THE KOOKS thread

[~Ana~]

"Authorization Required

This server could not verify that you are authorized to access the document requested. Either you supplied the wrong credentials (e.g., bad password), or your browser doesn't understand how to supply the credentials required."

 

I can't open http://www.thekooks.com and http://www.thekooks.co.uk anymore. I can't even get through to the starting page . It directly pops up a new little window, asking me for a username & password. Huh?

 

I tried to go to the store site but couldn't, that was about a month ago so I had to google and it appeared and I was able to open it but it's strange

 

Ok, let me see if I can open that. EDIT : I can't, it tells me the same, I need a password thingie. Maybe they are updating the site!

Edited October 12, 2009 by ~Ana~

[Petra]

I tried to go to the store site but couldn't, that was about a month ago so I had to google and it appeared and I was able to open it but it's strange

 

Ok, let me see if I can open that. EDIT : I can't, it tells me the same, I need a password thingie. Maybe they are updating the site!

thekooks.co.uk is back

 

And I had the realisation that it would have been worth trying MY username & password from the forum there . Oh well

 

 

In other news - . I loveeeeeeeee it:

 

 

 

Oh, and one more of these "on the bus"-things but it seems that this is none of the videos from those creepy show-offy fangirls:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and pictures (not new but who cares?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Petra]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Petra]

Interesting what people can talk about when they aren't as stupid as we are

 

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=2367916

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting interesting -

 

http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/nov07/articles/thekooksguitartech.htm

 

 

(It's Adam)

 

 

Adam Stockdale: Guitar Tech for The Kooks

 

This month, Performing Musician cadges a backstage pass to meet talented Guitar Tech, Adam Stockdale, while he takes a break from keeping The Kooks' axes under control at some of the mightiest festivals in Europe.

 

 

Adam Stockdale's packed a lot in, for a guy of just 22. Since graduating with a music degree from Brighton Uni, he's found himself almost constantly on the road with the likes of The Maccabbees, Morcheeba and those big-haired kings of melodic pop, The Kooks. 'Tech-ing' isn't something he really planned to get into, but he couldn't be happier with the way things have turned out. And it's all thanks to a little part-time job he had at uni.

 

 

"I used to work with a guy called Mark Claydon, who was in a band called Pitchshifter," says Adam. "The job I was doing was maintenance on gear and looking after guitar equipment. He knew I was into guitars and that I knew a bit about them. They were about to do a tour and he just said to me, 'Do you want to come and tech on tour? I think you'd be quite good at it!'"

Since then, Adam's plied his trade with quite a few touring bands, including Cat The Dog, The Maccabees and This Is Menace. Then, one day this March, some old friends phoned him up with a nice little job opportunity.

"I actually knew them (The Kooks) from Brighton," says Adam. "I knew the bass player, Max, before the band were a band and because I knew him, I got to know all the others. I've been friends with Max for four years, and they got signed three years ago. Just through jamming with them, they knew I knew a lot about guitars and playing guitar. So, when the job opportunity came up, they were like, 'Do you want to come and work for us?' By that time, I'd been doing it for a few other people as well, so I'd earned my stripes, if you like!"

 

Adam does some work for each of The Kooks' guitarists. For lead man Hugh Harris, Adam manages everything, whilst also looking after lead singer and rhythm player, Luke Pritchard's acoustic guitars.

 

One of the first things Adam was responsible for when he joined up with the band was to take Hugh for a bit of boutique retail therapy.

 

"I joined in March and the guy who was tech before me had a lot of his own pedals on the pedal board," says Adam. "They were things he was trying out or experimenting with, so when he left he obviously took those with him. I joined and there were loads of big holes and Hugh said, 'Yeah, we need to go shopping!' We spent quite a lot of time in Denmark Street trying out lots of different boutique pedals. Hugh's quite good at knowing what sound he wants; he just doesn't know what he needs to buy to get there, so that's where I came in. He was like, 'I really want this sound', and I was like, 'Well, try this, this and this', and then we asked the guy in the shop, 'What do you think would do this best?' We pretty much spent the whole day trying everything they had, which I'm sure was quite tedious for the guy in the shop, but we got everything we wanted!"

 

As with any guitar tech, it's Adam's responsibility to ensure that everything runs smoothly guitar-wise at every gig The Kooks play. If something goes wrong, he's the man that takes the bullet. To this end, he maintains a highly sophisticated rig to a) minimise the chances of disaster, and b) give the guys as great a sound as possible.

 

"Hugh runs two Hiwatt Custom 50s in the front, and he's got two 2x12 cabs for each of those," explains Adam. "One is in the bright channel and one is in the low channel, so that is the top of the sound and the middle of the sound. Then behind the Hiwatts at the back, he has a little hand-wired Marshall — a 20W thing that we just crank and let the valves do the work — and that provides the bass. So, if (front of house) are having trouble, they just adjust whichever one they want to get the right frequency, and get the best sound out front. They're just run through a five-way selector that goes into a line selector, which the guitar goes straight into. So, the signal to the amp is direct. There's a main pedal board in one of the loops and then I put a spare pedal board in the second loop — in case anything goes wrong — so they can just switch between. They've got a lot going on, but it's the safest way."

This safety in numbers approach was partly taken because of Hugh's over-exuberance when treading the boards.

 

"I redesigned the whole thing because, when I joined, it was all in line," continues Adam. "So if anything went wrong, Hugh lost his sound altogether. But with that many pedals — and the fact that Hugh tends to get quite excited and jumps up and down on them — they did go wrong quite a lot. Actually on the pedal board, we have three main pedals in individual loops as well. So, if he breaks one of those, I can just change it while he's still playing and that saves having to take the whole pedal board away. And if something does go wrong with the overall thing, then you can just flip the line selector. That takes him to a spare pedal board, which gives me time to look at the main one, because it's not in line anymore. If the line selector fails, the third selection bypasses directly to the amp, so, even if it all broke, at least he would still have sound."

 

And, touch wood, the rig hasn't let Adam or The Kooks down yet. It also always helps when the crew is a solid rock steady unit — thinking as one, doing as one.

 

"Because everyone's been working together for quite a long time, everybody knows each other really well," says Adam. "From a working point of view, we know how each other works. So it makes it quite a well-oiled machine."

 

On the day of a gig, Adam and the rest of the crew have to start early, at the beginning of what is a daily routine to keep all the guitars in good shape.

"Load-in for the sound crew is normally at seven or eight in the morning," says Adam. "Then the lights go in, and the backline usually goes in around eleven or midday. We set up as soon as we get the all clear from everybody else. First, we set the backline up on stage, then our little guitar world on either side of the stage. Then, we check that everything works. I change Hugh's strings every day, but I never change them before sound check, because he usually breaks one during sound check. Next, I make sure that everything is in tune and working fine, and that it isn't loose or dirty. After sound check, I change his guitars and Luke's acoustics, and play them in during the few hours before the gig."

 

Adam also spends time looking after and maintaining the equipment when the band aren't actually gigging.

 

"Because I live in Brighton and the band live in Brighton, I spend quite a lot of time when we're not on tour just doing bits and bobs in the studio," says Adam. "If they break anything or something gets lost, it's a good chance for me to make new leads, check pedals, set up guitars and stuff. Rather than things going wrong on tour and me going, '****, I haven't got long to get this done'. It's much easier for me, and everybody else, if you just keep on top of things as they happen."

 

The next step, just prior to The Kooks' sound check, is to do the line checks with front of house. Adam takes control of Hugh's guitars and Luke's acoustic, ensuring that they're balanced up and sounding sweet and in tune, and also checks that Hugh's plethora of pedals are working as they should. He usually plucks out a few of his favourite riffs during line check — sometimes something by The Kooks, sometimes 'Kashmir' by Led Zeppelin, or something by Hendrix or Thin Lizzy. Once Adam and the other backline boys have completed the line checks, the band come on to sound check a couple of songs. Next, it's time to clear the stage for the support act(s). After they've played, it's lights, camera and action time — off with the support kit, ready up The Kooks' kit, distribute a few set lists, towels and bevvies on the stage, do one final line check and then, wham bam — it's showtime! During The Kooks' gigs, Adam's contributions are usually fairly straightforward (electronics permitting!)

 

"They don't have that many guitar changes, actually," says Adam. "I have to do quite a lot for Luke, because they've got five acoustic songs in the set and he changes quite regularly from acoustic to electric. Hugh only changes guitar twice in the set — he uses his Les Paul once and the 325 once — so he's not too bad. And everything's in standard tuning, which is quite nice. Other bands I've worked for have had ten guitars, lots of different tunings and then a spare guitar for every tuning, and that makes things a lot more confusing. Also, The Kooks use good gear, so it's pretty reliable. One of the weird things, actually, was the power. We found, both in America and in Europe, that the sockets are really poor. You have to use a converter and then your little adaptor, which sometimes gives you a few problems because they're just not very sturdy (they rattle around a bit and the power can go on and off). But it is avoidable."

 

After the band have rocked out the crowd, the auditorium's emptied and the kit's being packed back up into the flight cases, Adam makes sure he cleans down all of the guitars.

 

"For (cleaning) the bridge, the nut and the string grooves, I use either silicon gel or WD40 to keep it always wet, because going out of tune is often just something as simple as getting it caught somewhere," says Adam. "If you stress the strings in properly, they rarely go out of tune, unless it's something small like that. So, I keep them well oiled. On the neck, I use lemon oil because it cleans everything really nicely but evaporates after you've cleaned it, so it doesn't leave anything on there. I use normal guitar polish for the main guitar and every time I see a guitar, I just give it a wipe down and check that everything's fine."

 

 

This is advice that any guitarists should live and die by because, despite the fact that most people are not in a position to have their own guitar tech, instruments do need a steady amount of TLC.

 

"I used to be super careful with them," explains Adam. "But it's fine if you're just sensible with them — make sure they're always put in the case properly, never leave them anywhere where they could get knocked over or handled badly by anyone that shouldn't touch them. I change the strings every day, so obviously I'm pretty fast at it and I change two strings at a time. To anyone changing their own strings who isn't very quick at it, the guitar stays in tune best and is generally more stable if you change it the least amount possible. Changing one string at a time is a lot better than taking them all off and putting them all back on again, because it means you're only changing them a tiny bit. If you're quick at it, it won't really have an effect, but it can if you take them all off and give it a clean down. And it takes time to set it up again (like when you change the truss rod ), so it's much better to keep it as stable as possible. And maintenance — it's best to check things, rather than wait until they go wrong, because you can solve the problem before it actually happens."

 

Adam just can't believe the way things have been going for him since leaving uni just over a year ago. Touring Europe, America, and Australia with his mates (and getting paid for it) is not too bad at all! But with the personal talent he's got in the guitar department, it's not surprising to hear that Adam's got longer-term musical ambitions of his own.

 

"For me, this is weird, because I do want to play myself," says Adam. "But (from being a student) I owe a lot of money, so I need to work. In the meantime, this is a job that I love and take a lot of pride in doing well. I work with a band that I really get on with and I'm really happy doing it. I guess, in an ideal world, I'd be in their situation rather than mine. But for the next couple of years, I'm just going to stick with this. It's a really good job and it's a good opportunity to work for a big band and travel the world!"

[Petra]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2009 by Petra

[~Ana~]

thekooks.co.uk is back

 

And I had the realisation that it would have been worth trying MY username & password from the forum there . Oh well

 

But I tried that as well and it didn't work. I'll try again.

 

Oh, and pictures (not new but who cares?)

 

I like this

 

awww

Edited October 14, 2009 by ~Ana~

[Petra]

I NEEEEEED the first & the last picture in HQ

 

[Petra]

Ok, better. A bit.

 

Me likes the shape of Paul's legs

[~Ana~]

Ok, better. A bit.

 

Me likes the shape of Paul's legs

 

I can even see Pete's pin number

 

( The Kooks almost kill Jimmy yesterday I re-arranged my bedroom yesterday again and I was enjoying of the new looks of it and I was playing my ukulele on the bed and Jimmy was sitting next to me on the floor admiring me playing the ukulele when my mother came in and opened the windows and it was a very windy day yesterday (I sticky taped the kooks poster to a wood poster of the London theatre and put it on top of a new furniture for my stuffed toys, next to the mika one) and so the wind was so strong that The Kooks decided they were not strong enough to take it and that they would fall and kill Jimmy on their way to the floor taking with them of course 4 of my fellow stuffed friends too There was a centimeter separating Jimmy from The Kooks' hardcore poster, Jimmy was so scared and me too. The five of them are fine now though )

Edited October 21, 2009 by ~Ana~

[England]

 

 

I just thought that Pete (?) in the last picture was Luke, and I was like "what did luke do to his hair?! "

 

haha

[Petra]

Nice So they apparently did some sort of jam-session last September (2008!) which was shown on/in a German/French tv program.

 

There is a LITTLE video here in which Hugh promises to introduce the band in German (please do kill me)

http://www.arte.tv/de/suche/2238968.html

 

 

Oh, and some picture of the session:

 

 

 

Baby!

 

 

 

 

And the website says that there have never been any reruns of it so far.

 

*goes to check youtube*

 

 

Ok, so YT gives me this

(I couldnt detect any Kooks here though)

 

and that

(dito)

 

Waaaaaahhhhhh, I want to see / hear it!!! !

Edited October 25, 2009 by Petra

[~Ana~]

Nice So they apparently did some sort of jam-session last September (2008!) which was shown on/in a German/French tv program.

 

There is a LITTLE video here in which Hugh promises to introduce the band in German (please do kill me)

http://www.arte.tv/de/suche/2238968.html

 

 

Oh, and some picture of the session:

 

 

 

Baby!

 

 

 

 

And the website says that there have never been any reruns of it so far.

 

*goes to check youtube*

 

 

Ok, so YT gives me this

(I couldnt detect any Kooks here though)

 

and that

(dito)

 

Waaaaaahhhhhh, I want to see / hear it!!! !

 

haha. All I can say is, I the drummer.

[Petra]

haha. All I can say is, I the drummer.

Yes, he is hot, isn't he? I wonder if his career as an actor has progressed :think2:.

[~Ana~]

Yes, he is hot, isn't he? I wonder if his career as an actor has progressed :think2:.

 

so sweet

[Petra]

so sweet

I'm in love with your signature. I apparently copied it

[~Ana~]

I'm in love with your signature. I apparently copied it

 

he's gorgeous, I couldn't help it

 

THE MUSICAL DIFFERENCES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[~Ana~]

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=118915&id=5932128890&ref=nf Edited October 29, 2009 by ~Ana~

[Petra]

 

Legs, baby

 

Even better - FOOD!!!

 

Yummy. Paul.

 

I'm just posting this because it was on their website

 

!

 

!

[Petra]

 

Band? What band? ?

 

Paul

 

Well, uhm, yeah.

 

Guy in tux = yes.

 

No.

 

Yes.

 

And where is the drummer, pretty please?

[Petra]

Not the drummer, but I'll have him

 

 

 

 

Ugh, smoking is SO unhealthy!!!

 

:glasses:

 

Nice one

 

 

 

[Petra]

"Huh? Wtf?"

 

Drinking with Luke & Pete, part 35

 

 

 

Didnt we already have these?

 

!

 

Yes, go get him!!!

 

 

 

I will just try to concentrate on Paul, his legs, Hugh, his legs and Luke and NOT Pete .

[Petra]

Oh dear.

 

 

 

 

[Petra]

Kooks-blog

 

Monday, November 02, 2009

- Vote for The Kooks in the Song Of the Decade poll -

Absolute Radio UK (previously Virgin Radio) are currently holding a poll to find the Song Of The Decade and THE KOOKS have nine songs in the running...

 

 

As each of the following Kooks singles achieved a top 75 chart position since 2000, you can vote for one, or all, at http://songofthedecade.com/ (just search 'The Kooks' to select the song/s you'd like to vote for.)

 

 

Always Where I Need To Be

Eddie's Gun

Naive

Ooh La

She Moves In Her Own Way

Shine On

Sofa Song

Sway

You Don't Love Me

 

 

The top 100 will be played on the Christian O'Connell breakfast show on 11th December and voting closes on 30th November. All other info can be found here: http://songofthedecade.com/about.html.

[~Ana~]

Darn it, I need to keep up.

 

(Wait for ze review this evening )

[Oakie Doke]

Pete is sooooo gross

Rob is soooo perfect

Edited November 2, 2009 by Oakie Doke
(and friends with Ambrose on facebook)