Kaiser Chiefs

This article is about the band. For the South African football club, see Kaizer Chiefs F.C.

Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs at the launch of the Jaguar XE in 2014 From left: Andrew White, Simon Rix, Ricky Wilson, Nick Baines, Vijay Mistry
Kaiser Chiefs at the launch of the Jaguar XE in 2014
From left: Andrew White, Simon Rix, Ricky Wilson, Nick Baines, Vijay Mistry
Background information
Also known as
  • Runston Parva (1996–2000)
  • Parva (2000–2003)
OriginLeeds, England
GenresIndie rock,[1] Britpop,[2] power pop[1]
Years active1996–present
LabelsMCA Music, Inc., B-Unique, Fiction, Polydor, Drowned in Sound, Liberator, Caroline International, ATO, V2 Benelux
Members
Past membersNick Hodgson
Websitewww.kaiserchiefs.com

Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock[1][3] band from Leeds who originally formed in 1996 as Runston Parva, before reforming as Parva in 2000, and releasing one studio album, 22, in 2003, before renaming and establishing themselves in their current name that same year. Since their formation, the band has consisted of lead vocalist Ricky Wilson, guitarist Andrew "Whitey" White, bassist Simon Rix, keyboardist Nick "Peanut" Baines and since 2013 drummer Vijay Mistry, who replaced founding drummer Nick Hodgson following his departure from the band in late 2012.[4]

Primarily inspired by new wave and punk rock music of the late 1970s and 1980s, the band have released eight original studio albums: Employment (2005), Yours Truly, Angry Mob (2007), Off with Their Heads (2008), The Future Is Medieval (2011), Education, Education, Education & War (2014), Stay Together (2016), Duck (2019), and Kaiser Chiefs' Easy Eighth Album (2024), one EP: Lap of Honour (2005), one compilation album: Souvenir: The Singles 2004–2012 (2012) and numerous singles, including the number one hit song "Ruby".

Their album Employment enjoyed critical and commercial success with over three million copies sold.[5] It has won the band three Brit Awards, including the award for Best British Group,[6] a NME award for Best Album,[7] and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.[8][9]

Their UK hit singles include 2004 and 2005 number 9 hit "I Predict a Riot", 2007 UK number 1 hit "Ruby", which has sold over 461,000 copies,[10] from their platinum album Yours Truly, Angry Mob plus a further two Top 20 singles in 2007 with "The Angry Mob" and "Everything Is Average Nowadays". Their singles "Ruby", "I Predict a Riot", "Everyday I Love You Less and Less", "Never Miss a Beat" and "Oh My God" had sold a combined total of 1.1 million up to August 2012.[10]

  1. ^ a b c "Kaiser Chiefs". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  2. ^ "The term 'landfill indie' is nothing but musical snobbery". NME. 1 September 2020.
  3. ^ "BBC – Seven Ages of Rock "What the World Is Waiting For"". Seven Ages of Rock. 2007. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  4. ^ Michaels, Sean (5 December 2012). "Kaiser Chiefs songwriter leaves band". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  5. ^ "KAISER CHIEFS | DUCK". Kaiser Chiefs. Archived from the original on 11 September 2007.
  6. ^ "Brit Awards 2006: The winners". News.bbc.co.uk. 15 February 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  7. ^ "ShockWave NME Awards : Full List of Winner 2006". Nme.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  8. ^ Heather Phares. "Employment > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 September 2007.
  9. ^ "Antony and Johnsons win Mercury". News.bbc.co.uk. 7 September 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  10. ^ a b Official. "Official charts". Official Charts. Retrieved 23 August 2014.