Maximum Performance

The Kooks Flex Their Acoustic Chops At Yahoo!

A group after my own fashionista heart, Brit buzz band The Kooks first came about by creating a look while clothes shopping, even before writing any music--and it worked! Apparently without any demos to their credit, the Kooks were able to book their first gig simply because the venue manager liked their hats. But donning Royal Wedding-worthy headwear obviously wouldn't have worked in the long run if the Kooks didn't have the talent to back it up their style.; the Kooks signed to Virgin Records a mere three months after forming, so clearly the hats weren't the only things in play.

Emerging from a time where awkward English indie-rock teens like Arctic Monkeys and The Wombats were stealing the spotlight from swaggering garage bands like The Strokes and Jet, the Kooks were one of the least angst-ridden acts on the scene. Despite the lineup changes and breakup scares, the band is all grown up and now on their third studio album with no signs of slowing down. And they're still as stylish as ever.

Now consisting of lead singer Luke Pritchard, guitarist Hugh Harris, bassist Peter Denton, and drummer Chris Prendergast (who gave off mad Rpatz vibes that day, I have to say!), the Kooks recently came by Yahoo! to play some acoustic versions of tracks off their new album Junk Of The Heart, out this week. Watch them perform the title track, "Eskimo Kiss," and "Rosie" below. Hats off the them!

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