British chart stars Clean Bandit have responded to comments made by rockers Kasabian in which they cast aspersions on their songwriting credibility.

Serge Pizzorno, guitarist and chief songwriter of the Leicester quartet, told The Independent last week that he was displeased at the group’s total lack of recognition at the upcoming Brit Awards. Despite scoring a fourth UK Number 1 album last year with 48:13, Kasabian received no nominations at all, which Pizzorno described as a “conspiracy” to “shut rock ‘n’ roll out.”

Clean Bandit
Clean Bandit were the target of Kasabian's Serge Pizzorno in a recent interview

“What sort of message does that send to working class rock 'n' roll bands which the industry is in dire need of?” the 34 year old musician continued. “Kasabian couldn't have done any more last year.” He went on to snipe at Clean Bandit, who were nominated for Best British Band, saying that they "don't even write their own tunes."

More: Is Kasabian’s BRIT snub really a “conspiracy” against rock?

But Clean Bandit hit back at Pizzorno’s frothings in an interview with The Mirror. 28 year old Grace Chatto, who plays cello with the group, retorted “it’s so weird and odd. We do write our own music. It's just so funny that he would say that.”

“Maybe he just assumed that because we've had this hit with 'Rather Be',” she continued, “it's the sort of pop that has millions of writers behind. But we didn't. I think it was about us being nominated in the best band category. It was a surprise for us – maybe it wasn't a nice surprise for them.”

Serge Pizzorno Kasabian
Clean Bandit's Grace Chatto suggested Pizzorno's remarks were down to "jealousy"

She finished by asserting that she wouldn’t be letting Pizzorno’s comments get to her as she doesn’t know anything about Kasabian’s work anyway. “Maybe it's jealousy. I don't really care. I don't know a lot of Kasabian's music. I am into rock music but I don't know their stuff.”

The BRIT Awards are due to be held on February 25th at London’s O2 Arena. Kasabian, meanwhile, will be opening the BAFTAs ceremony on February 8th at the capital’s Royal Opera House.

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