Barcelona 20/6/06
Barcelona is a great city, vibrant, and full vibe. It was our first show on Spanish soil, the venue called the LA2, was slow to fill, (every one was watching the footie) But when we took to the stage the venue was nicely full. It was nice to see the English out in numbers too. The flight on the way home was seriously bumpy coming into land at Heathrow, our friend Adam hates flying and he looked terrified. The food on Iberia airlines is truely awful. I don¹t recommend it.

Next Stop Germany

Speak to you soon

Max



7/5/06
Yesterday and this morning we were in Liverpool's Ranch studios. To record a track for a charity record that will be coming out very soon. It was a very long day indeed. But the session proved to be very fruitful and I am sure you guys will see the results very soon. Tonight¹s show is in Sheffield at the Leadmill. We have just finished sound check and Hughes new amp is sounding fat.

Can I say that the show in Manchester was the highlight so far, we have never played a show to a crowd like that it made the hairs stand up on the back of you next. We had a surprise too when Mike Joyce from the smiths came back stage to say hello.

It was great to meet all of you too that went to forum meet up, you should do more of them. What a great idea.

I will leave you with some photos from the studioŠ

Luke





5/5/06
So we are now in Liverpool. The weather is great apparently yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far! The thunder storms in Glasgow were amazing. It poured with rain for so long the roof started leaking above the stage. I do apologise for the technical problems. But there is not a lot you can do about a water logged amp is there! Chas and Jay our two techs are running around Liverpool looking rather stressed trying to find a new amp. I wouldn't know what we would do with out them.

We have also made a CD of our favourite tunes so you guys can have dance before we go on!

Hugh



2/5/06
Hi! Hope you are all well! We are in Dublin today the weather is grey and drizzly but every one is having a great time seeing all of you. We played in Dublin two days ago with Ian Brown and Id just like to thank all of you who turned out to see us there wasn't a lot of you but thanks for dancing in the rain for us.

Last nights gig was completely mental we are playing some extra songs in our set including some new ones. Tomorrow we are in Glasgow for a day off so if you see any of us out and about come and talk to us.

Write again tomorrow

Hugh



20/4/06
So today the tour rolls in to the city of Dresden. Dreseden is on what was the old East of Germany, apparently right up to 15 years ago you could still the see some damage from the bombing raids that took place in the second world war! Today we are pleased to tell you Dresden is all shiny and new and a great city in which to pass the hours before you go on stage!  Dave from the zutons is playing us songs in the miday sunshine, i feel like im on holiday, not on tour.

I really need to learn some german. I always want to speak the native language when overseas, perhaps i should invest in one of those language tapes.

Does any one know if they are any good?

I will post again tomorrow from Berlin

Peace



12/4/06
We have found ourselves in the wonderful German city of Munich for the Easter break. The weather was warm and sunny, which was perfect for a day off.

We went to the oldest pub in Munich for an evening of eating and drinking, It was like some thing out of the middle ages. The beers were massive, they were so big I could only drink 3. The tables were so big I could hardly see over the top. It was wicked I would of stayed all night, only I couldn't see where I was walking so I thought it was best to leave, before I made a fool of myself. It's brewed with no chemicals so you don't hangovers. How good is that!

Today's show is with the Zutons the venue is called the backstage every one is playing football in the sun. Im going to join them.



Packing Blues
So we are getting ready for another hectic period. We are off to Germany tomorrow! Its going to be a riot. 9 days off every one is refreshed, Luke has been on holiday, Hugh has been hanging around Brighton Beach, I think he went to see the Mighty Boosh.

Today is going is be a packathon you would think by now this period of packing mayhem would have become easier. To be honest I really don't help my self, trying to wash, dry and pack all in one day with no tumble dryer when its raining outside is impossible.

Less chatting, more packing.

Speak Soon



WHO BROKE INTO OUR VAN ??
I have spare minute so I thought I would write again like I promised. I was looking at the photos of the record shop singings we did and realised I hadn't told you that some crack head had broken into our van. It was a poor start to what in the end was a great day. They broke what apparently is called the quarter light, and climbed through the passenger window.

They pinched some of our CD's and the van stereo. Obviously the van was rendered completely useless for a few hours until the police had checked it over for finger prints and the window was fixed, after a few minutes of panic, we hitched a lift with an old friend of Max's called Will, he saved our day an if wasn't for Will we wouldn¹t of managed to see all you lovely people in Bury and Leeds. Sadly we couldn't all make it, Max, Paul and Bobble had to travel back to London, we just couldn¹t all squeeze into that car.

The signings were great fun!!! Down with the Crack Heads!!

Enjoy the photos





4/4/06
Sorry I have not been in touch for so long we have been so busy, it was great to see you all out on the UK mini tour. You all seem to be really having it out there, it puts a smile on my face to see you all jumping arround.

We have been all over the place to Japan and then to SXSW in the states. Japan was great, it was so different to any other place i have been. Luke turned 21 in Tokyo and what an evening we all had togather.

We have to fly out to Germany for a tour in nine days so if there are any German fans reading this, make sure you come and say hello, i cant wait to meet you all.

And finally before i go...

Thanks to every one who bought the naive single I was truely shocked when i heard where it charted. We never thought we would have a top ten single in a million years.

Keep watch I will write again soon

Peace



5/2/06
Here we are in the Scottish city of Edinburgh, we drove up from Glasgow this morning after a day off. It was amazing to be back in a real bed, so much better than a bunk. Last time we played in this city, we got heckled because we come from Brighton I hope the same doesn¹t happen tonight. All you guys have been great but you never can tell crowds can go one way or the other.

Luke has purchased the new Black Rebel Motorcycle album "Howl". We had that to listen to on the bus, it really is a great album, you should all go and get your selves a copy.

Over and out



T-shirts and poker 28/1/06
So we have made it all the way to Bristol, through the sites and smells of Cambridge and Birmingham. We have been killing time on the bus by adapting t-shirts. We have also bought ourselves a poker set to entertain us. I am sure Luke will win, he always does...JAMMY GIT! He is just a bluffer.

Sorry this is so short we have to sound check. I will leave you with pictures of those t-shirts and the lovely ladies that bought them.





Thursday 19th January
Friday Night Project

So here we are after the madness of Top of the Pops, back in London to play on channel 4's Friday Night Project with special guest presenter, movie actor Christian Slater. Today Luke has a chest infection so he's all fuelled up on antibiotics and throat sweets. Pete has food poisoning so they are looking like a right pair. Apart from that every one is in good spirits.

Will Young is mincing about the canteen, but thankfully we were taken out to lunch by a very good friend of ours, the food was amazing excellent steaks all round.

We have been given a copy of the new Zutons album for our dressing room I must say it goes down very smoothly indeed. With the Zutons in our heads we went for a stroll around and took some photos.

So here it is "Behind the Scenes of the Friday Night Project Staring the Kooks"





Monday 16th January
TOTP Tour

The single went in at number 12, we are all so happy! Thank you all so much if you bought it we couldn't of done it with out you. We celebrated with an acoustic set at the Lock Tavern in Camden town.

Today we are on Top of the pops. When we started the Kooks we never ever thought we would have a top 20 single, let alone be asked to play on Top of the Pops. We are on with 50 cent. He's got a bigger entourage than you could ever believe, you can't get with in a 100 feet of him, or his 20 "homies". He was here and gone in a flash.

The dressing room here is exceptional. It has lights around all the mirrors like the old fashioned theatres. Pete and Paul keeps looking at them self's, my mind simply boggles. I'm quite happy making my cheese and ham sandwiches.

I think we should have a party tonight to celebrate. Speak to you all soon from the Friday Night Project!



FOPP In store Diary
We all wake up early, my alarm clock wakes me up at 7am. We meet up in the hotel bar, the look on every ones faces in a plain and simple look. We should not have had that last whiskey and coke last night.

First stop is Bristol a short ten minute drive from the hotel a quick stop for bacon 'sarnies' and coffee. We arrive at 9 and the shop is very quiet. We didn't expect a large turn out, people are on their way to work, school etc, and students never get out of bed this early. But to our surprise come 9.30 the shop is filling with people, an excellent turn out of 30 people.

We load the gear straight in to the van after the signing and its straight over to bath, the shop is far larger, and when we arrive fans are milling around us, which was nice to see, Bath seems so much busier than Bristol its 11.30 and the students are now out and about, the queue for the signing is mad it's about 70 long, we want to talk to every one and thank them for coming but the schedule today is so tight, I was signing as fast I could, after all we need to make it to Reading for 2.30 and we are hoping we avoid the traffic on the motorway.

I am officially addicted to the Mighty Boosh, it is simply the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life, we have watched it three times in the last two days and it gets funnier every time. If we make it to Reading it will be miracle at this rate, I have total confidence in our driver, 'Coombsey' he hasn't crashed yet, noticed I said yet, we have just nearly crashed into a lorry, oh what could have been of The Kooks.

So Reading, its Adams home town, so apparently he's navigating us....he doesn't seem to know a clue where he is going so we spend the next 20 minutes driving aimlessly around at his expense.

The store was packed when we arrive and full of familiar faces. And a wonderful array cheese and ham rolls. We seemed to have picked up a stalker who lurks in the shadows, he is demanding to be taken to Brighton, we would of taken him but he doesn't seem to realise we have a van full already. Now, Tony our tour manager is a big guy who you really wouldn't want to mess with. He gently evicts him from our van to onlooker's amassment.

So Brighton here we come! The final in-store of the day, it's onwards we go with the mighty Boosh.

We stop off at service station on the way for some well earned red wine. Driving past Fopp in Brighton the Queue in is f****ing massive, its complete and utter pandemonium, inside a good 200 people are crammed into this tiny record shop, brilliant, we never expected this in a million years. If you were one of the people watching through the window we tried to get you all in. It really was ridiculous, we never thought the day would end like this. It really put a smile on our faces.

We are now on our way to Holland, Thanks for everyone for coming we had a wicked day and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

See you all soon
The Kooks