Music

Kasabian’s Serge Pizzorno on new hair and new start with his S.L.P. solo album


SERGE PIZZORNO didn’t want to make another Kasabian record without first searching for new inspiration.

After 15 years of hits, the creative leader of the Leicester band that formed in 1997 decided to do something different.

 Pizzorno previously had no urge to make a record on his own and says its creation came as a surprise to him after 'playing around in the studio'

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Pizzorno previously had no urge to make a record on his own and says its creation came as a surprise to him after ‘playing around in the studio’

And so arrives The S.L.P., Pizzorno’s debut solo album under the guise of his initials S.L.P. (Sergio Lorenzo Pizzorno).

He says: “I just need to go and find some new treasures, go down the rabbit hole and see what I came back up with.

“The S.L.P. and Kasabian are two very different things. Two different sports that you would never combine.”

Pizzorno previously had no urge to make a record on his own and says its creation came as a surprise to him after “playing around in the studio”.

He says: “It was made for the right reasons and not to be commercial, just to see what could happen. There was definitely a childish reconnection of messing about and not having to consider playing it to 80,000 people.

“I’m not even using my name on the record and so probably in six months, people will go, ‘Did you make this record?’”

Kasabian fans needn’t worry that this solo project might mark the end of the band.

Pizzorno says: “I am in my band and I love my band. The best way to describe it is, it’s like another planet I can now visit whenever I want. It’s this planet that orbits and I can go there for a bit.”

‘NEW HAIR’

When Kasabian decided to take a break after touring 2017’s For Crying Out Loud, Pizzorno found himself in his studio with tracks and thought it was “very much now or never”.

He says: “When you get to six albums, you’ve got to keep it clever and make it interesting.

Kasabian have had six albums — five No1 albums in a row. We’ve headlined Glastonbury, Leicester Stadium, The O2 and got really big in Europe, Eastern Europe and South America.

 With new short hair and leopard spots dyed into the back, Serge says: 'It’s new hair as I felt it was symbolic of a new start'

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With new short hair and leopard spots dyed into the back, Serge says: ‘It’s new hair as I felt it was symbolic of a new start’Credit: Neil Bedford

“Things rocketed after that last album and we needed time off. There is nothing better than being in a band but there are times, like when we are sat in airports, when it feels like hard work.”

I meet the 38-year-old at his publicist’s office in North London. He has just got the train down from Leicester. Tall and skinny, with new short hair and leopard spots dyed into the back, he says: “It’s new hair as I felt it was symbolic of a new start.”

Pizzorno has always enjoyed pushing the boundaries with Kasabian and no two albums have been the same.

He says: “This was a really quick record to make. I’ve always embraced just going with the beat or melody and seeing where it takes me.

“There’s an energy you create as a writer. With The S.L.P., I’ve been able to go even further. Some things aren’t right for Kasabian but work for this as it’s so different.” It was recorded and produced at his home studio, The Sergery, in Leicestershire. The S.L.P. shows off his love of film soundtracks, dance music and hip-hop.

Pizzorno says: “I’ve always liked film scores, the Balearic thing and really evil, dirty basslines and I’ve tried to channel those.

 As Kasabian fans will recognise Serge — and they shouldn't worry about the band ending

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As Kasabian fans will recognise Serge — and they shouldn’t worry about the band endingCredit: Tom Farmer – The Sun Glasgow

“I’d put a lot of my old synths and instruments into storage and worked on my little Casio keyboard, a couple of little drum machines and would just nick sounds from film and TV.

“There’s a lot of samples on the record but nothing specific, more like digital noises and sounds that I’ve collected over the years.

“If I didn’t have my hard drive, I don’t think I’d necessarily have an album — it was a good chance to dip into them. I like making collages and putting all the sounds together with the melodies I had in my head.”

Pizzorno reveals he had a comic-strip idea for the album, with a beginning, middle and an end starting with the tracks Meanwhile . . .  In Genova”; “Meanwhile . . .  At The Welcome Break”; and “Meanwhile . . .  In The Silent Nowhere.

‘BLEW MY MIND’

He says: “The whole album was very visual. I find imagery and write from it.

“Once I had these three pieces of music I could fill in the gaps. And it was good to start at my roots with the track Meanwhile . . .  In Genova.”

The story begins in Italy in Genova, where Serge’s grandad is from. The singer is a huge Ennio Morricone fan, this cinematic track is his homage to him.

Standouts on the album are joyous dance tracks Trance and recent single Nobody Else.

 Serge in red with his Kasabian bandmates

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Serge in red with his Kasabian bandmatesCredit: Alamy Live News

He says: “It’s dance music but there is also tenderness and little moments of simple messages.

“Trance is a lovely moment because it’s an anthem but way more French and sophisticated.

“Rave music was huge for me. Me and my pal used to spend hours dancing to it in his bedroom. And when we are playing festivals, I try to visit the dance tent to have a little dance as I miss that feeling. It’s mad.

“The Wu is a special track on the record too. I love that tune.

“It’s about going down hotel corridors listening for where the party is.

“I’ve spent a lot of times in hotels with the band listening to The Wu-Tang.”

The first single from The S.L.P. was Favourites, for which he teamed up with Little Simz, while Slowthai guests on Meanwhile . . .  At The Welcome Break.

He says: “I went to see Slowthai in Birmingham and he just blew my mind. He was phenomenal and the same with Simz. I had been in contact in the past with her and always loved her flow.

“I wanted the track to have a British voice on there. The album is very much where I see Britain and what I’ve observed here as myself over the years.

“Favourites came from listening in to a conversation with two young girls about online dating.

 Pizzorno’s project as The S.L.P. has been compared to Damon Albarn and Gorillaz

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Pizzorno’s project as The S.L.P. has been compared to Damon Albarn and Gorillaz

“I started thinking about the real you versus your online persona and how you are never going to live up to it.

“It’s thinking about where that is going to lead us and how we forget to live in the moment.

“The track Soldiers 00018 is about a cab driver talking about his hatred of things and how I had the feeling I need to fight back but with compassion, love and positivity.

“Meanwhile . . .  In The Silent Nowhere is about the need for communication and to start listening again. Whatever side you are on, you have to engage and try and figure it out and find some sort of middle ground.”

Pizzorno believes that in these troubled times, people feel disconnected — and the further away we are from each other, things will  get worse.

He says: “I think it’s an artist’s job to bring people together to engage with each other.”

‘FRESH AND ENGAGED’

It is no surprise that Pizzorno’s project as The S.L.P. has been compared to Damon Albarn and Gorillaz, something the musician and producer sees as a huge compliment.

He says: “It’s a massive honour because I am a huge fan of his and especially Gorillaz. In the future I’d like to work with more artists, and not necessarily people you would expect.

“To have that opportunity and be in the studio with these different people inspiring new sounds is amazing.

“That is going to keep me fresh and engaged with new s**t.”

 Serge Pizzorno's S.L.P album is out on August 30

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Serge Pizzorno’s S.L.P album is out on August 30

One person who continually inspires Pizzorno is The Mighty Boosh comic and Bake Off presenter Noel Fielding, who helped launch the S.L.P. at a special Q&A event in London.

Pizzorno says: “Noel is a real brother, and godfather to my kids.

“We met years back and kept in touch and spent a load of time together. I worked on two of his shows with him with the music and we’ve released music together that are loose tapestries.

“He is so talented and clever. I can’t keep up with his ideas.

“When I’m with him, it’s constant, mad laughter. My two boys watch him on Bake Off and he taught them how to paint.

“I’ve got this amazing photo of him with them when they were little, sat on his knee on a lawnmower wearing a pair of shorts and mad David Bowie boots.”

THE S.L.P. track list

  1. Meanwhile… In Genova
  2. Lockdown
  3. ((trance))
  4. The Wu
  5. Soldiers 00018
  6. Meanwhile… At The Welcome Break (ft               Slowthai)
  7. Nobody Else
  8. Favourites (ft Little Simz)
  9. Kvng Fv
  10. The Youngest Gary
  11. Meanwhile… In The  Silent Nowhere

Next month, Pizzorno goes out on the road to tour The S.L.P. with a number of select gigs across the UK and Europe.

He says: “I can’t wait. It’s going to be the album in its entirety with extended mixes and the aim is euphoria. I went to see David Byrne play and his show really inspired me.”

And how have Pizzorno’s Kasabian bandmates reacted to this solo work?

He says: “I have to say they’ve been incredible. Tom says he loves it. There’s not been any weirdness at all.

“I love being in my band and making my own record has inspired me for more Kasabian and I’ve been working on music for the band already.

“They know I wasn’t sure The S.L.P. was even going to happen and they realise it makes sense for me to do something.

“As a band, we’ve had everything thrown at us. Like any relationship, we’ve had massive highs and lows but we are happy together. Stepping away from Kasabian makes me appreciate the enormity of it and the power of our live show.

“The S.L.P. is a new start for me, which means a new chapter for Kasabian too.

“Kasabian is all about connection and when we return we will connect with as many people as possible.

“I will just have another outlet for extra music I fancy making.”

 

THE S.L.P. THE S.L.P.

★★★★

  • The S.L.P. is out on August 30.
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