Nick Hodgson, well known as the drummer and songwriter for Kaiser Chiefs, has embarked on a fresh musical journey with his new band, Everyone Says Hi. With a sound far removed from the high-energy indie anthems that defined Kaiser Chiefs, Hodgson’s latest project is steeped in warm, analogue textures designed to create a certain mood.
We caught up with Nick just before the self-titled debut album – Everyone Says Hi – dropped on Friday.
Hodgson is in his studio in North London when I speak with him, having completed a busy week of interviews and gigs for Independent Venue Week. It’s Thursday, just ahead of the album drop, and he’s just as excited for release day as he was right at the start of his career.
Reflecting on his time with Kaiser Chiefs, Hodgson tells us of the intensity of their early days. “When our first album came out, we were in America. It just felt like things were going on around you, and you didn’t always have control over it,” he says. These days, his creative process is more deliberate and relaxed. “I’d do this thing which I jokingly called Analogue Hour. I’d finish dinner and then just sit there and listen to records. It wasn’t just new stuff—Elliott Smith, War on Drugs, some old Neil Young, John Lennon, Lana Del Rey, The Strokes—just put the phone away and listen without the temptation to skip through tracks.”
This analogue ritual became the foundation for the new record. Hodgson wanted to create an album that felt immersive and cohesive—something you could put on and let wash over you. “I didn’t want to make a party album,” he explains. “I wanted to make a record that was going to sit in that world.”
Unlike his 2018 solo album, which he wrote and recorded entirely on his own, Hodgson sought much greater collaboration for this project. His primary songwriting partner was Justin Parker, known for his work with Lana Del Rey. “I wanted him to come in and write the words with me,” Hodgson says.
From there, the project grew organically, with musicians gradually adding their parts in a relaxed and natural process. “People just kept coming into the room, playing along, and shaping the songs together.” This also informs the sound and production. Having such great players in the band, Hodgson tried to create a sound that showcased each one “in a way that you could just hear everything.”
One key contributor is Pete Denton, former bassist for The Kooks, whom Hodgson has known since their teenage years in Leeds. “I kept bumping into him at the gym, and he liked my solo album. He’s added so much—the bass playing is outrageous.”
The energy and relentless touring of Kaiser Chiefs shaped Hodgson’s early career, but he now approaches live shows with a different mindset. “Back then, our calendar was so packed that my girlfriend cried when she saw it. We got the diary in December and the first day off was in April! Now, it’s much more manageable,” he tells us.
Touring with Everyone Says Hi is less about massive crowds and more about connection. “I love being up front now. I love the rapport with the crowd. In 45 minutes you have a real relationship with them. I talk to them, they talk to me—I love it.”
A strong advocate for grassroots music scenes, Hodgson is passionate about supporting independent venues. He’s particularly upbeat about the scene in his hometown. “In Leeds, it’s not all doom and gloom. You lose places like The Cockpit and Joseph’s Well, but you gain new venues, too,” he says. His recent shows have taken him to intimate spots like Heartbreakers in Southampton, where he felt a strong community spirit. “There’s always people putting gigs on, always an energy for it. And if there’s no gig, put one on yourself! That’s what we used to do – just hire a room in a pub, prove everyone wrong and do it.”
Whether in the studio or on stage, Hodgson has found a new rhythm—one that allows him to create on his own terms, without the chaos of his past. As he sums it up, “If you’ve got a gig that day, that’s all you’ve got to do—so you might as well have as much fun as possible.”
