'Need to get bored' before beginning work on the new album.

Kaiser Chiefs' frontman Ricky Wilson has revealed the band "needed to get bored" in order to rediscover their hunger for writing new music.

The Leeds band, who decided to take a break following their homecoming appearance at last August's Leeds Festival, are now working on a follow-up to 2008's 'Off With Their Heads'

"After a couple of months [off] we got bored," Ricky Wilson told BBC. "Then I got really bored, then mind-numbingly bored and that's when you start thinking about the fact you want to get up and do something again."

Currently recording new material in drummer Nick Hodgson's newly built studio, Wilson gave an update on proceedings.

"I haven't felt this creative since we first started," he explained. "We're playing around at the moment, I'm sending him [Hodgson] words and lyrics in the mail. He's sending me CDs in the mail."

Kiser Chiefs expect derby victory

This was the view of coach Vladi-mir Vermezovic yesterday as Ama-khosi prepared for their Telkom Knockout semifinal against Orlando Pirates on Monday at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban.

Vermezovic has promised fireworks, a claim hard to believe considering the two teams produced goalless draws in both their league games this season.

The Soweto giants qualified after Chiefs beat Mamelodi Sundowns and Pirates dumped Jomo Cosmos out of the cup at the weekend.

"The game will last for only 90 minutes and there will be no extra time or penalty kicks," said Vermezovic. "I have a feeling things will be different this time around.

"We have to control the mood as we have been doing so well in the last few big games we have played. There are no possibilities other than winning because we are healthy, psychologically strong and in good shape."

The Serb said his players had realised that some games had to be played harder, and the derby - in a cup competition - is one of those games.

"We will only leave Johannesburg for Durban on Sunday afternoon and the players will get some time off to be with their families and friends on the holiday. I trust that they will be professionals in their behaviour and keep their minds on the game," he said.

Vermezovic said he was aware of reports about the behaviour of key PSL players and their "nightlife antics", but gave his troops a vote of confidence going into the weekend.

Chiefs will be without midfield workhorse Josta Dladla because he is serving a one-match suspension. Dladla has been a live wire for the team this season and played a big part in the victory against Sundowns in the quarterfinal. But Vermezovic will have defensive midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha back for the Pirates game.

"There's no reason to change the combinations from the team that played Sundowns, but one forced change is that of Josta. However, we are yet to make the final deci-sion, as George Lebese needs a last-minute medical check-up to determine his availability," he said.