Hits... and Bob’s legacy

Frontman Luke Pritchard on the chance to duet with his late blues musician father

’It’s a big deal for me to do this. He was in a beat band and was a good harmonica player’

On The Kooks’ new fifth album Let’s Go Sunshine, Luke Pritchard gets to duet with his father Bob, who died 30 years ago. He sings along to a voice recording of Honey Bee, which was written by dad Bob, who enjoyed an under-the-radar but active career in the blues boom of the Sixties.

In 14 years as a chart-topping guitar band, The Kooks have achieved much, experiencing a revival in fortune in recent years with sold-out arena tours and amassing a billion streams.

But the chance to sing with his father, who was in a band called The Echoes, was a special moment for Luke. He says: “A big reason I do music really is because when my dad died, all I had were his records and a Gibson Les Paul that was his. It was kind of my connection to him.

“So it’s a big deal for me that I got to do this. My dad was in the fashion industry – he had a fashion label.

“But before that he was in a beat band in Bristol, and he even played with the Rolling Stones.

“He was a very good harmonica player. He used to do sessions for John Lee Hooker and amazing people like that.”

Following in Bob’s footsteps, The Kooks have, more than once, played with The Stones. Luke says: “When you get invited back by them you know you must be doing something right.

“I asked Charlie Watts about my dad and he was very politely like, ‘I think I remember the band name’. They’ve obviously played with so many people.

“But it was very cool for my mum to come to the shows and to see us play with them. They were nice moments.”

Although Let’s Go Sunshine has ended up being the most upbeat and accomplished album of The Kooks’ career, it had a difficult birth.

Early sessions were scrapped and fellow members flew home from LA recording sessions.

“It was mainly because I wasn’t in a very good head space to write,” says Luke.

“We went in the studio first time round and it was kind of directionless. But once we got back in the rehearsal room, and I had the songs, it started flowing.” Let’s Go Sunshine is out today