Britpop Band Kasabian Reveals Love for Star Wars

If there's one thing Star Wars fans know all too well is that the appreciation for Darth Vader can pop up just about anywhere -- even on stage in concert with the likes of the upcoming Britpop band Kasabian.

Often compared with the likes of old school Britpop legends of Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, Kasabian has also been likened to the newer crop of synth-heavy radio-friendly rockers dominating the music charts.

Lead singer Tom Meighan, a devout Star Wars fan, became first aware of the dark side as a four-year-old sitting in the audience to see Return of the Jedi. "I will never forget seeing Jabba the Hutt," Meighan recalls. "Return of the Jedi took me to another place when I was a child."

Meighan wasn't just a fan as a child growing up in the United Kingdom, but he also continued his admiration of the Jedi especially when he and his Kasabian band mates decided to move into a remote farmhouse in Rutland, England, to record their self-titled 2004 release, Kasabian.

"When we lived on the farm as a band, I rented an Obi-Wan Kenobi outfit to wear," Meighan smiles.

Even with a jam-packed tour schedule, Meighan made sure he caught the latest installment of the Star Wars prequels while on the road.

"Revenge of the Sith is the greatest Star Wars film ever made because it gives you everything," Meighan says. "The part that moved me the most is when Obi-Wan says that he thought of Anakin as a brother he loved. Plus the Emperor was actually really scary."

But the image of Anakin in severe pain in the epic duel at the end of the film was what stuck with Meighan the most.

"It was simply amazing!" Meighan says. "The film showed me how evil Vader was while showing both the political and action sides of the story."

Even though Darth Vader is his favorite character in the entire Star Wars saga, Meighan joked that he had a special soft spot for Obi-Wan Kenobi "because I look a little like him." In fact, after seeing Revenge while on tour, Meighan decided to grow out his beard in honor of Master Kenobi.

With the release of the film, as well as with his newfound addiction of the Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith Video Game which Meighan says the band plays on the tour bus while traveling between venues, he never seems to tire of George Lucas' galaxy of droids, Sith and Jedi.

"Thanks to Star Wars I still feel like I'm still six-years-old even though I am 24," he laughs. "And hopefully that feeling will never die."

Be sure to catch Kasabian on tour this summer with Oasis, and don't be surprised if you see Meighan wearing his Darth Vader shirt to show the Force is strong with this band.

For more information about Kasabian, visit the official band site here.