The Kooks

The Kooks
The Kooks performing at the Hurricane Festival, Germany in 2006. From left: Luke Pritchard, Paul Garred (on drums) and Max Rafferty. Hugh Harris is not shown in the image.
Background information
OriginBrighton, England
Genres
Years active2004–present
LabelsVirgin, EMI
Members
  • Luke Pritchard
  • Hugh Harris
  • Alexis Nuñez
Past members
  • Peter Denton
  • Max Rafferty
  • Paul Garred
Websitethekooks.com

The Kooks (/kks/) are an English pop-rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton.[1] The band consists of Luke Pritchard (vocals/rhythm guitar), Hugh Harris (lead guitar/synthesizer/bass) and Alexis Nunez (drums).

Their music is primarily influenced by the 1960s British Invasion movement and post-punk revival of the new millennium.[2] The Kooks have experimented in several genres including rock, Britpop, pop, reggae, ska, and more recently, funk and hip-hop, being described once as a "more energetic Thrills or a looser Sam Roberts Band, maybe even a less severe Arctic Monkeys at times".[3]

Signed to Virgin Records just three months after forming, the Kooks broke into the musical mainstream with their debut album Inside In/Inside Out (2006). The album was ultimately successful, achieving quadruple platinum status in the UK within a year and also overseas in the form of a platinum certification in Australia and two times platinum in Ireland. The Kooks found themselves entering into mainstream media attention, with the band winning the award for Best UK & Ireland Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2006 and picking up a nomination at The Brit Awards for the single "She Moves in Her Own Way".[4][5] With their follow-up Konk (2008) debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart, it recorded first week sales of 65,000, achieving gold status in both the UK and Ireland.[6] Their third studio album, entitled Junk of the Heart, was released on 12 September 2011. Their fourth album Listen was released on 8 September 2014. Their most recent album 10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark was released on 22 July 2022 and peaked at No. 32 on the UK Albums Chart.

  1. ^ "The Kooks - About". Facebook.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Prefix was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "The Kooks, Inside In/Inside Out Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Host Timberlake in MTV double win". BBC News. 3 November 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  5. ^ "Lily Allen, Muse head list of BRIT Award nominations". NME. 16 January 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  6. ^ "The Official Charts Company - The Kooks". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2009.