Billy Bragg Says Kasabian Are The Spinal Tap Of Today

English folk-punk hero and left-wing activist Billy Bragg has drawn some unfavourable comparisons between Leicester Brit rock act Kasabian to fictitious metal parody act Spinal Tap, famously featured in 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.

Speaking with NME prior to his annual appearance at Glastonbury festival, of which Kasabian are headlining, Bragg said that the Tom Meighan-fronted group “hadn’t bothered to think up any fucking titles” for their forthcoming fifth album 48:13, which is named after its total running time.

Bragg also posited that there’s a lack of modern bands who make political statements in their music, citing Kasabian’s new single eez-eh and its brief jabs at Google and the NSA as little consolation. “If we’re really honest with ourselves, we have to admit that urban music is where the politics are nowadays,” Bragg said.

“There are still political singer-songwriters, but no one you could compare to The Clash, or even the Manics… [Kasabian] have an import role to play: they are there to remind us how true Spinal Tap was,” he continued.

Bragg went on to say that Kasabian guitarist Sergio Pizzorno reminds him of Spinal Tap frontman Nigel Tufnel. “I’m not a fan, but if you read their interviews as if it was dialogue from Spinal Tap, it’s very entertaining,” Bragg said. “Especially the stuff Sergio says – he’s Nigel Tufnel.”

“Particularly with the album title, 48:13. I’m guessing that’s how long the record is. Someone sent them a CD that just said ‘Kasabian’, and they didn’t know what else to put on it, ‘cos they hadn’t bothered to think up any fucking titles, so they just put the time on and Serge said ‘That is genius.'”

It is interesting to note that, just like Spinal Tap, Kasabian have gone through an inordinate number of drummers over the years.

Kasabian’s 48:13 is set for release this Friday, 13th June. The band will tour Australia this August.

Watch: How Kanye West Inspired New Album 48:13

Watch: This Is Spinal Tap trailer

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