Linda Jobling catches up with Kaiser Chiefs' drummer Nick 'Peanut' Baines on the eve of the band's visit to Newcastle tonight

'WE'RE not an overly aggressive band, but we do have power in our music and power in the lyrics” is Nick "Peanut" Baines’ summing up of the Kaiser Chiefs’ latest album as I caught up with him during the band’s South American tour with the Foo Fighters. Education, Education, Education and War was inspired by a quotation from Tony Blair’s famous election speech, the lyrics reflecting the frustration that comes from politicians’ hidden agendas.

As the Leeds-born band prepares to play at Newcastle MetroRadio Arena tonight as part of their UK tour, Peanut reveals how the album also relates to the band’s personal struggles, as they were forced to re-think their future following the departure of drummer Nick Hodgson in 2012.

This tour will demonstrate the fruits of the re-invention, when the remaining members – keyboardist Peanut, singer Ricky Wilson, guitarist Andrew White and bass player Simon Rix – defied the sceptics and vowed not to go down without a fight. So, with the addition of new drummer Vijay Mistry and an onwards-and-upwards attitude, together with their trademark catchy riffs, they have clearly dusted themselves off and are good to go.

In the space of ten years, the band have gone from being pub and club hopefuls to an international touring rock and roll band, playing in huge stadiums, fulfilling their greatest ambitions. They are determined not to lose sight of this good fortune.

“We take what we do very seriously and you should believe that your last gig is your best gig ever because that’s what keeps you going, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously and that is the key balance between the two”. Peanut adds, “We feel we haven’t changed that much as people, and the reason we keep going is that every day the goal posts move and there are different targets every day.” Peanut feels that this is the secret of the Kaisers’ continued success as a band.

With four previous albums under their belts, plus the unforgettable singles like Everyday I Love You Less And Less, Ruby and Oh my God – all of which have re-written indie-rock history – this new offering from the newly-invigorated Kaisers is ready to take on the world, and is being met with eager anticipation.

Their music has a consistently simple and appealing quality, which cleverly disguises the hard-hitting lyrics beneath, and yet they still manage to pull some surprises out of the hat, such as the album’s centre-point track Bows And Arrows, a poignant anthem full of hope for the future in the face of adversity. The result is an appropriate acknowledgement both to the band on a personal level, and also to the anniversary of the First World War, a subject which has particularly struck a chord with Wilson, and the album’s artwork and imagery have been designed in tribute.

Peanut looks back on one of the band’s proudest moments while making their first album, recalling fondly that it was “out in the sticks in Lincoln”, having recently recorded I Predict A Riot and listening to BBC Radio 1. Huddled in a group hug, they took joy in discovering that the single had entered the chart at Number 22, which has now become a lucky number for them, being one of their early album namesakes.

“I can tell my Mum about it, and she’ll understand it,” says Peanut.

The band have also learned to avoid the usual pitfalls of coping with pressure not by thrashing out their differences with explosive arguments, choosing instead to take time out from each other between hectic tour schedules, even to the point of Peanut confessing that on some occasions “I forgot to say goodbye to Whitey.” But it’s a theory that works, because they have succeeded in finding that all-important work-life balance that is responsible for a lot of bands falling by the wayside.

Peanut admits to having a soft spot for Newcastle, having studied Mechanical Engineering at the city's university. He recalls Tyneside’s hospitality and how he made life-long friends during his time in the region. “Everyone I meet that has been to Newcastle has great stories to tell”, he adds.

Beneath that laid-back exterior, the Kaiser Chiefs are clearly taking nothing for granted because they are constantly aspiring for something further, claiming that “there are seven billion people in the world and we haven’t played to them all yet.”

  • Kaiser Chiefs – Newcastle MetroRadio Arena – tonight. Box Office: 0844-493-6666 (Mon-Fri 9.30am – 5pm) eventim.com