The Kaiser Chiefs and I - a tragic lovestory

As it's more and more evident that Kaiser Chiefs wil return this summer, here's a little something I'd like to call 'Kaiser Chiefs and I'. If it remains an exciting Trilogy is entirely up to the men from Leeds themselves.

In the beginning...
I was majorly into Kaizers Orchestra. I ompaad through my days. Kaizers were King. A band called Kaiser Chiefs came along but I ignored. My sister poked me, saying that I should check them out because they were good. But you know, there can only be one Kaizer and for me that was the Orchestra. Up until I saw 'Oh my god' in the last days of MTV showing music videos. Then I heard 'I predict a riot'. I bought 'Employment' and realised that there can be indeed two Kaizers.
Their club shows were unbelievable. Such energy. I enjoyed everything from the balcony and they became my favourite band. I ignored their 5,000 capacity HMH gig until the moment I thought that I might give the band a go in that venue as well, realising it was sold out. I didn't mind. Slowly I became aware of the fans and how they rocked and rolled. I'm not a big fan of fans (or it has to be the SBS6 tv show 'Fans!'). I've never really fitted in with any fanbase. Though with the Chiefs I became a regular on the forum. And thanks to Ricky Wilson's amazing appearence in Never Mind The Buzzcocks I started to realise that these friends of theirs, The Cribs, are actually pretty nice guys too. Making great music. Heavier. But greatly amazing.

Everything is average nowadays...
Ruby Ruby Ruby!! Album number two was highly anticipated and my sister arranged a special hearing session for me (in our living room) and I loved it upon firts hearing though I already spotted some dodgyness. It sure wasn't 'Employment' but it was good. We went to both Paradiso shows, my colleagues knew me as nothing more or less as a Kaiser Chiefs fan and I left the front row for Interpol at Lowlands to run across the grounds on my own to get a somewhat decent spot to see them Kaisers. My love for Kaizers Orchestra had somewhat run down. There's only so much love for a Kaizer you can have. I met nice people through the band's forum. I never actually met them at gigs but with a select few I kept in touch outside the forum. It's amazing how music connects. I wanted to diss the 5,000 capacity HMH but in some weird run down of affairs I ended up there anyway. It wasn't that bad. Though I liked the support band no one liked a lot more than the band that everyone adored. Something about the band started to irritate me as well. Especially drummer Nick started for no particular reason to get on my nerves. There was something weird about the band and it wasn't just the fans. It was the band itself as well. As my love grew for the Cribs I started to see how much they grew apart, the Chiefs and the Cribs, and that was actually kind of sad. The Cribs due to their raw live shows filled with raw energy and their pure honesty got the best of me. They overtook the band who made me aware of them in the first place. Outch?

Off I say, off with their heads, off, off! (or the Show Down)
Riding high on success, they didn't really want to release an album but then there was Mark 'Horn section' Ronson and he wanted to work with them, they didn't plan it but they wrapped up an album for ragerdless. Of course, the fanbase loved it. To me it was the most uninspired piece of garbage compressed in 30 minutes. I couldn't get myself around on spending money on that album. I found it later for 3 pounds in Tesco's and I still couldn't get myself to spend even 3 pounds on that piece of crap. I was quite vocal about that commercial suicide, honesty doesn't pay off well. But to me, how could a band that always claimed to stay true to themselves, sell out so shamefully? Hanging out with celebrities they hated so much, making bland music, claiming they were doing so well where instead I wasn't the only one who thought the album was by all means really shit.

I did go see them volunteerly in the HMH. It was sold out. I met up with the girls I met at a radio show earlier which was the highlight of the entire event. I stood front row and hated, absolutely hated the support act. What was I doing here? This is the new indie and I hate the new indie. Kaiser Chiefs had become the new indie. They had sold out. It became so evident when they hit the stage. And I realised the love is gone. The band I had adored for the past years was gone and it was a tough thing to swallow. I knew that it would stop right here right now. Early on in the show they played 'Modern Way' from their first album and I let myself go, I sang my heart out, that song still is my favourite. I cried, front row, I was sincerly sad to know that this band is not my band anymore. It sounds overly dramatic now but I wasn't having a good time in overall as they played most from their latest album. The grand final 'Oh my god' was cut short which didn't do my mood very good.

One person however told me to get over myself for not liking what they were doing right now. He had seen me at the gig and wondered why on earth a person on front row would cry and look so incredibly depressed. I know I have no pokerface but that this person was telling me he saw me in that state was quite shocking. This person was band member Simon Rix. I stood on the left side of the stage, he on the right side. And he had seen me. It's not a nice knowledge to know that the band is indeed able to see the people in the crowd. Fuck my life really. After that came anger. Who the hell was he to tell me to get over myself and that they were doing so well with great songs they loved playing? Kaiser Chiefs from then on were a done deal for me. What a band of wankers.

The Kaiser Chiefs make a return this summer with a festival tour and a new album. I'm curious but I don't have my hopes high up. I think them Chiefs have showed their true faces and I didn't like them. It's not a big deal. Loads of people will like it and that's fine. There will always be something special attached to the Kaiser Chiefs for me. But that awful third album will never make it to my record collection and I doubt the fourth will as well.

Actually, her name is Marina

Yesterday I've been to the Melkweg in Amsterdam to see Marina & the Diamonds. On very strong recommendation of my sister who's seen her before and adores her. I don't question her taste for one second, in fact, of all the people I know she has the best taste in music. I knew who Marina was, what she looked like and heard her album twice (so don't expect me to know all song titles), but in all fairness I had no idea what to expect. All I knew that she wasn't an airhead like some of the women out there from Britain, supposingly being strong women but only riding the hype. Marina however I noticed, wasn't half as popular than some of them. In all, I was looking forward to it.

Marina, let me tell you something. That was pure alternative pop. That was a woman who stood to her work. That was some good vibes from the stage. That was some good vibes from the audience. Marina, she can sing, she can move, she has the words and she definitely has the looks. She photographes beautifully, which I, by lack of knowing the songs, enjoyed tremendously. With 104 shots I might have overdone it but come on, she moves fantastically, she looks amazing and the joy she brought on stage comes across on the pictures.

And with that last bit I want to say something else. Something that really amazed me. She is real. Whe she says she's amazed by the responds from the audience and is moved by it, you know she means it. She means every word she says and sings. There is nothing fake. This is 100% pure Marina and I like Marina very much. Despite not knowing the songs so well, she got me moving (which is an accomplishment for any band), I enjoyed this and what I also enjoyed was how my sister was enjoying it too. It's always wonderful to see someone genuinely having a good time.

But not just her. Marina managed to get the entire audience involved (balcony included), they were quiet (!! in case you don't know, the Dutch are known for talking all through the gig, not because they are bored but just because that's what they do) where desired and she got the crowd jumping, something my sister correctly explained as 'the last time I saw this happening was with the Kaiser Chiefs, amazing!'. The last time she saw the Kaiser Chiefs was in 2007, when they were still good and enjoyable and fun to jump around to. She was right. It was so much fun to see everyone from front to all the way to the back jump up and down to 'Champaign' (I happen to know that one song title). 'She got me convinced' I told my sister truthfully half way and she welcomed me into the wonderful world of Marina & the Diamonds. Sometimes you need to see it for yourself, I know exactly what the appeal of Marina & the Diamonds is. There's a bit of Tori Amos to it (my sister said), a bit of Kate Bush (that's what I said). Clever lyrics, pure reality, she's humble and funny, she can sing and yes, oh yes, she is drop dead gorgeous.

Marina is not a fake diamond but I real gem and played a new song as well which I also liked a lot (yes yes, I liked her music too) and she got herself a brand new fan, me! Welcome Marina.