As the drummer of Kaiser Chiefs, a songwriter extraordinaire and a solo artist, Nick Hodgson has pretty much done it all, but for his latest project he’s going back to his roots with a brand new band, Everyone Says Hi.

They were the driving force behind some of the biggest indie anthems of the 00s and next year marks two decades since Kaiser Chiefs released their debut album, Employment.

But for former songwriter and drummer Nick Hodgson, they’ll be no birthday cake or celebratory tour to look forward to.

Picture by Stuart Baxter

Having quit in 2012 after 15 years of doing the hard miles, you might think it will be a bittersweet moment for the man who co-founded the band and who was so instrumental to their success

But despite taking the world by storm and being the creative genius behind  smash hits such as I Predict A Riot, Ruby and Oh My God, Hodgson knew the time was right to get of the rock ’n roll rollercoaster ride that was threatening to hurtle out of control.

Now 12 years after turning his back on performing, he’s returned with the launch of his new band Everyone Says Hi and this time he’s loving it – doing it on his terms and without the pressures and anxieties that came all those years ago.

Speaking exclusively to beyond, Hodgson, who grew up in Horsforth and attended St Mary’s School in Menston, said: “The problem with Kaiser Chiefs for me was that it became so all consuming, and it started to take over my life completely.

“I didn’t unpack my suitcase for eight years and the relentlessness of touring the world became too much, for the last year my stomach was in knots and I had to get off. There was no big fall-out and I honestly thought we would all take a break and come back to it but the rest of the band didn’t want to stop, so that was it really.”

Hodgson admits it took him a long time to get over those non-stop years and says his experience is a problem that still plagues musicians today, especially during the early years of their careers.

He said: “The problem isn’t so much the management, but the demands put on bands by promotors and fans who want you at it 24/7 in every part of the world and that inevitably leads to exhaustion and burnout.”

Thankfully, those scars have seemingly healed for Hodgson and while the past decade may have seen him take a step back from performing, his love for writing and music never diminished.

Before launching his solo career in 2018 with Tell Your Friends, he was in big demand for his songwriting credentials, writing tracks with Mark Ronson, Dua Lipa, Hurts, Alfie Templeman, Zara Larsson and even Shirley Bassey.

But that itch to return to a band and play live never really left him and it was only while playing a couple of gigs earlier this year that the thrill of performing returned and he realised just what he’d been missing.

Nick, (second right) in Kaiser days @Danny North

He said: “I know it might sound contradictory but the thing that drove me to stop with The Kaisers was actually the thing that I have missed the most.

“Playing live again was such a great feeling and being able to go out and sing my songs to a crowd made it extra special. I’m loving that feeling all over again because I’m now in control and doing it on my terms.

“With The Kaisers it wasn’t just a tour, it was your life. You are on the road and in a different country every day whereas now we can be more selective and the pressures are nowhere near as intense.”

Hodgson is clearly savouring every moment of this new chapter and the camaraderie that comes with being back in a band.

The line-up includes fellow 2000s indie figures guitarist Pete Denton, drummer Glen Moule, and keyboardist Ben Gordon, ex-members of The Kooks, The Howling Bells, and The Dead 60s, respectively while fellow Leeds musician and close friend Tom Dawson also plays guitar in Everyone Says Hi.

Despite all comiing from such an iconic music era,, Everyone Says Hi’s forthcoming self-titled album isn’t a nostalgic trip down memory lane in an attempt to relive their youth, but a lounge record reminiscent of the 1970s.

At their recent gig at Leeds Brudenell Social Club, Hodgson and his band effortlessly eased their way through a playlist that proved this was no up-and-coming act but a tight mix of experienced players delivering instantly recognisably tunes worthy of the bigger stage.

With some familiar onlookers, namely former band mates Simon Rix and Nick ‘Peanut’ Baines in the crowd, Hodgson’s songwriting prowess was constantly at the fore.

Stand out tracks included Only One and the anthemic Same Side, which was originally co-written by Hodgson and Justin Parker for Liam Gallagher, but which he turned down on the grounds it was written by a Kaiser Chief!

That’s clearly Gallagher’s loss because despite having stepped out of the spotlight for so long, there’s no denying Hodgson’s love for the craft is burning brighter than ever and it’s good to have him back.

Everyone Says Hi is released on the 31st January 2025 via Chrysalis Records.