The Kooks

The Kooks

The Kooks are an indie rock and alternative rock band from Brighton, United Kingdom, formed in 2004. The group is associated with indie pop, pop rock and rock, and has released music through EMI and Virgin. Their line-up changes over time, and members listed include Luke Pritchard, Hugh Harris, Alexis Nunez, Max Rafferty, Paul Garred, Dan Logan and Peter Denton.

Formation and early work

The band forms at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, where the members are students. Luke Pritchard, who sings and plays guitar, brings bassist Max Rafferty into a college project that becomes the basis of the group. Lead guitarist Hugh Harris and drummer Paul Garred then join. The band takes its name from the David Bowie song “Kooks” from the 1971 album Hunky Dory. When they try to trademark the name, they discover another Swedish band with the same name that releases an album called Too Much is Not Enough in Sweden in the late 1990s.

Albums and chart success

The Kooks release five studio albums. Their debut, Inside In/Inside Out (2006), reaches number two on the UK Albums Chart, while Konk (2008) reaches number one. Their third album, Junk of the Heart, is shaped by Pritchard writing lyrics with a strong emotional tone; the phrase “junk of the heart” recurs in his writing. The album follows in 2011. The band later releases Listen in 2014 and Let’s Go Sunshine in 2018, both of which reach the UK top 20.

Current line-up

The band is active from 2004 to the present. The current line-up is given as Luke Pritchard on vocals and guitar, Hugh Harris on guitar, and Alexis Nunez on drums.