The Kooks are an English indie rock band that originate from Brighton.
History
The band formed at Hoover High School, where they were all students. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Luke Pritchard got bassist Max Rafferty involved in a college project, which formed the base of the band. After getting lead guitarist Hugh Harris and drummer Paul Garred involved, they chose a band name from a song off the 1971 David Bowie album Hunky Dory, entitled "Kooks". When Virgin tried to trademark the name, they found that in the late/mid 1990s a Swedish band by the same name released a single in Sweden called "Too Much of Nothing".The Kooks released a debut EP and played Brighton's Free Butt festival, and were instantly signed to Virgin Records. Pritchard has claimed he wrote The Kooks' hit song "Naïve" when he was only sixteen years old, which after release catapulted the debut album, Inside In/Inside Out in the charts for more than half of 2006 in the UK Top 20, has sold more than million copies and attained triple platinum status. During a promo tour, the band refused to be interviewed on Channel 4's Popworld after presenter Simon Amstell made repeated references to Pritchard's ex-girlfriend, Katie Melua.
The group released Inside In/Inside Out and went on their first US tour in October 2006, selling out shows both in New York and Los Angeles.. They also played at the Reading/Leeds festivals in the NME/Radio 1 Tent to a huge crowd; the crowd was so big they were forced to stop playing at one point so that security could tell people to move back as people were being crushed.
Among the band's honours are a nomination for Best New Act at the 2006 Q Awards and the award for Best UK and Ireland Act at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards and had one nomination at The BRIT Awards and a shortlist nomination.
Their second album, Konk, has been produced by Tony Hoffer and will be released on 14 April 2008. In an interview with NME.com, Pritchard revealed that the band have "80 or 90" songs written and ready to record. "I want this album to be big," he said. "I've got an ego - I want the album to do well. I want our singles to come on the radio and for people to literally have their heads blown off by them."
Songs likely to make the final album tracklisting are 'Mr. Maker', 'Do You Wanna [Make Love To Me]?', 'Sway', 'See The Sun', 'Disappear', 'Lonely Cat', 'Shine On', 'Stormy Weather', Always Where I Need' and 'Hard To Bear'.
Bassist Max Rafferty officially left the band on 30th January after long standing rumours and an on-off absence from the band. Dan Logan bassist with "Cat the Dog" was brought in as a short-term replacement.
The first single off the album was played on Zane Lowe's radio show on 5 February. The upcoming album, Konk, was named the Zane Lowe most anticipated album.
Notable performances
- Supported The Rolling Stones on their A Bigger Bang Tour at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
- After touring America the band went back to London and played a secret gig at Proud Gallery, Camden.
- Performed on the Album Chart Show at midinght on Saturday 18th March 2006.
- Played at Radio 1's Big Weekend, Europe's largest free festival in Dundee on 15 March 2006.
- Performed "Ooh La", "Naive" and "She Moves In Her Own Way" at the "Jools Holland Annual Hootenanny 2006".
- Recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for Live from Abbey Road in August 2006.
- Played at the Glastonbury festival in June 2007.
- Played on the Main Stage at OXEGEN 2007 in July.
- Played on the Channel 4 stage at the V Festival in August 2007.
- Played at the Doncaster Dome in August 2007, playing some of their new songs.
- Played with 'The Wellingtons' at Portsmouth Guildhall in the summer of 2004.
- Played at the Eastbourne Winter Gardens in August 2006.