Kaiser Chiefs: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Arctic Monkeys
• The Fratellis
• Kasabian
• The Departure
• Jonny Lives!
• The Futureheads
• Hard-Fi

• Blur
• The Clash
• Madness
• Roxy Music
• Supergrass
• Dexys Midnight Runners
• The Jam

• Talk Taxis

Formed:

Jan 1, 2003 in Leeds, England

Genres:

Rock Music, Punk and Hardcore Rock Music

Decades Active:

2000's

When Tears for Fears sang, “Kick out the Style/Bring back the Jam," in “Sowing the Seeds of Love", one can imagine the lads in Kaiser Chiefs raising their mugs of ale in agreement. Comprised of vocalist Ricky Wilson, guitarist Andrew White, bassist Simon Rix, keyboardist Nick Baines, and drummer Nick Hodgson, Kaiser Chiefs resurrected the mod spirit of the Jam in “I Predict a Riot", supercharged class of '77 power pop that quickly electrified the British press when it was released in 2004. The song was inspired by Wilson's days as a club DJ in Leeds, England, where the group was also formed. The single and Kaiser Chiefs' pogoinducing, bootstomping live performances had them pegged as rising stars in the neonew wave revolution with Franz Ferdinand, Dogs Die in Hot Cars, and the Futureheads. When Kaiser Chiefs' first 7" “Oh My God" reached No. 66 on the U.K. charts a startling achievement for an unsigned band doors opened for the group to share the stage with larger acts, consequently grabbing the attention of AR scouts who wanted to sign the band. “I Predict a Riot", on the other hand, reeled in U.S. modernrock radio programmers caught in a blooming new wave revival. Without an American label deal, Kaiser Chiefs (named after the South African football team) crashlanded on some of the biggest U.S. alternative stations with the “I Predict a Riot" import single in late 2004. That same year they recorded their debut album Employment for the U.K. label BUnique.

- Michael Sutton, All Music Guide