Several members of the band are ardent fans of the English football team Leeds United (as the band originates from Leeds). The band are named after the South African Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, the former team of long-serving former Leeds captain Lucas Radebe.
The band's main musical influences include The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Kinks, Blur, Eric Burdon, The Jam, and other new wave bands. Andrew White (b. England; guitar), Ricky Wilson (b. Charles Richard Wilson, 17 January 1975, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England; vocals), Nick Baines (keyboards), Nick Hodgson (b. Nicholas Hodgson, 20 October 1977, England; drums) and Simon Rix (b. James Simon Rix, 18 October 1977, England; bass) formed the band in early 2003, having originally played garage rock under the Parva moniker. Their energetic brand of post-millennial guitar rock, which would have been branded "indie" in previous decades, quickly found favour on the local gig circuit. The quintet issued their debut, the XTC-soundalike Oh My God, before they had even signed a proper recording contract, teaming up with the Drowned In Sound website in May 2004 for a limited edition release. A contract with the B-Unique label followed and the band began to attract wider interest at the end of 2004 with the release of their storming I Predict A Riot. The topical lyrics, concerning alcohol-fuelled violence in small English towns, attracted as much attention as the band's anarchic update on late 70s new wave.
The band's explosion onto the global music scene in early 2005 was epitomised when they had their first single I Predict A Riot off their debut album Employment played on the radio around the world and opened Live8 in Philadelphia. Several years prior to 2003 the members of the band had been a garage rock group called Parva (before that they had been known as Runston Parva). However, after their label Mantra Records went bust in late 2002, the band went back to their roots and adopted a more britpop sound, helping the band reach their current popularity within the UK and beyond as a consequence.
The band re-released the single Oh My God on 21 February, which charted at #6. The debut album Employment was released on 7 March 2005 and entered the charts at #3 that week. Despite becoming favourite after being shortlisted, the album failed to win the 2005 Mercury Music Prize. They covered the Marvin Gaye classic, Heard it Through the Grapevine for the War Child album Help! A Day in the Life, giving a whole new slant on the song.
A DVD, entitled Enjoyment, was released in November 2005. The basis of the DVD is a (semi-false) documentary about the band narrated by Bill Nighy. It also includes all the promo videos, live performances and more.
An internet-only (so far) music video for their song Sink that Ship has been released in September 2005. The video appears on Electronic Arts' website as a promotional tool for their game Burnout Revenge but is completely unbranded.
Wilson auctioned off his red tambourine to radio show Xfm in late 2005 to raise money for the homeless charity Shelter. The winning bid was £375.00.
On February 5th, The Kaiser Chiefs Released their next single, Ruby, which was a major success reaching #1 in the singles charts.
The Kaiser Chiefs released their new album, Yours Truly, Angry Mob on February 23, 2007 in The Netherlands and Belgium, February 26, 2007 in the United Kingdom and on March 27, 2007 in North America. A double disc edition is also available, the second disc being a DVD.
It is known that three of the band members went to a school near Highroyd, Leeds. Also, Nick (drummer) announced during a gig in Newcastle Upon Tyne that his dad went to a school called St. Cuthberts in Newcastle. Other famous people from that school include Ant & Dec and Sting.
The band released their third album, Off With Their Heads, on October 20, 2008. It contains the hit single Never Miss a Beat.
Songfacts states that the band's fourth album, The Future Is Medieval was released through the band's website on June 3, 2011. In effect the world's first bespoke album, fans are able to create their own version of the record by choosing their favorite 10 tracks from the selection of 20 on offer. One-minute excerpts allow them to make their selections and each song is represented by an object.
After creating their own album, people can then share their version of the record with other fans, and earn £1 each time it is purchased by someone else.
5th album "Education, Education, Education and War!" was released on 31st March 2014 on Fiction Records, featuring the UK Top 40 single, 'Coming Home', and was their first UK number one album since 2007's 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'.
Also on the Fiction label, their 6th album, Stay Together, was released on the 7th October 2016, with a notable shift towards dance-pop, hitting #4 on the UK Albums Chart.
In 2019, they moved to Polydor, and released 'Duck' on 26th July, featuring the singles 'Record Collection' and 'People Know How To Love One Another'. It peaked at #3 on the UK Albums Chart.
Performances
Kaiser Chiefs' first big festival show was at the dual-site Reading and Leeds Festival on 27 August 2004 and in the following year, on 16 May 2005, they appeared at the Pinkpop Festival in Landgraaf, The Netherlands. After that, things went fast. They were the opening act at the Philadelphia Live 8 concert on July 2nd 2005, one of only two British acts in the lineup (Def Leppard being the other). They performed I Predict a Riot, Everyday I Love You Less and Less and Oh My God. They played Reading and Leeds in 2006 before Franz Ferdinand and were extremely popular.
June 2005 saw them headline at the May Ball at Queens' College, Cambridge, supported by Anada, before an acclaimed appearance at a rain-soaked Glastonbury festival during the same month, whilst August's appearance at the V Festival featured a very enthusiastic set despite Ricky Wilson having his leg in plaster. Also more recently they embarked on their own headline UK Tour, supported by Maximo Park and The Cribs. Their first US tour (with The Cribs) ran through the summer of 2005, and they followed it by playing a few shows on the Foozer tour. This was followed up by opening for Foo Fighters during their Australian tour in December 2005. They also played to Jools Holland and his audience on December 31, 2005.
Their song Ruby, from the album Yours Truly, Angry Mob was featured as a bonus song in Guitar Hero III, and I Predict a Riot from Employment was eventually released as downloadable content for the game.
Kaiser Chiefs are set to return to the European festival scene this summer, having been booked for Switzerland's Gurten Festival.
I Predict a Riot
Kaiser Chiefs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not very pretty I tell thee
Walking through town is quite scary
And not very sensible either
A friend of a friend he got beaten
He looked the wrong way at a policeman
Would never have happened to Smeaton
And old Leodiensian
La ah ah, la la la la la
Ah ah ah, la la la la la
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I tried to get in my taxi
A man in a tracksuit attacks me
He said that he saw it before me
Wants to get things a bit gory
Girls run around with no clothes on
To borrow a pound for a condom
If it wasn't for chip fat, they'd be frozen
They're not very sensible
La ah ah, la la la la la
Ah ah ah, la la la la la
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
And if there's anybody left in here
That doesn't want to be out there
Ah ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
Watching the people get lairy
It's not very pretty I tell thee
Walking through town is quite scary
And not very sensible
La ah ah, la la la la la
Ah ah ah, la la la la la
Oh, ah
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
And if there's anybody left in here
That doesn't want to be out there
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
The Kaiser Chiefs' "I Predict A Riot" is a song that paints a vivid picture of the chaos that can ensue during moments of urban unrest. The singer becomes a frustrated witness to the chaos surrounding him, as he describes the scene of people on the streets, fighting and running wild. He describes how people become violent and aggressive while fighting against the police or simply running amok. The singer recounts his own encounter with a man attacking him, and how girls are running around half-naked and begging for money to buy condoms. The chorus of the song repeats the title phrase, "I predict a riot," as if foretelling the violent episode that is about to unfold.
Despite the provocative and controversial nature of the song, the Kaiser Chiefs wrote "I Predict A Riot" as a humorous take on the chaos that surrounds them in their hometown of Leeds, England. The song's deeper meaning lies in its commentary on the bleak social and economic conditions of the time, as people were struggling with financial difficulties and political disenfranchisement. It is a protest song that speaks to the universal struggle of the working class.
The song itself is an energetic and lively punk-rock anthem that captures the frenzied mood of the moment. With its pounding drums and upbeat guitar riffs, the song perfectly captures the chaotic atmosphere of the city during moments of unrest. The repetition of the chorus makes it a catchy and memorable tune, while the lyrics create a lasting impression of the dangers and excitement that come with living in a city.
Line by Line Meaning
Watching the people get lairy
Observing the people getting drunk and disorderly
It's not very pretty I tell thee
It is not a pleasant sight
Walking through town is quite scary
Walking around the town is frightening
And not very sensible either
It is not a wise thing to do
A friend of a friend he got beaten
Someone's acquaintance was assaulted
He looked the wrong way at a policeman
He made eye contact with the police officer in a wrong way
Would never have happened to Smeaton
It would never have occurred in the area where Smeaton resides
And old Leodiensian
A person from a former Rugby team named Old Leodiensian
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
The artist is anticipating a public disturbance
I tried to get in my taxi
The artist attempted to enter a cab
A man in a tracksuit attacks me
A man wearing a tracksuit assaults the singer
He said that he saw it before me
The attacker claims to have seen the opportunity before the artist
Wants to get things a bit gory
The attacker intends to be violent
Girls run around with no clothes on
Females are running without garments
To borrow a pound for a condom
Asking for a pound to buy a condom
If it wasn't for chip fat, they'd be frozen
Without the grease from the chip, they would be cold
They're not very sensible
They are not wise
And if there's anybody left in here
If there is anyone remaining here
That doesn't want to be out there
Who does not wish to go outside
Oh, ah
A vocalization
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
The artist repeats their prediction of a public disturbance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Andrew Robert White, Charles Richard Wilson, James Rix, Nicholas Baines, Nicholas Hodgson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stopfemotion
Watching the people get lairy
Is not very pretty I tell thee
Walking through town is quite scary
And not very sensible either
A friend of a friend he got beaten
He looked the wrong way at a policeman
Would never have happened to Smeaton
And old Leodiensian
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I tried to get in my taxi
A man in a tracksuit attacked me
He said that he saw it before me
Wants to get things a bit gory
Girls run around with no clothes on
To borrow a pound for a condom
If it wasn't for chip fat, well they'd be frozen
They're not very sensible
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot
And if there's anybody left in here
That doesn't want to be out there
@ResevoirGod
The 00's has to be the most underrated decade for music ever in all honesty. Especially the UK. So many good indie bands in their prime
@JaxDagger
+G_Morto urghhhh kinda, it was actually all very generic and plagurised to be fair, but the odd good song shone through thats for sure, look up futureheads
@ResevoirGod
Gaming Greats You do know that the majority of music is plagiarized, right?
@ellaleason3010
Ikr, I'm a 01 kid but these guys and The Hoosiers were legit my jam when I was 8 XD . 6 years on I'm into P!ATD and other 'punk'/'emo' bands, yet I'm still here. Childhood ;n;
@sutiiiven
+Ellas Edits. If you like punk and emo, check out Nomeansno. They're an older band who helped start the whole genre of emo. They have a load of stuff on Apple Music if you have that, or YouTube of course. Check out the album Wrong :)
@ellaleason3010
+Steven Fletcher Thank you! I definitely will when I get my WiFi fixed instead of using mobile data :)
@mauthner23
I've been looking for this f***ing song for at least 5 years. Five damn years with nothing more than "Ah aaaah" from the chorus!! I can now die in peace.
@steaks652
Found it in five seconds, bet you've been in Zen all that time.
@brucefoord102
I saw them in concert when I was 50 years old... the best front man to any band live ...awesome concert.
@josecoronadonieto6911
I found it in the comment section of Mr.streamer