Almost two years ago, Kasabian announced the “amicable separation” from their singer Tom Meighan. The reason for this was a physical attack by the musician against his fiancée. The justiciable result: a conviction for domestic violence to 18 months of community service. Now Serge Pizzorno – who has since taken on the role of lead singer – commented on the events in a new interview: “The summer when Tom left was absolutely heartbreaking,” Pizzorno told the British newspaper “Guardian”. He continued: “It felt like leaving your home and coming back and seeing it burn down, walking around in the ashes, seeing old pictures and artifacts and picking things up and sifting through the destruction. It was an intense time.”
Good reasons
He was also always amazed at how upset the fans were about the band’s decision, despite not knowing anything about the actual events. “There’s a lot more to it than that. Who in their right mind would fire a frontman when there’s no reason?” Pizzorno said. There have been some difficult moments over the years – but he expressly did not want to go into detail.
“The split was not malicious”
Regarding Meighan’s solo career, he said, “If he’s happy with it, then that’s great.” The Briton hasn’t spoken to Meighan since a post-trial meeting. Kasabian bassist Chris Edwards has also been out of touch with Meighan for over a year: “Last time we spoke I was like, ‘Buddy, if you need help, if you relapse, if you’re having problems with anything at home you can come and live with me.’ That’s how we said goodbye – with a hug and the declaration that we love each other. The separation was not malicious. It’s heartbreaking, but it happened,” Edwards said.
Meanwhile, Tom Meighan has married his fiancée Vikki Ager – despite the assault. Both the singer and his partner had consistently insisted the incident was no more than a drunken argument. “He apologizes every day. He really does. A lot of people have arguments and ours got to an extreme level,” Ager told CornwallLive in an interview.
New Kasabian record in midsummer
On August 5th Kasabian will release their seventh full-length album THE ALCHEMIST’S EUPHORIA. The album has a big, epic sound, but also a personal touch, the new lead singer Pizzorno told the British “NME” – in addition to massive parts there are also some softer sides. “As a whole it’s a beautiful thing and the most cohesive album we’ve ever made. It’s an emotional journey,” said the 41-year-old.