THE KOOKS thread

[~Ana~]

Sorry for not scanning but photographing, and for my translation and for the stupid questions the magazine made. and for my bad deliveries when something's funny but I couldn't really make it sound funny.

 

 

 

 

 

Interview.

Introduction:They got together when they were 19, inspired by a David Bowie’s song to name their band; they have reached the hill with their two Studio records. Ladies and gentlemen, for you: The Kooks!

 

Even though they couldn’t enter to a club in the United States, they already were the owners of the indie world, or at least in England, where, as soon as they released their singles “Eddie’s gun” and “Sofa song” they were recognized immediately. Later, Lilly Allen consecrated them by doing a cover of one of their songs: “Naive”.

Inside In/Inside out was their first album, whereas for their second, Konk, they chose in between 80 tunes that Luke Pritchard had written and were ready to record. This last material brought them to Mexico to participate in one of the music festivals that are made every year. During this visit, three of their members revealed details of their life, work and, with laughter, they confirmed us the reasons for which we love them and their British humour.

See what Luke Pritchard (vocalist), Hugh Harris (guitar) and Peter Denton (bass) told us.

 

Interrogatory:

 

JOY> If someone asks you what is your album Konk about, what would you say?

 

Luke Pritchard> Is a very difficult question because it’s complicated to analise a record. Also because when we made it, it was a very hard process because we lost a band member. We were just trying to make a good and honest record.

 

Hugh Harris> Basically, this record sounds a lot more rocker than the first one, maybe we could define it better that way.

 

JOY> You wrote 80 songs before recording Konk, why so many?

 

LP> Our way of doing songs is very organic. We start singing something that comes to mind and go on playing anything that comes out in the moment. Our best ideas have emerged from the oddest ways: a jingle or things you wouldn’t imagine.

 

JOY> Since when did you notice you have the potential to make tunes?

 

LP> I didn’t really know I wanted to be a musician, but I started writing songs since I was a child. I did it because I wanted to have my own songs, even more than playing my own music. It was more the purpose of relieving myself with the lyrics, but later everything became real. I started to sing and then I thought of having a band. It was more solid my way of starting by writing than by playing.

 

JOY> Have you achieved everything you wanted to do as a band?

 

LP> We always try to take everything very calmly.

In this moment, of lots of changes for us, our interest is having a solid line up.

Because with the changes we’ve had (of members) the band almost became a new one but with the same name. It will take a time for us to get used to it again.

 

HH> Yes, in fact it’s all about a new and fresh start. I think all artists need to do that at some point. To know how to make yourself move to a side for a while is something that worked out very well for us, even though we never stopped working. In a way, we have to get used to it. It’s an excellent period for the band, definitively.

 

JOY> How does it feel to be the new band member?

 

Peter Denton> Threatening. (laughs.) I’m joking. Everything is incredible. We know each other for quite a while, just until now is that we took the decision for me to join. The idea of creating things together thrills me.

 

JOY> You think you’ll also join in the creative process?

 

PD> Maybe it’s all about a new start and at some point we’ll realise that I will also compose/write with them. For now we only focus in playing. We haven’t talked about that a lot, we haven’t had time.

 

LP> As we are always travelling from one place to another, we’ve only talked about these changes in a very informal way and we’ve let ourselves go on the things we have to do. We haven’t had the time to be alone and organise, we’ve been playing.

 

JOY> Your songs could be included in the rock video games although there’s still no vacant available. Would you like to do it?

 

HH> I hate those video games! Really, I’m very bad at those things.

 

LP> Hugh hates them because he thinks it is better to play that you’re a real musician.

 

HH> It would be much happier if our followers learnt to play our songs with a real guitar and not with buttons. I hate them because I’m very bad at those games! Is a lie that when you play an instrument you can play Guitar Hero. It’s supposed to be that it’s all about the rhythm but that’s a lie. I feel like a robot when I play, I prefer to play with my band. Although it’s a good business to release our albums there. (laughs.)

 

JOY> Talking about new business, what do you think about the music business?

 

LP> It’s exciting what's going on if you see it from a band’s point of view though it also worries us. As a group, what we like to do is play and make good records, that’s what motivates us. And it doesn’t matter the way the people listens to the music, the important thing is that you’re present on it. It really is that the record labels are finding ways to make new businesses but for us playing is the important thing. Although the formats will still be from 13 to 15 songs, commercialization is a big enigma.

 

HH> It’s weird because if you listen a recommendation on the radio or other media, for the artist it doesn’t have any sense, of course for the commercialization is a good thing to listen to the single, but I think artists lose the opportunity to have people listen to their complete albums.

Now everything goes so fast that people doesn’t have the patience when they hear things on the internet.

 

PD> I think, at this time, to have success you have to offer a whole package, not only by being a good musician but also by having things that make people feel good. It doesn’t matter what happens with the industry, the people will always need music and will continue buying it.

 

JOY> Has your life changed with the success? How do you do to keep your feet on earth with all the fame?

 

LP> We use brute force. (laughs)

 

HH> We don’t take fame as something really serious; Also because all the people around us are very cool, so that also makes it an easy homework. In any case, people would tell us how to deal with fame if we loose our heads or at least our families would do it.

 

JOY> What is the thing you like the most about being in a band?

 

HH> Our favorite activity is travelling. Other than playing, we love to see different places and meet people. Basically, we like very much what we do and it involves a lot of entertaining things.

 

JOY> Lots of people catalogue you as crazy, even your name says that, do you use to make things without sense on stage or what is this all about?

 

PD> Well, we do make some crazy things.

The most absurd thing that has happened to me: One day, during a show, I was impatient to go to the toilet, I couldn’t wait any longer, so, I stood on the back of the stage, where nobody could see me, or at least that’s what I think, and pee-d there, on some wires, cables or something like that.

 

JOY> In general, people see rockstars like crazy persons, don’t you think?

 

HH> Of course, it happens to us that we have fun and we do things without thinking in the repercutions, because we can do it, but we are not partying all the time.

 

LP> We do other things, like play tennis together or other activities. (laughs). We occasionally go to gigs together.

 

PD> Sometimes that’s a frustrating thing about being an artist: you spend your time travelling and when you want to do something, like go to a concert or to a reunion, lots of times you just can’t do it.

 

JOY> A lot of people met you for the cover that Lilly Allen made of your song “Naive”, Do you like the cover?

 

HH> We like covers.

 

LP> I went to school with her, so I know her very well, she’s a friend. Although, to be honest, I don’t like her version. (laughs).

 

JOY> What do you listen to lately?

 

HH> We like songs from the 80’s, I lately can’t stop listening to Madonna, for instance. But not the new stuff, the oldies.

 

PD> I like Kings of Leon a lot and many other new bands.

 

JOY> Is there a formula to reach success?

 

PD> Play a lot and try to be always the best, maybe?

 

HH> No, I think it has to do a lot with luck, we have a lot of friends who are very talented and they don’t do very good because the right people haven’t listened to them.

It’s weird, it has to do with work but also to have the fortune of meeting the right people, I suppose.

 

JOY> What did you spect of Mexico?

 

HH> We didn’t really spect many people to know us here. We now plan on doing a tour across South America and other places very soon. We will definitively return to North America - Mexico because it surprised us a lot.

 

JOY> Were Mexican girls attracted to you?

 

HH> Of course! We saw they like to have fun. We were at a party and they didn’t stop dancing, looks like it’s something imperative in Latin America. They love to dance!

 

JOY> So, who got a catch?

 

HH> No one! We are very timid with the girls, even if it doesn’t look like we are.

 

LP> Yeah! We always get nervous.

Edited April 28, 2009 by ~Ana~

[England]

Sorry for not scanning but photographing, and for my translation and for the stupid questions the magazine made. and for my bad deliveries when something's funny but I couldn't really make it sound funny.

 

 

 

 

 

Interview.

Introduction:They got together when they were 19, inspired by a David Bowie’s song to name their band; they have reached the hill with their two Studio records. Ladies and gentlemen, for you: The Kooks!

 

Even though they couldn’t enter to a club in the United States, they already were the owners of the indie world, or at least in England, where, as soon as they released their singles “Eddie’s gun” and “Sofa song” they were recognized immediately. Later, Lilly Allen consecrated them by doing a cover of one of their songs: “Naive”.

Inside In/Inside out was their first album, whereas for their second, Konk, they chose in between 80 tunes that Luke Pritchard had written and were ready to record. This last material brought them to Mexico to participate in one of the music festivals that are made every year. During this visit, three of their members revealed details of their life, work and, with laughter, they confirmed us the reasons for which we love them and their British humour.

See what Luke Pritchard (vocalist), Hugh Harris (guitar) and Peter Denton (bass) told us.

 

Interrogatory:

 

JOY> If someone asks you what is your album Konk about, what would you say?

 

Luke Pritchard> Is a very difficult question because it’s complicated to analise a record. Also because when we made it, it was a very hard process because we lost a band member. We were just trying to make a good and honest record.

 

Hugh Harris> Basically, this record sounds a lot more rocker than the first one, maybe we could define it better that way.

 

JOY> You wrote 80 songs before recording Konk, why so many?

 

LP> Our way of doing songs is very organic. We start singing something that comes to mind and go on playing anything that comes out in the moment. Our best ideas have emerged from the oddest ways: from a jingle or things you wouldn’t imagine.

 

JOY> Since when did you notice you have the potential to make tunes?

 

LP> I didn’t really know I wanted to be a musician, but I started writing songs since I was a child. I did it because I wanted to have my own songs, even more than playing my own music. It was more the purpose of relieving myself with the lyrics, but later everything became real. I started to sing and then I thought of having a band. It was more solid my way of starting writing than playing.

 

JOY> Have you achieved everything you wanted to do as a band?

 

LP> We always try to take everything very calm.

In this moment, of lots of changes for us, our interest is having a solid line up.

Because with the changes we’ve had (of members) the band almost became a new one but with the same name. It will take a time for us to get used to it again.

 

HH> Yes, in fact it’s all about a new and fresh start. I think all artists need to do that at some point. To know how to make yourself move to a side for a while is something that worked out very well for us, even though we never stopped working. In a way, we have to get used to it. It’s an excellent period for the band, definitively.

 

JOY> How does it feel to be the new band member?

 

Peter Denton> Threatening. (laughs.) I’m joking. Everything is incredible. We know each other for quite a while, just until now we took the decision for me to join. The idea of creating things together thrills me.

 

JOY> You think you’ll also join in the creative process?

 

PD> Maybe it’s all about a new start and at some point we’ll realise that I will also compose with them. For now we only focus in playing. We haven’t talked about that a lot, we haven’t had time.

 

LP> As we are always travelling from one place to another, we’ve only talked about these changes in a very informal way and we’ve let ourselves go on the things we have to do. We haven’t had the time to be alone and organise, we’ve been playing.

 

JOY> Your songs could be included in the rock video games although there’s still no vacant available. Would you like to do it?

 

HH> I hate those video games! Really, I’m very bad at those things.

 

LP> Hugh hates them because he thinks it is better to play that you’re a real musician.

 

HH> It would be much happier if our followers learnt to play our songs with a real guitar and not with buttons. I hate them because I’m very bad at those games! Is a lie that when you play an instrument you can play Guitar Hero. It’s supposed to be that it’s all about the rhythm but that’s a lie. I feel like a robot when I play, I prefer to play with my band. Although it’s a good business to release our albums there. (laughs.)

 

JOY> Talking about new business, what do you think about the music business?

 

LP> It’s exciting what going on if you see it from a band’s point of view though it also worries us. As a group, what we like to do is play and make good records, that’s what motivates us. And it doesn’t mater the way the people listens to the music, the important thing is that you’re present. It really is that the record labels are finding ways to make new businesses but for us playing is the important thing. Although the formats will still be from 13 to 15 songs, commercialization is big enigma.

 

HH> It’s weird because if you listen a recommendation on the radio or other media, for the artist it doesn’t have any sense, of course for the commercialization is a good thing to listen to the single, but I think artists lose the opportunity to have people listen to their complete albums.

Now everything goes so fast that people doesn’t have the patience when they hear things on the internet.

 

PD> I think, in this time, to have success you have to offer a whole package, not only by being a good musician but also by having things that make people feel good. It doesn’t matter what happens with the industry, the people will always need music and will continue buying it.

 

JOY> Has your life changed with the success? How do you do to keep your feet on earth with all the fame?

 

LP> We use brute force. (laughs)

 

HH> We don’t take fame as something really serious; Also because all the people around us are very cool, so that also makes it an easy homework. In any case, people would tell us how to deal with fame if we loose our heads or at least our families would do it.

 

JOY> What is the thing you like the most about being in a band?

 

HH> Our favorite activity is travelling. Other than playing, we love to see different places and meet people. Basically, we like very much what we do and it involves a lot of entertaining things.

 

JOY> Lots of people catalogue you as crazy, even your name says that, do you use to make things without sense on stage or what is this all about?

 

PD> Well, we do make some crazy things.

The most absurd thing that has happened to me: One day, during a show, I was impatient to go to the toilet, I couldn’t wait any longer, so, I stood on the back of the stage, where nobody could see me, or at least that’s what I think and peed there, on some wires, cables or something like that.

 

JOY> In general, people see rockstars like crazy, don’t you think?

 

HH> Of course, it happens to us that we have fun and we do things without thinking in the repercutions, because we can do it, but we are not partying all the time.

 

LP> We do other things, like play tennis together or other activities. (laughs). We occasionally go to gigs together.

 

PD> Sometimes that’s a frustrating thing of being an artist: you spend your time travelling and when you want to do something, like going to a concert o to a reunion, lots of times you just can’t do it.

 

JOY> A lot of people met you for the cover that Lilly Allen made of your song “Naive”, Do you like the cover?

 

HH> We like covers.

 

LP> I went to school with her, so I know her vey well, she’s a friend. Although, to be honest, I don’t like her version. (laughs).

 

JOY> What do you listen to lately?

 

HH> We like songs from the 80’s, I lately can’t stop listening to Madonna, for instance. But not the new stuff, the oldies.

 

PD> I like Kings of Leon a lot and many other new bands.

 

JOY> Is there a formula to get success?

 

PD> Play a lot and try to be always the best, maybe?

 

HH> No, I think it has to do a lot with luck, we have a lot of friends who are very talented and they don’t do very good because the right people haven’t listened to them.

It’s weird, it has to do with work but also to have the fortune of meeting the right people, I suppose.

 

JOY> What did you spect of Mexico?

 

HH> We didn’t really spect many people to know us here. We now plan on doing a tour across South America and other places very soon. We will definitively return to North America, Mexico because it surprised us a lot.

 

JOY> Were Mexican girls attracted to you?

 

HH> Of course! We saw they like to have fun. We were at a party and they didn’t stop dancing, looks like it’s something imperative in Latin America. They love to dance!

 

JOY> So, who got a catch?

 

HH> No one! We are very timid with the girls, even if it doesn’t look like it.

 

LP> Yeah! We always get nervous.

 

 

thanks for that!

 

I'll read it all tomorrow:punk:

[~Ana~]

I just edited it a bit.

 

4 pages of the kooks is like heaven right now! and I didn't even know this Joy magazine existed and that they had something from the kooks on the magazine, luckily a friend told me she saw 'something' from the kooks in 'a magazine' she was quickly viewing while waiting on the supermarket cashier queue, the next day: me, at the supermarket in the magazine section looking for the magazine like a crazy, searching for a hint of the kooks somewhere...no, the cover of the magazine doesn't have anything saying there's an interview of the kooks inside, na ah! nothing. I had to call my friend who happened to be taking a nap, she didn't answer until I sent my second text msg. she had a flashback and remembered the name of the magazine yay!!!

 

hahah

[Petra]

Sorry for not scanning but photographing, and for my translation and for the stupid questions the magazine made. and for my bad deliveries when something's funny but I couldn't really make it sound funny.

 

Awwwwwwwwwww!!!!! And I really like that they say what they think (or at least that it seems as if)

 

 

 

I found some pictures (and I so don't have time to upload them but anyway). They are huge and so - click to get the original versions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Petra]

 

 

 

[Petra]

 

 

 

[Petra]

 

I stole these off MySpace, no idea whether they are in the bigger versions as well (I'm too lazy to check):

 

 

 

 

 

[Petra]

 

 

Mmmmmhhh.... two Hughs

 

[Petra]

 

 

 

(me)

 

(Pete)

[Petra]

Some more big ones:

 

 

 

[Petra]

 

 

[Petra]

 

 

[Petra]

 

[Petra]

 

[Petra]

I need to go and work for uni

 

[Oakie Doke]

Luke's haircut looks exceptionally crap

[FOUCHONNERET]

Luke's haircut looks exceptionally crap

 

thanks petra for all those pics!

 

i don't really like his hair,i prefer them a little bit longer:wub2:

[England]

 

hmm yeah I like lukes hair a bit longer

[marlau_20zr]

i couldn`t get tickets to see them on June

the tickets sold out in ONE DAY!

it`s in a place like the Roxy in LA.. it`s called "La Trastienda".. about 700 people.. two shows sold out in 1 day

[England]

i couldn`t get tickets to see them on June

the tickets sold out in ONE DAY!

it`s in a place like the Roxy in LA.. it`s called "La Trastienda".. about 700 people.. two shows sold out in 1 day

 

wow thats so quick:shocked:

[marlau_20zr]

wow thats so quick:shocked:

 

yep...

they annouced the first show on monday for June 18th and on tuesday there were no more tickets, they put another show for the following day (June 19th) and in one day there were no tickets again..

[England]

yep...

they annouced the first show on monday for June 18th and on tuesday there were no more tickets, they put another show for the following day (June 19th) and in one day there were no tickets again..

 

oh I'm sorry about that

 

maybe they will come back for another gig...

[marlau_20zr]

oh I'm sorry about that

 

maybe they will come back for another gig...

 

yeah.. i hope so

 

at least i`ll save that money to see Depeche Mode on October

[England]

yeah.. i hope so

 

at least i`ll save that money to see Depeche Mode on October

 

 

oh cool

[Petra]

yeah.. i hope so

 

at least i`ll save that money to see Depeche Mode on October

 

Oi! I really hope that they'll come back soon! It's a shame, really! They should really play more gigs and / or bigger venues .