The Kooks shot right out of the gate with “Inside In/Inside Out,” the 2006 debut album that achieved immediate critical and commercial success on its way to quintuple-platinum status in the band’s native U.K. and big sales elsewhere around the globe.
Nearly 20 years later, the Brighton-born band — which is led by original members Luke Pritchard (vocals) and Hugh Harris (lead guitar) — is still going strong.
For proof, just give a listen to The Kooks’ newly released seventh full-length studio outing, “Never/Know,” which delivers a bright batch of indie-rock anthems that, for the most part, stand tall amid the better moments in the group’s overall catalog.
Or go check out the band in concert when it brings its All Over the World Tour to the Fox Theater in Oakland on June 18. Showtime is 8 p.m. and tickets start at $62, apeconcerts.com.
The opening act for the tour is lovelytheband, the Los Angeles indie-pop act that collaborated with The Kooks on last year’s 2-million-plus-streamed hit “Jeanie.”
I recently had the chance to chat with Pritchard, who took time out from enjoying a warm, sunny day with the family in London to discuss “Never/Know.”
Virgin RecordsQ: What’s on the Pritchard family agenda for this sunny London day?
A: Just a very chill day — just walking around. Nothing too taxing. Enjoying life.
Q: I know a great new song that should be high on your playlist today, Luke. It’s the new single by The Kooks called “Sunny Baby.” And it’s a terrific warm weather tune.
A: Yeah, it’s a bit on the noise, isn’t it? It’s a song I’ve been wanting to write for a long time. It’s like in my DNA to want to write those kinds of songs.
Q: That’s some good DNA then. Because this song definitely puts smiles on faces.
A: It’s a joyous track. It’s about wholesome and coming through the kind of journey I’ve been on, where I didn’t think I would ever get to this point in my life — having a family, having my first son, getting married and just being really grateful, essentially. It’s a nice expression, I think, in these kind of very chaotic, complicated times.
Q: I like your quote in the news release about the single, basically linking the song with your decision to fully enjoy what’s going on in your life right now.
A: Hundred percent. I stand by those sentiments and remarks. I guess I’m kind of a hippie. And that kind of a movement came out of similarly dangerous and unnerving times. I think there was a feeling (in the song) of just like “I refuse to not let these be the best times of my life.”
Q: That sounds like a healthy approach, especially as the father of two children.
A: When you have really young kids, it’s very potent — the feeling of trying to get to hopefulness. I think music can be very medicinal like that. Even going to shows and listening to music can be amazing ways of escapism from these things — even if it’s for half an hour.
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A: I think the overriding lyrical content and the feeling that it conveys is that. It’s gratitude instead of complaining and it’s hopefulness instead of despair. I didn’t force that. Those things just naturally came out of my writing at the time. And I embraced that. I wasn’t afraid of that.
Q: “Never/Know” reminds me of some of the band’s early albums. The feel is very vintage Kooks.
A: This record is kind of recalibrating back to the origins of the band. I had quite an emotional moment of my son becoming the age that I was when my dad died. It brought up a lot of stuff of why I do what I do. It’s really because my dad was in a band and when he died I got left a Gibson Les Paul.
I was just listening back to some early rock — Buddy Holly, Everly Brothers, Bob Dylan, The Police.
It’s been a nice moment to reflect on the identity of the band, if you know what I mean.
Q: How much of a different headspace where you in for this album as opposed to the previous record (“10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark”)?
A: So different. That record was all about re-imagining the band and evolving and being really out of our comfort zone — taking the guitars out and getting more industrial sounds. I had spent a lot of time in Berlin and was quite influenced just by the city.
I hadn’t found that kind of peace, you know? With that (previous) album, I was searching for something – in a big way.
And on this one, I think I’ve found it.
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