The Kooks’ next album is “darker” and “more psychedelic”.
Frontman Luke Pritchard has confirmed that the follow-up to 2025’s Never/Know is finished, revealing he finally got the chance to work with one of his dream producers, Tony Berg – the studio heavyweight behind records for Phoebe Bridgers and Sombr.
He told the Daily Star: “Yeah, I can tell you we’ve done it. We recorded it with Tony Berg, someone who’s been on my list for a long time to work with. He’s an unbelievable producer, and he pushed us.
“He really pushed me, especially with the songwriting, you know. And I went there, pulled some stuff out, and yeah, I think it could be one of our best records. Maybe our best work, and that’s amazing to say that. I know that everyone says that. Maybe not best, but like most accomplished.
“It’s got all the kind of DNA of the band. It’s got all of what we stand for, but it’s a bit darker, a bit more psychedelic. It’s got roots in it, you know? And he’s [Tony] a real behind the glass kind of producer, so he recorded a band. We did it very old school in that respect.”
The Seaside rockers spent a month living under one roof to get it right.
He said: “We did a residential. We all live in different corners of the country now. So we got together for four weeks and lived together and breathed together and made this record. It means a lot to me, this one. It took a lot for me to write it. That’s for sure. Yeah.”
The Kooks have been going since 2004, albeit with a few lineup changes along the way, and Luke says the secret to their success is not taking themselves “too seriously”.
On surviving the changes and challenges, he continued: “I think we’ve done well. I think we’ve had a lot of hardships. You know, like to lose out, like to have Max [Rafferty] first leave the band or whatever, however you want to put it, and then Paul [Garred] the drummer on our second album.
“That took years, man. You know, and beautiful guys and big partners in the band, and so that was like a real challenge. So I think it’s all been worth it, but it was it was hard. I think that that’s it. Got to push through.
“I feel really proud of us that we didn’t, you know, we didn’t even take a break. We didn’t even go, ‘okay we’re gonna fake like breaking up and then come back like two years later’. But we we just love making music together. That is true. You know, that’s the thing we get in the room. Me and Hugh [Harris] particularly, we just have a very strong chemistry, particularly with guitar playing. It’s like very electric to me still.”
