“I’ve been thinking a lot about debutism. Why do we love debut albums?” reflects Luke Pritchard as The Kooks prepare to release their seventh album, Never Know. Eighteen years after their own debut Inside In/Inside Out, this record feels like a return to the beginning. Pritchard’s goal was simple: “The whole thing was to just forget that the past had happened,” he says. But to truly move forward, they had to reflect: “What kind of music do we want to make, and how do we make it feel natural?”

The Kooks, whose 2006 debut sold over 2 million copies, have unexpectedly found themselves beloved by a new generation. While their original fans remain, they’ve layered on a fervent Gen Z following, headlining festivals and selling out shows worldwide. Social media has made them a generations’ new favourite band again, introducing their unmistakable Brit-pop joy to fresh ears.