Interview: Kasabian's Ian Matthews

By Jenna Bensoussan

Kasabian's sophomore album release in 2006, Empire, is an upbeat compilation of style and creativity. The band hails from Leicester, England and is known for its use of electronica-indie fused rock. This latest album is definitely not something you want to pass by.

“I’m proud of all the songs (on the latest album). All of them mean something to me in a different way,” says drummer Ian Matthews.

Depending on the day and the mood he’s in, Matthews' favorite song from the album changes. “This album has a lot of different emotions running through it and takes you on a little journey throughout the album. Some tunes are really banging club classics and others are real rock-and-roll. There are a few near the end of the album, like 'British Legion', that are more intimate, chilled-out type songs. I must admit, I do love 'Doberman'. 'Doberman' is fantastic because it shows a new face of Kasabian and we have this cheeky mariachi trumpet solo at the end of the song, so I’d say 'Doberman' is my favorite today."

Empire  was not a themed compilation. "We didn’t go into the studio with any sort of serious manifesto of how we were going to make the record. We just went in there as musicians to express ourselves and all we could do was blow life into those songs and just be ourselves. What you get is a complete kind of inspired accident the way things turned out. We weren’t afraid to turn away from any song. Either a song came back great or it didn’t. There’s a connection running through the songs because it is us playing them.

"We did it (Empire recording) over five weeks. We only worked Monday through Friday—we had weekends off. We made it really easy for ourselves. We had a fabulous producer. We had an absolutely fabulous studio set in rural Britain—it was a working farm. There was horses and cows outside… very, very chilled. A wonderful studio. Nothing was really hard it just...everything rolled. We weren’t rushing. We didn’t have to rush. We didn’t have budget constraints or anything like that. Nothing to worry about. We just made music together. It was a residential studio so we had a lodge. It was an absolutely fantastic experience," says Matthews.

In addition to releasing a new album this year, Kasabian also put together a quick remake of a David Bowie song 'Heroes' for the 2006 World Cup. "I actually fell over the day before playing squash before recording the theme song for the World Cup. I had to play the bass drum with my left foot and not my right foot, which was quite awkward, but it worked. It was quite fun. We did it all almost in a day. There might be a lot of Bowie fans that might not be too happy with what we did, but we had to keep it upbeat because it was for the ITV football—for people scoring goals and fans going wild, getting behind their country and everything. We did an upbeat version which is only like 20 seconds. It was fun. David Bowie gave his thumbs up which was even better."

Too much studio time is enough to drive any good musician batty. Matthews recognizes the difference between the two with an effective analogy. "It’s kinda like comparing the 'book to the film'. Being on stage you don’t know what is going to happen. You are like—what is going to happen tonight, how are we going to play tonight, anything can happen—there is a sort of chaos involved. Things are much more controlled in the studio."

Touring is a big part of getting any band's music heard, and one of the best things about being in a band. "Playing Glastonbury last year, because it is my local festival cause I’m from Bristol was the best experience. It’s a local festival that’s been running since the early 70s. I have been going to that festival since 1994 as a musician in some way or another on tiny stages, but to get on stage and play to 45,000 people going bonkers on one of the main stages was like for me—that was a moment for me," reflects Matthews.

Touring all over the country, as well as various locations all over the world, is another plus when promoting a new album. "Japan—Tokyo and Osaka—are completely mind blowing and the Japanese are completely mind blowing people. I remember being in Tokyo one day and then leaving for New York and both cities blew my mind—they are so different. I love New York. I love Chicago. I could spend hours walking through Chicago and looking out over the lake. I love traveling through America, seeing how people change. The cultures change from coast to coast. It’s incredible," exclaims Matthews.

What has Ian learned about music and the industry so far? "It’s been a massive journey. In a way I feel like I am in a little rubber dingy in the middle of the ocean trying to fight off sharks. You gotta keep your eye out, you’ve got to be careful how you tread and who you talk to, but it’s an amazing industry… it’s very, very rewarding, especially if you are prepared to work hard. There is no such thing as a free lunch and people out there who look at people like us doing our job – we have to work – it’s not easy…it’s not easy at all. You have to constantly apply yourself."

Outside of the music realm, Ian Matthews has another goal in life. "I need to sort out myself a free-falling parachute session from 75,000 no 30,000 feet – you know, proper free-fall parachute. You know you’re alive when you’re nearly dead."

Most likely you will catch him jumping from a perfectly good airplane to the tune of 'Here Comes the Sun' by the Beatles because "it’s a beautiful, uplifting and fantastic English song and if it was going to be the last song I was going to hear in my life… I just love that song. I love the aesthetics of that song."

Well—hopefully it won't be the last song he ever hears. Better make sure you check that parachute Ian! For more information about Kasabian, or to check on their upcoming touring schedule, please visit the band's official site.