The Kooks have slammed Kasabian for their criticism of festival headliners.
The ‘She Moves in her Own Way’ hitmakers insist the ‘Fire’ group were wrong to say bands aren’t good enough to top the bill at music events anymore as they think it’s just the case that some "amazing" rock outfits don’t get enough commercial support to be regarded as big, even if their material is strong.
Frontman Luke Pritchard said: "I think that was a bit of a full-on statement as there are amazing bands out there.
"I think our band is perfectly good enough to headline but there’s a lot of other stuff you need.
"You need radio love and the big songs to play those slots.
"It’s funny Kasabian said that because all rock ‘n’ roll has struggled. But I think soon there will be a new hunger for it."
But the singer thinks there’s a need for a fresh wave of headliners, rather than circuit veterans like Kings of Leon and Fall Out Boy being offered top slots so regularly.
He added in an interview with the Daily Star newspaper: "We have Catfish & The Bottlemen, Blossoms and The 1975.
"That’s who I want to see headline. There are amazing people coming through but are they getting the support from radio and festivals?"
Luke’s comments came after Kasabian’s Tom Meighan recently claimed newer bands aren’t "good enough" to headline festivals.
He said: "They ain’t good enough, I don’t think they’ve got many big songs, you know what I mean? If you’re a big band you have big songs, it’s simple as that isn’t it, that’s how I look at rock and roll, it’s obvious isn’t it?"
Guitarist Serge Pizzorno added: "It’s the follow-up record, it’s amazing debuts and amazing starts but the second and third it starts to … it’s hard for everyone though, anyone that’s a songwriter, anyone that’s in a band, to maintain at a level. It’s not easy, but it’s there, if anyone wants it it’s there, you’ve just got to come and get it."
The Kooks think Kasabian are wrong
