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| The Kooks and Hard-Fi on the last great wave of British guitar bands | The Kooks and Hard-Fi on the last great wave of British guitar bands |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The Kooks and Hard-Fi were among a wave of guitar bands who sold millions of records in the 2000s | The Kooks and Hard-Fi were among a wave of guitar bands who sold millions of records in the 2000s |
| "I'm pretty sure we hung out in Brixton. Hopefully I didn't embarrass myself." | "I'm pretty sure we hung out in Brixton. Hopefully I didn't embarrass myself." |
| Luke Pritchard, the eternally youthful lead singer of The Kooks, is reintroducing himself to fellow indie survivor and Hard-Fi frontman, Richard Archer. | Luke Pritchard, the eternally youthful lead singer of The Kooks, is reintroducing himself to fellow indie survivor and Hard-Fi frontman, Richard Archer. |
| Both admit the 2000s, when they each sold millions of records, are a bit of a blur. | Both admit the 2000s, when they each sold millions of records, are a bit of a blur. |
| "But I think I'd remember if you'd done something odd," reassures Archer, all chiselled good looks and friendly bonhomie. | "But I think I'd remember if you'd done something odd," reassures Archer, all chiselled good looks and friendly bonhomie. |
| "It's weird, because we were all part of the same scene but, when you're on tour, everyone's like planets, orbiting around but missing each other." | "It's weird, because we were all part of the same scene but, when you're on tour, everyone's like planets, orbiting around but missing each other." |
| The Kooks and The 'Fi were at the epicentre of the last great indie boom – a scene that kicked off in 2002 when The Libertines jolted British guitar music out of its post-Britpop slump. | The Kooks and The 'Fi were at the epicentre of the last great indie boom – a scene that kicked off in 2002 when The Libertines jolted British guitar music out of its post-Britpop slump. |
| Over the next half-decade, they joined acts like Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight as they surfed a wave to the top of the charts. | Over the next half-decade, they joined acts like Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight as they surfed a wave to the top of the charts. |
| Angular riffs, clever-clever lyrics and big, hooky choruses were the order of the day. | Angular riffs, clever-clever lyrics and big, hooky choruses were the order of the day. |
| By 2006, seven of the UK's 10 best-selling new albums were by guitar bands, including the Arctic Monkeys' incendiary debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, and The Kooks' Inside In/Inside Out. | By 2006, seven of the UK's 10 best-selling new albums were by guitar bands, including the Arctic Monkeys' incendiary debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, and The Kooks' Inside In/Inside Out. |
| But the party couldn't last forever. | But the party couldn't last forever. |
| In 2008, The Word magazine coined the phrase "indie landfill" to describe a seemingly endless parade of identikit bloke-bands cluttering the airwaves. | In 2008, The Word magazine coined the phrase "indie landfill" to describe a seemingly endless parade of identikit bloke-bands cluttering the airwaves. |
| Where were they all coming from? Why couldn't you tell them apart? Why where they all called "The Something"? | Where were they all coming from? Why couldn't you tell them apart? Why where they all called "The Something"? |
| Almost overnight, radio stations ditched indie for a new generation of forward-thinking pop (Lady Gaga, Florence + The Machine) and club-centric hip-hop (Black Eyed Peas, Dizzee Rascal). | Almost overnight, radio stations ditched indie for a new generation of forward-thinking pop (Lady Gaga, Florence + The Machine) and club-centric hip-hop (Black Eyed Peas, Dizzee Rascal). |
| "It did suddenly seem that four boys in a band became very un-hip," says Archer. | "It did suddenly seem that four boys in a band became very un-hip," says Archer. |
| "The opportunities dried up in England," agrees Pritchard. "We were playing smaller venues and the vibe just wasn't exciting any more." | "The opportunities dried up in England," agrees Pritchard. "We were playing smaller venues and the vibe just wasn't exciting any more." |
| "It got to a point where we were just exhausted," Archer continues. "It felt like we were screaming into the void. So we stopped and tried other things." | "It got to a point where we were just exhausted," Archer continues. "It felt like we were screaming into the void. So we stopped and tried other things." |
| Hard-Fi in 2004 (left-right): Ross Phillips, Kai Stephens, Richard Archer and Steve Kemp. | |
| In the 2010s, Hard-Fi's guitarist Ross Phillips retrained as a tiler, while Archer formed the short-lived blues band OffWorld. | In the 2010s, Hard-Fi's guitarist Ross Phillips retrained as a tiler, while Archer formed the short-lived blues band OffWorld. |
| But when he streamed an acoustic set of Hard-Fi songs during Covid, the response was big enough to tempt the band back on stage. A one-off gig at London's Forum sold out in minutes. | But when he streamed an acoustic set of Hard-Fi songs during Covid, the response was big enough to tempt the band back on stage. A one-off gig at London's Forum sold out in minutes. |
| "The response was just so warm. I was quite taken aback by it," says Archer. | "The response was just so warm. I was quite taken aback by it," says Archer. |
| The show led to a full reunion. This summer, the band will release a 20th anniversary edition of their class-conscious, Mercury Prize-nominated debut, Stars of CCTV, while preparing a long-delayed fourth album. | The show led to a full reunion. This summer, the band will release a 20th anniversary edition of their class-conscious, Mercury Prize-nominated debut, Stars of CCTV, while preparing a long-delayed fourth album. |
| The Kooks, meanwhile, never went away, recording a clutch of more experimental albums that blended drum loops, pastoral pop and even Ethiopian jazz influences. | The Kooks, meanwhile, never went away, recording a clutch of more experimental albums that blended drum loops, pastoral pop and even Ethiopian jazz influences. |
| But today, the band are bigger than ever after hits like Naïve and Ooh La found a new audience on TikTok. | But today, the band are bigger than ever after hits like Naïve and Ooh La found a new audience on TikTok. |
| Later this year, they will headline the O2 Arena for the first time, with18 to 24-year-olds making up 45% of the audience. | Later this year, they will headline the O2 Arena for the first time, with18 to 24-year-olds making up 45% of the audience. |
| How do they explain this sudden revival? | How do they explain this sudden revival? |
| "We're at that point where teenagers start going back to listen to the music their parents grew up with," Pritchard observes. | "We're at that point where teenagers start going back to listen to the music their parents grew up with," Pritchard observes. |
| "In the 90s, we did it too, going back and discovering Nick Drake, so there's a circular nature to it. The scene, and even the fashion, has come around again." | "In the 90s, we did it too, going back and discovering Nick Drake, so there's a circular nature to it. The scene, and even the fashion, has come around again." |
| But there's something else, too. Songs like The Kooks' She Moves In Her Own Way and Hard-Fi's Hard To Beat have something that went missing in the 2010s - choruses you can sing until you're hoarse. | But there's something else, too. Songs like The Kooks' She Moves In Her Own Way and Hard-Fi's Hard To Beat have something that went missing in the 2010s - choruses you can sing until you're hoarse. |
| "Yeah, that anthemic thing was removed from guitar music," agrees Pritchard. "People started consuming music on earbuds, so they connected with the introspective stuff. | "Yeah, that anthemic thing was removed from guitar music," agrees Pritchard. "People started consuming music on earbuds, so they connected with the introspective stuff. |
| "But when we were gathering a little fanbase in Brighton, we'd play all these small clubs and you'd filter the setlist by whether people could sing along to the hook." | "But when we were gathering a little fanbase in Brighton, we'd play all these small clubs and you'd filter the setlist by whether people could sing along to the hook." |
| Both bands were regular guests at the NME Awards - but never managed to walk away with a trophy | Both bands were regular guests at the NME Awards - but never managed to walk away with a trophy |
| Archer recalls the grind of those early tours. In their first year, he reckons, Hard-Fi were on the road for "almost 365 days". | Archer recalls the grind of those early tours. In their first year, he reckons, Hard-Fi were on the road for "almost 365 days". |
| But with one grassroots venue closing every fortnight in the UK, it's getting harder to book tours and road-test songs. | But with one grassroots venue closing every fortnight in the UK, it's getting harder to book tours and road-test songs. |
| "What worries me is, if you're a new artist now, do you have the opportunity to go out there and make mistakes and fix them?" says Archer. | "What worries me is, if you're a new artist now, do you have the opportunity to go out there and make mistakes and fix them?" says Archer. |
| A shrinking live scene isn't the only upheaval in the industry. | A shrinking live scene isn't the only upheaval in the industry. |
| The Kooks' debut album sold 1.5 million copies in 2006 – making it the fifth biggest record of the year. Compare that with 2024, when the best-selling album in the UK (Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department) only sold 600,000 copies. | The Kooks' debut album sold 1.5 million copies in 2006 – making it the fifth biggest record of the year. Compare that with 2024, when the best-selling album in the UK (Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department) only sold 600,000 copies. |
| Streams have cannibalised sales, turning every artist into a cult act. It doesn't help that opportunities for promoting music have dried up. | Streams have cannibalised sales, turning every artist into a cult act. It doesn't help that opportunities for promoting music have dried up. |
| The only music TV show left standing is Later... With Jools Holland, while weekly music magazines like the NME are no more - not that everyone laments its demise. | The only music TV show left standing is Later... With Jools Holland, while weekly music magazines like the NME are no more - not that everyone laments its demise. |
| "We were never the best friends with the NME," laughs Archer. | "We were never the best friends with the NME," laughs Archer. |
| "Who was?" asks Pritchard. "There were two or three anointed bands and the rest of us were cast out." | "Who was?" asks Pritchard. "There were two or three anointed bands and the rest of us were cast out." |
| Are there any reviews seared into their memories? | Are there any reviews seared into their memories? |
| "No, I've done a lot of work on that," Pritchard jokes. "But I definitely was more sensitive than I should have been." | "No, I've done a lot of work on that," Pritchard jokes. "But I definitely was more sensitive than I should have been." |
| "How can you not be, though?" asks Archer. "They're criticising something you've sweated blood and tears over." | "How can you not be, though?" asks Archer. "They're criticising something you've sweated blood and tears over." |
| While compiling the anniversary edition of Stars of CCTV, he found an old clipping where a critic said the band's fans didn't understand real music. | While compiling the anniversary edition of Stars of CCTV, he found an old clipping where a critic said the band's fans didn't understand real music. |
| "I kept it," he says, "so I could get revenge later." | "I kept it," he says, "so I could get revenge later." |
| "You should frame it and put it in the loo," Pritchard suggests. | "You should frame it and put it in the loo," Pritchard suggests. |
| "Then I'd just be angry every time I have a dump." | "Then I'd just be angry every time I have a dump." |
| The Kooks are about to embark on their biggest arena tour to date | The Kooks are about to embark on their biggest arena tour to date |
| But the music press was powerful in the 2000s. Both frontmen recall feeling pressure to live up to the NME's ideal of a gobby frontman. | But the music press was powerful in the 2000s. Both frontmen recall feeling pressure to live up to the NME's ideal of a gobby frontman. |
| Archer, a thoughtful and introspective character, was even provoked into saying he wanted to be the biggest star in the world. | Archer, a thoughtful and introspective character, was even provoked into saying he wanted to be the biggest star in the world. |
| "I don't see the point in being just another indie band," he boasted in one interview. "What's the point of being parochial and small-time? I'm in competition with Eminem." | "I don't see the point in being just another indie band," he boasted in one interview. "What's the point of being parochial and small-time? I'm in competition with Eminem." |
| "You had to be super-confident and say provocative things," Pritchard reflects now. | "You had to be super-confident and say provocative things," Pritchard reflects now. |
| "But what I learned is that a lot of songwriters are introspective, insular people - and when you throw them in front of a camera, it's quite challenging." | "But what I learned is that a lot of songwriters are introspective, insular people - and when you throw them in front of a camera, it's quite challenging." |
| With hindsight, both men emerged from the 2000s relatively unscathed, and share a newfound appreciation for their early records. | With hindsight, both men emerged from the 2000s relatively unscathed, and share a newfound appreciation for their early records. |
| Pritchard, in particular, is revisiting the breathless pop of The Kooks' first two albums on their new record Never/Know, released this week. | Pritchard, in particular, is revisiting the breathless pop of The Kooks' first two albums on their new record Never/Know, released this week. |
| "I felt like I slightly lost my identity [because] I'd been collaborating with outside producers so much," he says. | "I felt like I slightly lost my identity [because] I'd been collaborating with outside producers so much," he says. |
| "So I went back and played all the records we were listening to when we started - not to repeat ourselves, but to get a firm hand on the identity again." | "So I went back and played all the records we were listening to when we started - not to repeat ourselves, but to get a firm hand on the identity again." |
| The result is an album that's perfectly timed for summer road trips and sun-soaked festival sets, replete with buoyant melodies and timeless guitar grooves. | The result is an album that's perfectly timed for summer road trips and sun-soaked festival sets, replete with buoyant melodies and timeless guitar grooves. |
| Archer is in a similar place, with a new album inspired by a CD-Rom of old demos an ex-girlfriend sent to him last year. | Archer is in a similar place, with a new album inspired by a CD-Rom of old demos an ex-girlfriend sent to him last year. |
| So, have the bands got a five-year plan? | So, have the bands got a five-year plan? |
| "Definitely - but it's locked up in my safe," laughs Pritchard. "I think it's good to have goals!" | "Definitely - but it's locked up in my safe," laughs Pritchard. "I think it's good to have goals!" |
| "Do you really?" asks Archer, with a concerned frown. | "Do you really?" asks Archer, with a concerned frown. |
| "I literally don't know what I'm going to have for lunch." | "I literally don't know what I'm going to have for lunch." |