Kaiser Chiefs have had six official members. The current line-up is Ricky Wilson, Andrew “Whitey” White, Simon Rix, Nick “Peanut” Baines and Vijay Mistry. The only former member is founding drummer Nick Hodgson, who left in late 2012.
The Leeds band formed in 1996 as Runston Parva, shortened the name to Parva in 2000, and released one album, 22, in 2003. They became Kaiser Chiefs that same year. Their debut as Kaiser Chiefs, Employment, came out in 2005, and “Ruby” (2007) gave them a number one single.
Ricky Wilson – Lead Vocals (1996–present)
Ricky Wilson has been the lead vocalist since the Runston Parva days and also plays auxiliary percussion. He is one of two members who have been there since 1996.
Andrew “Whitey” White – Guitar (1996–present)
Andrew White is the band’s guitarist and sings backing vocals. He has been a member since 1996. For the band’s 2025 Australian tour, Benjamin Witt played guitar as his substitute.
Simon Rix – Bass (2000–present)
Simon Rix has played bass and sung backing vocals since 2000, the year Runston Parva became Parva.
Nick “Peanut” Baines – Keyboards (2000–present)
Nick Baines joined in 2000. He plays keyboards, synthesizers, piano and organ, and he also played guitar from 2000 to 2003.
Vijay Mistry – Drums (2013–present)
Vijay Mistry became the drummer in 2013, replacing Nick Hodgson. He plays drums and percussion and has drummed on every album since Education, Education, Education & War (2014).
Nick Hodgson – Drums (1996–2012, 2025)
Nick Hodgson was the founding drummer. He also played percussion and acoustic guitar and sang backing and occasional lead vocals. He left the band in late 2012 and made a return appearance with them in 2025. He drummed on the albums from Employment (2005) to The Future Is Medieval (2011).
Line-Up by Album
- Employment (2005), Yours Truly, Angry Mob (2007), Off with Their Heads (2008), The Future Is Medieval (2011): Wilson, White, Rix, Baines and Hodgson.
- Education, Education, Education & War (2014), Stay Together (2016), Duck (2019), Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album (2024): Wilson, White, Rix, Baines and Mistry.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who left Kaiser Chiefs? Drummer Nick Hodgson, in late 2012. Vijay Mistry replaced him in 2013.
- What was Kaiser Chiefs’ original name? Runston Parva (1996), then Parva (2000), before Kaiser Chiefs in 2003.
- Who is the lead singer of Kaiser Chiefs? Ricky Wilson.
- How many members are in Kaiser Chiefs? Five: Wilson, White, Rix, Baines and Mistry.
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