Kaiser Chiefs Get Help From Lily Allen, Hang With Amy Winehouse

Posted on Oct 9th 2008 2:00PM by Jolie Lash
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Nick Hodgson, drummer and songwriter in Britain's snappily dressed pop-rock combo the Kaiser Chiefs is currently in England promoting his band's third album, 'Off With Their Heads.' But with the Stateside release of the album just weeks away (October 28), Hodgson is thinking beyond his own patch.

"Hello America," the lanky lad tells Spinner from his home in Leeds, UK as talk of their November promotional U.S. tour comes up. "We're looking forward to [coming back]."

Meanwhile, the new songs, which were recorded in the early part of 2009, represent a more mature and comfortable Kaiser Chiefs. "We haven't really greatly changed. I think we're relaxed," Hodgson says. "The first [album, 2005's 'Employment'] was just whatever, 'These are the songs that we have and here's the album.' The second one [2007's 'Your's Truly, Angry Mob'] was always going to be more self-conscious because we'd never been scrutinized before. But now, this record, we definitely feel a lot more like the first album, a lot more relaxed."

Although it's been reported that Mark Ronson produced the effort, Hodgson notes it was actually a collaborative effort. Ronson co-produced it with Eliot James, whose resume includes Noah and the Whale, Bloc Party and Does It Offend You, Yeah?, an important distinction for anyone attempting to brand it a simply a Mark Ronson record.

"I'll tell you what it is -- it's a Kaiser Chiefs record and I don't know whether the two producers will ever make a record that sounds like it again," Hodgson notes.

And the cuts, like debut single 'Never Miss A Beat' were further accentuated by guests including Lily Allen and members of New Young Pony Club, who lent backing vocals to the cut. And some guests just came by for the ambiance.

"I was out, but Kate Moss and Jade Jagger popped in," Hodgson explains. "They just sat around. We had a few people [stop by] because Mark's a bit of a magnet really, which is quite cool."

One of Mark's friend's who didn't make it to the studio, but who the Kaisers managed to rub shoulders with during the sessions was Amy Winehouse.

"She came out on the first night that me and Mark and Ricky went out," he recalls. "It's impossible to talk to her, so I didn't say anything. She's like that -- buzzing around. Never sits still."