Tom Meighan interview: I bought Serge’s record. He’s still got to sign it for me
Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan speaks to Sky News about ET, snacks and social media - and the band’s plans for after lockdown.
Gemma Peplow - Saturday 20 June 2020
Tom Meighan is in his mum and dad’s garden, pointing out his DIY lockdown hair cut to his phone camera on a video call.
“Do you like my hair? It’s very short, isn’t it? I tried to cut my hair off with scissors but it went wrong… so my missus shaved it off, bless her. I hope it looks all right.”
Although he’s missing his Kasabian bandmates “like mad”, the band’s lead singer, a man known for his boundless energy and mile-a-minute chatter, is finding the quiet life at home surprisingly enjoyable.
“My lockdown’s been pretty amazing, actually. I’ve been planting seeds and stuff in the garden. It’s kind of like going back to old times, isn’t it? And ET was a botanist, and you know how much I love ET.”
Meighan really loves ET. After finding out it was up for sale, he has been the proud owner of the actual bike used to fly in the 1980s classic film for several years. Get him on to the subject of ET and he’ll talk for hours.
But we’re here to talk about Kasabian instead.
This Saturday, Meighan and his bandmates should have been returning to Leicester’s Victoria Park to play a huge gig in their home city - with the bonus of being able to sleep in their own beds afterwards.
While coronavirus has put paid to their plans, Meighan has found another way to hold court; instead, he will be taking part in an online Q&A session with fans.
You can ask him anything, he says. Well, pretty much anything.
“I think it’s nice to be speaking to people online, because I’m not doing the gig. For me it’s a boost, a bit of morale. I think it’s going to be hilarious. I can’t tell too much can I, gotta keep my mouth shut on some things. You know, no naughty tales from the bootcamp. But I’m buzzing for it, it’ll be great. And what a day to do it as well.”
Kasabian were “absolutely brokenhearted” when they had to call the gig off, he says, but he thinks it was meant to be.
“I believe things happen for a reason. So I’d imagine we’ll be back next year to play Vicky Park when the restrictions are all gone. But I can’t imagine any rock'n'roll music being played till at least next summer.
"It’s a bit of a kicking but we’ll be back, it’ll be stronger. There’s people who have cancelled weddings, lots of things. It’s just one of those things and unfortunately, coronavirus, what’s happened to the world is very serious.
"I can’t wait to go back out there and play rock'n'roll music again. But you’ve got to be so careful. And it’s not media hype or anything, this disease is real.”
Apart from tales of his lockdown, what other questions does he think fans will ask? It’s often stories from backstage, he says. “Or they might ask me what my favourite pants are, or my favourite crisps. And I like that.”
Like ET, favourite crisps - favourite snacks in general - is a subject Meighan can get on board with. For five minutes, he wants to discuss.
“I’m going to be naughty here: Seabrook’s,” he says, picking his crisp of choice; the “naughty” referring to the fact that, as a Leicester man, he should be picking Walkers, which are made in the city.
“They were around in the ‘80s and I used to have them in the British Legion when I was a kid. They’re filthy crisps, if that makes any sense.
"And do you know what I’ve really taken a fancy for at the moment? I’ve got back into Wotsits. I kinda left them behind for a bit and now I’ve recaptured it. But the beefy ones, I think the steak flavour, they’re unbelievable. My daughter loves them.”
Then, a curveball: “Here’s one for you - do you like crabsticks?” Umm… “Fake fish, that’s why I like them. And what about Peperami? And what are you saying about chocolate? Don’t say Galaxy…”
To put it on record, Meighan used to like Creme Eggs, before they changed the recipe. “Now, I like just a whole bar of Dairy Milk. A big one. And Starbars.”
But back to Kasabian. One of the biggest bands to have come out of the UK this side of 2000, sitting up there alongside the likes of Coldplay, Muse, Arctic Monkeys and few others, the band was formed by Meighan, songwriter Serge Pizzorno, Chris Edwards and Chris Karloff (who left the band during the recording of second album Empire) while they were still at school in the 1990s.
They rose to fame with the release of their self-titled debut album in 2004 and are now six albums in (five of them number ones) after more than 20 years together.
“We need a seventh baby,” Meighan says. “We’re going to try and make a new record as soon as we can but we can’t really do anything while we’re restricted. Serge has been writing songs for Kasabian so it’s all good.”
During the band’s first proper extended break last year, Pizzorno released his first solo album as The SLP - his initials; his full name is Sergio Lorenzo Pizzorno - which Meighan, his best mate as well as his bandmate, describes as “f***ing amazing”.
“I’m always proud of him. I love him dearly and I miss him, I miss the boys, I miss the camaraderie and all of it. But yeah, I’m proud of him. He’s so clever, Serge. So clever.
"And I bought his record. He’s still got to sign it for me.”
Meighan says he has also been writing his own solo songs.
“I’m writing loads of music at the minute. We’ll see what happens. I’ve got a few cookies in the jar… they aint bad, you know. It’s very autobiographical, like the story of my life. It’s kind of… heartbreaking. Well, not heartbreaking, just to the core, you know. Very real.
"And you know, when Sergio did his thing last year, everyone was like, 'how do you feel about it?’ I love it. Why wouldn’t I? And his music was incredible…
"He’s doing his thing, I’m doing mine but Kasabian are still solid. You know, it’s just a bad time at the moment, for rock 'n’ roll. For human beings in general.”
Meighan says he has been writing his own material for years.
“I’m logging my life, like a diary. And I was like, these songs aint bad, really. I think they’re all right. We’ll see what happens.”
In the meantime, Kasabian are doing their bit in lockdown. Pizzorno recorded a special performance and donated his guitar to the Leicester Hospitals Charity, while Meighan recorded his own video of acoustic covers as a thank you to the NHS.
“My mum’s a nurse,” he says. “I thought it would be a nice thing to do… for workers, the people who put their lives at risk. I’m so grateful to [those] people.”
And not just healthcare workers, he says. “It’s taxi drivers, people working in shops. People doing everyday things who can be forgotten about.
"But it’s good how people are bonding and helping each other. I think this has given humanity a lesson, in my opinion. I’m not trying to be Mother Earth, peace man, but I think it’s a lesson learned.
"You take things for granted and it’s taken from you” - he snaps his fingers - “like that.”
Meighan continues: “It’s all now, now, now, isn’t it? There’s no patience. And it just seems everyone’s addicted to their phones. It’s the new addiction, isn’t it? Mobiles. Social media. Can you cure it? Can you treat it?
"I don’t know because we’re so consumed with our own sh*t. So bothered about what he’s doing or what she’s doing or what’s going on. I’m not trying to be a preacher or anything but we’ve forgotten about what’s real.”
The singer has his own public Facebook page, but doesn’t run it.
“I’m not allowed!” he laughs. “I think it’s important someone else does it for me. 'Cus if I ran it… well, I’m more intelligent than you’d think, actually, to be honest. But I think it’s probably a bad idea.”
So no personal Facebook posts, but he will answer your questions, live on Saturday.
“Within reason, you know. I’ll be as honest as I can get.
"Our supporters, our fans, you know, our army, our religion - which I do call it that. I think it’s great, I think they’re going to enjoy it. I’m going to enjoy it.”
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