Kooked Out took some time to answer our questions about their music and how they make it. Let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
John Fiore: Back in 2013 there was a wild youtube video that went viral on the internet of Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker. It was this crazy interview with Kai describing this insane experience he had while hitchhiking and ended up hitting this guy in the head with a hatchet in order to save innocent bystanders. One of the things he had said while describing the incident was, “Dude. That guy was fucking kooked out, man. Like, he’s beyond howling like, I don’t even see any breath in him, you know what I’m saying?” After hearing that I said that’s it that’s the name of the band right there. Since then, they actually just made a Netflix documentary about Kai who’s now in prison that’s worth checking out.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
Chris Laskey: John had started Kooked Out in 2013 with various lineups and then I joined the band in 2014 when he asked me to fill in for a Halloween show at The Middle East in Cambridge, MA. We’ve been playing together ever since. As far as the early years go for me I started playing the drums around age 15 or so after going to Warped Tour and getting inspired. Back then I was playing a lot of heavier music but my tastes have grown a lot since joining Kooked Out. We play a mix of everything so it’s never boring being in a band that has no musical boundaries.
How would you describe your sound?
Kooked Out: Our sound is a mix of ‘60s surf, punk, reggae and blues. Everything sort of goes through this melodic filter that’s probably a result of our love for bands like The Beatles, The Zombies, The Turtles and a lot of modern influences as well, such as Cage The Elephant, The Black Keys and Blink-182. We tend to gravitate towards music with strong melodic hooks but we never shy away from loud, aggressive, noisy music either; we grew up on that stuff. As a joke someone asked us to make up a style that would describe our sound without the typical labels so we landed on “Kooky Pop” and we kind of liked it.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Kooked Out: The Beatles, Cage The Elephant, Dick Dale, Jimi Hendrix, Sublime and Blink-182. However, we really dig just about everything ranging from Howlin’ Wolf to Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen to the Ramones. Everything we listen to seems to creep into the sound a little bit one way or another.
What’s the last song you listened to?
John Fiore: I was on an emo kick again so I think it was “Only One” by Yellowcard. That chorus hits every time.
Chris Laskey: Mine was “Lampshades On Fire” by Modest Mouse. Haven’t listened to them in a while but they’re playing a festival I’m going to so I thought I should brush up. Always loved them.
What’s your source for hearing new music?
John Fiore: Lately, it’s been through Spotify, Youtube, TV shows and movies but I’ll also seek out classic albums or something new that I’ve never heard before and listen to it front to back.
Who is your dream producer?
Kooked Out: We’d probably have to say either David Kahne or Dan Auerbach (From The Black Keys) but that’s a tough question though, there’s so many great producers out there that we would be honored to work with if ever given the chance.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
John Fiore: Definitely Lana Del Rey. I love the way her music sounds and feels and would love the opportunity to collaborate. She’s such a unique artist who occupies her own space and that’s the type of art I gravitate towards the most. She’s definitely an inspiration of mine both lyrically and sonically and I could see a Kooked Out song featuring Lana Del Rey for sure. –
Chris Laskey: For me it’d be The Killers. Their drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr has always been a big influence on me as a player. The band’s sound is infectious and danceable so I think it would be a lot of fun to drum on one of their more upbeat tracks.
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
John Fiore: Growing up listening to all kinds of music at home left a deep imprint on what I love and what I’m doing now. My aunt gave me my first guitar which was a 3/4 size nylon string acoustic that I still have to this day. Oh, and the movie “School of Rock” changed my life forever, I can’t leave that out. I think I saw it three times in the movie theater when it came out.
Chris Laskey: Gotta love that movie! What motivates us now to keep making music is that we still have more to say. As players and writers we’re still learning new things that we want to continue to develop and incorporate into our sound.
John Fiore: Yeah, as people we’re still growing and experiencing new things in life and we’re constantly trying to better articulate those experiences in our music. You can never fully perfect songwriting but I guess the pursuit of getting better is what keeps us going.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
Kooked Out: There’s never one method when it comes to our songwriting process, sometimes we just jam an idea into a completed song while other times we come in with full songs or ideas. A drum groove, a guitar riff or a title can be what sparks the inspiration for a song – it’s always kind of random. The best ideas seem to come from nowhere.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
Kooked Out: Our favorite way to connect with our audience is playing live without a doubt. That connection can’t be replicated in any other way. But as far as connecting with people online we use all the typical social media outlets. The easiest way to connect with us is probably Instagram, TikTok or Facebook. Musically the best way to find us is on Spotify or Bandcamp or Apple Music.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kookedoutofficial
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1HG08aAGc962qWh3Ze1P69?si=j6sJ5z76QSSAt15SAtse7g
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kookedoutofficial
What’s next for you?
Kooked Out: We’re releasing our debut album “Vis Viva” on Cassette Tape on August 18 at a music venue called The Worthen Attic in Lowell, MA. After that we hope to get on the road and tour a bit before recording and releasing our second record.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
Kooked Out: We just want to thank everyone over the years that has supported the band. And to anyone new hearing about us for the first time we hope you’ll check out some of the music and drop us a line. Peace & love to everyone out there.
BIO:
Kooked Out is here for the good times. Emerging from the Massachusetts town of Stoneham, the band’s animated and eclectic rock and roll – a combination of indie, surf-pop, alternative, punk, reggae, and whatever else sounds good in the band’s musical cauldron – belies its sleepy small suburban town origins. With a tireless and ambitious live calendar, Kooked Out could as easily be found busking across the streets of Boston the afternoon before playing across the city’s rock club circuit by night. Their genre-spanning sound, drawing influences from the 1930s to now, has become a calling card, both on record and live on stage, appropriate for a creative outlet that cites its top influences as Chuck Berry, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Dick Dale, The Black Keys, Cage The Elephant, and Blink-182. In 2022, Kooked Out self-released its emphatic debut album, Vis Viva. The record’s response – as well as the band advancing to the semis of the 2023 Rock And Roll Rumble, and a growing organic fanbase around New England – led to its re-release on cassette in Summer 2023.
