miamilan blog

Ahead of Kasabian’s gig in Milano tonight (Ippodromo), Sergio tells us a bit about his Italian side and his relationship with Italy.
"My Granddad was from Genoa, he came over to England in the 60s. So, growing up, it started with football really. I always supported Italy, through all the World Cups. I always had a blue shirt rather than a white shirt.
Because my granddad died when I was very young, to keep the Italian thread in the family going, I think my dad went out of his way to make sure I knew where my family was from.
We used to spend every summer in Italy in Abisola or Alassio which is on the Riviera. We’d drive in a battered old Austin Allegro. It used to take us three or four days. I spent every summer there. I grew up on pasta and pizza.
My dad was a musical influence on me, but It’s only now I realise it. He was into Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker and Howling Wolf - real blues players - and the Stones, but he couldn’t play anything. He had a guitar with no strings on it, which he used to pretend to play, so I would pick it up and do the same. Pretending just like he did.
As far as Italian songs go, there was something I always remember a song called La chate mi cantare *, a real old bad Italian song. There was also one called Gloria - I swear Pulp nicked the riff for Disco 2000. I suppose Zucchero was played. That’s kind of the vibe that was going on in the house.
It’s funny because Italian fans have really taken us to their hearts, it’s almost like playing a home town show. The support is just huge. It’s heart warming, especially for me.

I don’t know enough Italian, I’m lazy and I do apologise. I understand a great deal, but speaking it, I’m terrible. And especially when you’re on stage, you don’t want to start throwing out words that you’re not particularly comfortable with. I’m a shy person, if I’m rocking out some Italian, I need to know I’m getting it right.

I suppose Italy is just so very different to back home. It’s the whole culture, I feel like I slot right in because it’s just very relaxed. The food is incredible, but it is the people who make it.

It’s obviously aesthetically beautiful, you’ve got ancient monuments and you can walk round them and they’re beautiful, but for me, it’s the actual people who live here. There seems to be a really good family spirit. The computer generation doesn’t seem to have changed that. There is still a beautiful family vibe.

And all the people I’ve met along the way have been so nice, the fans especially. Even when they’re just asking for an autograph it’s very polite. And they’re very aware that if you’re with your family to just leave you alone."

* La chate mi cantare is not French and it's "Lasciatemi cantare" (let me sing) "L'italiano" (1983) by Toto Cutugno, sort of "national anthem". Also, Sergio is not Serge in a French way...
Gloria was by Umberto Tozzi

videos soon (they also played an unplugged @ Fnac)