He's the controversial frontman who penned much of the soundtrack to your teenage years. Now, after the first two songs from The Kooks' upcoming album Listen had fans and critics alike buzzing excitedly about the band again, we speak to Luke Pritchard about straw trilbies, Myspace and fighting with One Direction.** **
So is your new album a bit different from the last two?
We didn’t really architect the reinvention, but we took a bit of time out after our third album. I ended up going to the States and I did quite a bit of writing just on my own and just kind of got into some different types of music.** **This album definitely has all the cards, all the hallmarks of what we were. But yeah, we turned a corner and I think a lot of people who didn’t like The Kooks before will like this record. It’s just different.
You've said this album was made after a difficult year. Can you tell us about that?
Yeah, we all went through our own different things but for me I had a really rough year where in like 2012/2013 I was just really down. I didn’t feel great about things and, in a way, the music saved me. I turned all my attention to my music and everything started getting good again and I think I put a lot of that into the album.
**Naive was pretty much the sixth-form anthem. Why did that song do so well?
I mean, to be honest, we didn’t actually want to record that one as we weren’t really into the song much at the time ourselves. It wasn’t one that I thought was going to be a big hit. It’s hard to analyse your own stuff and try to work out why it appeals to people. I don’t sit at home playing it, but when we’re on stage it’s got that really powerful chorus so even though it’s kind of about being betrayed, it’s still quite uplifting.
So you guys started out back when everyone was really into Myspace, but obviously social media's changed quite a bit since then...
Yeah, I have to be careful with Twitter, otherwise I get into trouble…
Oh yes, you had a fight with Liam from One Direction didn't you?
Yeah. Sometimes you forget it’s a pure outlet to the world and I think it’s quite strange for people who do what we do, because at the end of the day I never really think that people pay attention to what I say because it’s more about the music and songs you make. But obviously people do pick up on what you say and you can get in trouble for it!
Do you find it weird that your fans have that instant access to you?
I think there is an element in that the mystique is lost, like the private element of things. I kind of hate the idea of celebrity. Celebrity used to mean someone who did something great, but now it just means someone that people know. And I don’t really get that. So there are people who expect that just because even though I don’t see myself and the band as celebrities, we’re sort of known and we’ve been in that world where we’re expected to share everything.
Was it frustrating when the paparazzi used to hound you?
Yeah it is, but it’s a love/hate thing. When you’re out and about, it's quite exciting when you’re young so you think it’s quite fun. You’re in new clubs and people are taking photos and it can be quite exciting. But now it’s not something that appeals to me anymore. And I think having my photo taken with the girls I went out with is just one of those things that happens y’know. You’re young and all of a sudden you have this opportunity to meet people like that and you’re like…’Fuuuck!’ . I used to see Fearne Cotton a bit and I was like, ‘I used to watch her on TV!’ And she’s a really cool girl as well, so it was nice but that was my first thing in the papers. I must admit I did find it hard; it wasn’t an enjoyable thing constantly worrying about being in the paper the next day for being a drunk lout, y’know?
And do you regret the straw trilby years?
Haha! Yeah, I would never wear one again. We actually tried to burn one on stage once, like a death to the straw trilby. But yeah, at the time it was the look!
*The Kooks' new album Listen is out **1 **September. *
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.