KASABIAN front man Tom Meighan reckons their doppelgangers, Kazabian, who come to Clitheroe’s Grand Theatre next week, play so well they want them in one of their shows.

“These lads are frighteningly good, I couldn’t believe it when I first saw Kazabian live – they produce a stunning act,” said Meighan.

Meighan added: “I’ve been keeping tabs on them ever since because they sing our songs perfectly. We definitely want them to be part of one of our shows this year.

“It might happen that we’ll put them on instead of us one day or it would be great to get them in a video.”

Kasabian penned a clutch of ferocious rock anthems, from Club Foot, Reason is Treason and Fire, and tribute drummer Lee Bulfield, from Kazabain, said: “It was the ultimate accolade when they said they liked us.

“The New Musical Express (NME) got in touch the next day and said they’d done an article about it. We were all in shock – it was such a buzz.”

Lee added: “I’ve never had a good idea in my life and when I ploughed all my money into Kazabian, and six people turned up at the first gig in Sunderland, I thought here we go again.

“But 48 hours later we enjoyed a sell-out show in Stockton-on-Tees and it has just got better and better since.

“Now we’ve got a bloke from Norwich with Kazabian tattooed on his head who follows us about on tour and the guy who plays Serge Pizzorno (Kasabian guitarist) in our band gets mobbed at every gig.”

Lee, whose love affair with the real Kasabian began when he saw them perform at Hull University in 2004, said: “There’s a lot of snobbery on the tribute scene, but I don’t see anything wrong with playing another band’s music to fans who might not be able to go and see the real thing at a bigger venue because the gig is sold out or they can’t get there.

“We can play a small town like Clitheroe, and we are spreading the word of the band we all love so that can’t be a bad way to earn a living.”

Kazabian, the Grand, Clitheroe, Saturday, January 26, with support from the New York Tourists from Blackburn and Villiers from Clitheroe. Details from 01200 421599.