Luke Pritchard has always loved technology.
As a teenager he depended on his trusty Tascam four-track cassette recorder to craft early attempts at songwriting, and even now, after massive success with The Kooks, he still relies on tech to help with raising kids of his own.
Luke takes us through his tech journey, and explains why he thinks AI would do a better job at governing than our politicians.
How techie are you?
I think tech could save us all. Looking at our leaders and our politicians, I’m a big
fan of giving AI a go at running things.
What tech makes life easier?
We never used to cook but when my wife Ellie got pregnant I was like, ‘One of us needs to be able to cook for the kid!’ So I’ve got quite into cheffing. I wear a white hat and a pinny, and I use a Meater that is like a thermometer with a wireless system that connects to an app on your phone.
You can decide how you want the meat cooked and monitor the temperature in real time. It’s unbelievably good. Now I’m Papa Chef.
What tech might people be surprised to hear you like?
I love all the baby gadgets. We’ve got a SNOO cot and the technology is amazing. You put your kid in this cot and it monitors whether they’re sleeping. If
they’re restless it provides white noise and rocks them, and you don’t have to
monitor it.
Is there any retro tech you’d like to see making a comeback?
The TV radios from the 1970s and 1980s were so cool. They were all one unit,
G Plan style, with a drinks cabinet built in. I’d like a slick modern version with an
OLED TV and a radio. It would be mahogany and it would have a martini maker.
What tech can’t you resist?
I could spend serious money on coffee machines. When you’re in the studio,
coffee is a major part of the day – talking about it, drinking it, it keeps you going. I’ve got a Moccamaster that makes amazing filter coffee and looks hip.
What tech do you depend on?
The tech I’ve come to depend on massively for work is the Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo Heritage Edition. It’s essentially a computer model of vintage gear. I love old synthesizers and old guitars, and this basically emulates old sounds but the sound is even better.
What was your favourite gadget growing up?
When I was about 12 I got a Tascam four-track cassette recorder. It was
around the time I started writing songs and it really sparked my songwriting. It’s
basically a four-track recorder, and it’s so creative.
You start to learn about how to create songs. It boded well for me because I wrote some of my biggest hits when I was 16, so it was good that I started early.
Have you had any tech fails?
When we were recording our first single, Eddie’s Gun [2005], the system crashed and we lost half a day’s work. We were on Pro Tools and it wasn’t saved. We lost an entire guitar solo and vocal takes.
The Kooks’ new album, 10 Tracks To Echo In The Dark, is released today.
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