50 Cent.

One might expect to find someone who mingles in such company swigging from a bottle of champagne or indulging in other rock 'n' roll behaviour.

Instead, Nick Hodgson is padding round his top floor Headingley flat seeing to some domestic chores.

Home

"I've just put a wash on and I'm unrolling some socks," he announces proudly.

"It's nice to be home. I got back late last night after our American tour and worked out it was the longest I'd ever been away from Leeds."

And how long was it?

"Erm, actually it was only about 3 weeks. It just felt like a long time."

Dealing with the laundry is probably a welcome dose of normality for Hodgson after the whirlwind few months he and his bandmates have just experienced.

Their debut album Employment was released in March to widespread critical acclaim which quickly translated into healthy record sales.

Their second proper single Oh My God peaked at number six and latest release Everyday I Love You Less and Less also hit the top ten.

Meanwhile, Employment is still hovering around the upper reaches of the album charts with 500,000 copies already having been shipped out to record stores.

"We always thought we'd sell millions of records," says Hodgson, who originally hails from Cookridge.

"We talked a lot of rubbish when we were kids about how big we were going to be, it's a good way of motivating yourself. But when you actually do it, it's weird.

"We were playing in Los Angeles last week and before we went on the crowd were just screaming and going crazy.

There were 1,500 people there and I said, 'It's not Leeds this, this is Los Angeles'.

"It was brilliant. Amazing."

Life hasn't always been so rosy.

Hodgson, who drums and co-writes the songs, was classmates with keyboard player Nick 'Peanut' Baines, from Horsforth, and bassist Simon Rix, from Guiseley, at St Mary's School in Menston.

He then met the band's singer and other songwriter, Ricky Wilson, who is from Ilkley, plus guitarist Andrew White, from Garforth, at various Leeds indie nights.

In 1997, they clubbed together to form ill-fated outfit Runston Parva, later to become plain Parva.

Despite being tipped for success, the group's two singles flopped and they were dropped by their record label.

However, instead of throwing in the towel, they reinvented themselves.

"We were a bit confused back then," reckons the drummer now. "We didn't really know what we were. We just thought you got signed and got famous.

"The difference is we just decided to write really good songs. We're honest with ourselves now and if it's not finished we make it better or get rid of it."

The group spent six months writing the classic pop songs of Employment and re-emerged as the Kaiser Chiefs, the name taken from the South African football team Lucas Radebe played for before he joined the band's beloved Leeds United.

Their first single, an earlier version of Oh My God, reached number 66 in May last year and won them a new record deal.

Second single I Predict A Riot went in at number 22 and they haven't looked back since.

I Predict A Riot should become their third top ten hit in a row when it is re-released in August and there are enough outstanding songs on the record for them to chalk up a couple more before moving on to that "difficult" second album.

As with many bands who become enormously popular in a short space of time, the Kaiser Chiefs don't have time to take it all in.

"We played the Tonight with Jay Leno show in America the other week and because it's recorded, me and Simon were watching it in our hotel room," says Hodgson.

"Most bands would have had a drink and celebrated but we were both in bed because we were so knackered. Most of the band didn't even watch it.

"The last six months have gone so quickly. I can't believe we're getting towards the end of June.

"We got our schedule in December with all the tours and everything mapped out and it looked absolutely terrifying. Now we've done most of it."

Along the way they have heard Paul McCartney say they are one of his favourite new groups and become pally with Blur, a band they are often compared to.

Drinking

That's former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon's motorbike you can hear revving at the start of the Employment track Saturday Night, whilst frontman Damon Albarn has joined the band on stage and been out drinking with them.

One of their strangest encounters, though, has been with Oasis star Liam Gallagher who has labelled them rubbish ever since seeing Nick Hodgson mimic him on television.

"I was introducing their new video and said it was rubbish while doing my best Liam impression," says the drummer sheepishly.

"When we met Oasis, Liam told us he was having a cup of tea at the time and dunking his rich tea biscuit in it.

"He said when he saw me he was so livid he left his biscuit in for too long and that upset him even more.

"He was absolutely ace when we met him though and he likes the fact we're from Leeds.

"When I made a joke he didn't respond at all. He just nudged his bandmate Gem and said: 'Leeds', as if it was some sort of explanation!"

Casting his mind forward to July 2 and his band's appearance at Live8 in Philadelphia, Hodgson is suitably unruffled.

"It's an odd one that," he admits. "It's fantastic to be asked to do it but I don't know how we'll go down.

"We'll probably just try to enjoy ourselves and do the best we can."

It's worked just fine for them so far.