They’ve had some ups and downs but Kooks singer Luke Pritchard knows why the Brighton band are still going strong – because they’ve never fallen out over women or money.

Singer Luke Pritchard and guitarist Hugh Harris have always had a fiery relationship, but as the group play a sold out O2 Academy tonight life within the foursome appears to be peaceful.

“We have both mellowed out a bit,” says Luke.

“There was a time where it was a struggle to be in the same room with Hugh. We had spent so much time together that it was like siblings and we’d fall out constantly. But there was never a falling out that would break up the band. There was never a problem with us about money or girls and those are the two things that split up bands.

“Now we are writing songs together and are getting on great – I hope that lasts, although you never know, because it’s tough with guitar players and singers. You take each other’s space sometimes…”

The duo are the band’s remaining original members, with the Brighton quartet emerging over a decade ago when guitar bands were dominating the charts. Hits like Naïve, Ooh La and She Moves In Her Own Way were ever-presents at indie club nights and in the charts, and they’ve released a further three albums since then.

Now they are bringing out a greatest hits, with The Best Of… So Far due to land on May 19. A compilation like that sometimes spells the beginning of the end for a band, but it also includes two new tracks amidst the nostalgia.

“It’s been 100% about reflection,” adds Luke, describing the record and current tour. Maybe 11 years seems a bit early to start looking back but we noticed on the social media platforms that our fans had been talking about what they remember about the band and their memories, and we’ve indulged in that too. We’ve dug out old footage of stuff and are playing some really old songs, like Matchbox, from the first album.”

However Luke is most animated when discussing the future. They recently wrapped up recording sessions for their fifth album, which would be their first release since 2014’s Listen. That release featured the band using samples and synths, an approach they’ve knocked back on the new material. Instead they have reverted to recording together, in the same room.

“You don’t hear many live records these days, they don’t exist,” explains Luke.

“It takes time to get chemistry from all these different takes, but although we’ve not done it on every track, it’s there on a lot of them. It’s a record really about us connecting together and it’s a funny one, because we feel like we are going against the grain.

“Everyone else is going with completely programmed music and we have gone the other way, just four individuals playing in a room. We’ve gone with the chemicals you get from that, man! It does feel amazing when you get that going in the studio, just a buzz. It’s hard to get that though, a lot harder than just pulling out lots of samples and adding guitar to it.”

Listen was the band’s lowest charting release, reaching 16 in the charts. By contrast, their second album Konk topped the charts. However while it had a mixed reaction from fans and critics, Luke is quick to defend it.

“We learned a lot from Listen, and I’m so, so proud of that album,” he argues.

“I hope that people who like our band but maybe didn’t hear it do give it a chance sometime. What we learned from that will come through on the new one. We haven’t gone as far out there with sampling and things like that, but the ballsiness of that record is there and we’re building on it.”

There might have departures along the way (bassist Max Rafferty left under a cloud, drummer Paul Garred stood down due to a nerve problem in his arm) but the Kooks are still here, when many of their peers have vanished.

“A lot of my friends say that a lot of the bands that were around when we started didn’t survive and it’s amazing we’ve done that, but with music you can’t compare yourself to anyone else” says Luke.

“That’s the beauty of music. There’s so many things that we have been through as a band but we have stuck to what we want to do.”

lThe Kooks, O2 Academy, tonight, sold out, 7pm.

JONATHAN GEDDES