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The Kooks (UK)
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November 06, 20:00
Glavclub 
 Catapulted into the limelight by the overwhelming success of their debut album "Inside In/Inside Out", The Kooks cemented their reputation as one of the UK’s best bands with 2008’s follow up "Konk" which debuted in the album charts at No. 1. Album number 3 is currently nearing completion and soon to be winging its way to their ever faithful and growing legions of fans. The past few years has brought with it an extensive touring schedule for the band. From intimate secret sets in Paris and London, to countless sold out arena shows in the UK, Europe and South America, a full no-stones-left-unturned US tour, and a whole heap of festival slots playing to crowds hundreds of thousands in number - not to mention their unforgettable show at Ibiza Rocks ‘09. The band have travelled all over the world, taking those same songs that were scribbled down in a bedroom or unexpectedly came to life at late night jams, out to the crowds and watching them grow into fully fledged classics. Tracks such as "Naive", "She Moves In Her Own Way" and "Always Where I Need To Be" as well as live favourites "Do You Wanna", "Sway" and "Shine On".
As is the inevitable result of such extensive touring and of being in a band established by young Brightonian men then still in their teens, The Kooks too have grown in many ways. Developing as both musicians, songwriters and individuals. Musically? They’ve become hungrier for different sounds, for experimenting but at the same time refining and mastering their craft, never straying too far from that self-definable Kooks sound. As individuals? Life in a band has certainly exceeded all of their expectations, and the rollercoaster ride element has served only to bring Luke, Hugh, Pete & Chris closer than ever before.
Three elements remain at the beating heart of the band: music, friendship... and doing anything it takes to get a damn good pop song. As Luke puts it simply, 'If it doesn't make you feel good, then what's the point? There's too much drab shoe-gazing shit around. I hate all that cack. You've got to push through it. That's where you get great songs."
For the multitudes who have been to a live show, or anyone who’s spent time with the band, it’s clear from witnessing their interactions that music and friendship are two sides of the same coin - and it’s this mix that has really struck a chord with literally hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.
Commenting on The Kooks’ dedicated fanbase, Hugh observes, "Music should make you happy, it should change you in some way. That's why our fans are so crazy and committed. There's that connection."
So after retreating to the English countryside for some secret writing sessions, and armed with plenty of inspiration for new material, the end of 2009 saw The Kooks reconvene to a studio in east London, where they hunkered down to more writing, demoing and finally laying down the songs for thier 3rd album. This work which was named Junk of the Heart was issued in 2011 and has provoked flattering comparisons with the best creations of such legendary outfits as The Beatles, T. Rex and The Beach Boys. Junk of the Heart seems to want to transport The Kooks into adulthood, but it doesn’t know how. It’s certainly not through the lyrics - the obvious tack - because Pritchard’s lazy, nasal SATs-level similes are more gloryless than ever. Eskimo Kiss' bewildering "She's like the rose without a thorn / She's like the sunflower that never looks back at the sun" offers the vision of a frontman desperately picking at half-rhymes to impress the teacher, more than anything else.
Conscious that it was time for a change of pace, the band hired London hip-hop producer Inflo to helm 2014's Listen, which was also their first to feature Nunez on drums. The resulting record bore stronger dance, soul, and electronic influences without jettisoning pop. It was released internationally in September 2014, debuting at 16 on the U.K. charts and 85 in the U.S.
The Kooks are gearing up to celebrate the fact that they’ve been a band for more than 10 years, announced that they will release a collection of their greatest hits in 2017. Titled "The Best of… So Far", it’s clear that this compilation is meant more as mile-marker than destination, an idea backed up by singer Luke Pritchard, who stated in a press release, “It’s been the greatest pleasure to work, travel, fight, hate and love the best and most talented people I’ve met in my life. It’s the greatest job in the world and we don’t intend to stop any time soon.” To drive the point home, the band are including two new songs alongside career staples like “Naïve” and “Shine On.” The first of those, “Be Who You Are,” is available now, and makes for a welcome addition to The Kooks’ catalog. The British indie popsters blast full speed ahead through the tune in a raucous burst of sun-drenched fun, anchored by that singalong “Ba Da Da Da” chorus, and the abrupt change of pace about halfway into the song keeps the listener on their toes, sending things into a spacier, dreamier territory. Tickets
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