Arctic Monkeys are an English
alternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s...
bandBand may refer to a specific group:*Band , a company of musicians* School band, a group of student musicians who rehearse and perform instrumental music together* Band , a range of frequencies or wavelengths used in radio transmission and radar...
from
High GreenHigh Green is the northernmost suburb of Sheffield, England.It is found to the North of Chapeltown and is served by a number of buses, though the nearest rail station is in Chapeltown....
, a suburb of
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
. Formed in 2002, the band currently consists of
Alex TurnerAlexander David Turner is an English musician and member of Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets. He is the vocalist and lead guitarist in both bands...
(lead vocals, guitar),
Jamie CookJamie Cook is the guitarist for the British indie rock band Arctic Monkeys.-History:Nicknamed "Cookie," he has been the band's most outspoken member, going on record as saying he "fucking hates the [print] news" and defending the band's numerous successive records by saying, "I couldn’t see us...
(guitar),
Nick O'MalleyNicholas O'Malley , is the bass guitarist of Sheffield-based band Arctic Monkeys.- Biography :O'Malley was drafted in as a temporary replacement for bassist Andy Nicholson when the latter announced he would not make the band's North America tour in May 2006...
(bass guitar, backing vocals) and
Matt HeldersMatthew Helders , is the drummer for the band Arctic Monkeys and Mongrel. He is the most comprehensive backing vocalist, appearing in the tracks "You Probably Couldn't See For the Lights But You Were Looking Straight at Me" "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", "Teddy Picker", "Who The Fuck Are...
(drums, backing vocals).
Arctic Monkeys achieved chart success with their second single, "
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" is the second single released by Sheffield band the Arctic Monkeys after being signed on Domino Records....
", which reached number one in the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
. Their debut album
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm NotWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is the debut album by English band Arctic Monkeys, released on 23 January 2006. The album became the UK's fastest selling debut album, shifting over 360,000 copies in its first week, and remains the fastest selling debut album by a band...
, released in January 2006, became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history, surpassing
OasisOasis were an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul Arthurs , Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
's
Definitely MaybeDefinitely Maybe is the debut album by English rock band Oasis, released in 1994. It was an immediate commercial and critical success in the UK, having followed on the heels of singles "Supersonic", "Shakermaker", "Live Forever" and "Cigarettes & Alcohol"....
and remaining the fastest-selling debut album for a band. It received critical acclaim, winning both the 2006
Mercury PrizeThe Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
and the
2007 BRIT AwardThe 2007 BRIT Awards was the 27th edition of the biggest annual pop music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 14 February 2007 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London...
for Best British Album. It was also nominated for the
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
for Best Alternative Music Album, but lost to
Gnarls BarkleyGnarls Barkley is a Grammy award-winning American musical group collaboration between multi-instrumentalist and producer Danger Mouse from New York, and rapper/vocalist Cee-Lo Green , from Atlanta. Their first album, St...
's
St. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere is the debut album by Gnarls Barkley, a collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green. The album was originally titled Who Cares? in reference to the low sales Gnarls Barkley prematurely predicted their album would experience...
. The band's second album,
Favourite Worst NightmareFavourite Worst Nightmare is the second studio album by Sheffield indie rock band Arctic Monkeys that was first released in Japan on 18 April 2007 before being released around the world. Recorded in East London's Miloco Studios with producers James Ford and Mike Crossey, the album was preceded by...
, was released on 23 April 2007, sold over 225,000 copies in its first week, and was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize. The group also picked up the award for Best British Album and Best British Group at the
2008 BRIT AwardsThe 2008 BRIT Awards was the 28th edition of the biggest annual music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 20 February 2008 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London...
.
Arctic Monkeys were heralded as one of the first acts to come to the public attention via the
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
(fan-based sites rather than from the band), with commentators suggesting they represented the possibility of a change in the way in which new bands are promoted and marketed. The band eventually signed to the
independent record labelAn independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels.-Overview:...
Domino Records.
Formation and early years
In 2001, neighbours Alex Turner and Jamie Cook asked for instruments as
ChristmasChristmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini...
presents and both received
guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
s. After teaching themselves to play, the pair formed a band with Turner's schoolmates Andy Nicholson and
Matt HeldersMatthew Helders , is the drummer for the band Arctic Monkeys and Mongrel. He is the most comprehensive backing vocalist, appearing in the tracks "You Probably Couldn't See For the Lights But You Were Looking Straight at Me" "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", "Teddy Picker", "Who The Fuck Are...
. Nicholson already played
bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
, so Helders ended up playing drums — "that was all that were left... they all had guitars so I bought a kit after a bit." In May 2006, an article in
BlenderBlender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine suggested that Turner was not the original singer of the band. A more detailed article in UK
tabloidA tabloid is an industry term for a smaller newspaper format per spread; to a weekly or semi-weekly alternative newspaper that focuses on local-interest stories and entertainment, often distributed free of charge ; or to a newspaper that tends to sensationalize and emphasize or exaggerate or...
The SunThe Sun may refer to -* The Sun a tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and Ireland* Sun, the star at the center of the Solar System...
reported that in the very early days of the band — before they had played a gig — Glyn Jones, another attendee of Stocksbridge High School, used to be the band's singer. Jones said that he and Turner "were bored [after our
GCSEThe General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 15–16 in secondary education in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland...
exams] so we started writing a song about a geek in our year...", and that he left the band because he "did not have the dedication to take it any further... to me we were just a gang of kids messing around because we were bored." Although reports suggested they named themselves after Helders' uncle's (or even father's) band, Helders later admitted that "so many people asking us that in the UK, so we just started making stories up", and that he just didn't have the heart to tell the original reporter he'd been lying.
They began rehearsing at Yellow Arch Studios in
NeepsendNeepsend is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it stands just 1.5 km north east of the city centre. The main area of Neepsend covers the flood plain of the River Don from Lady's Bridge at the Wicker up to Hillfoot Bridge...
, and played their first gig on 13 June 2003 at
The Grapes in Sheffield city-centre. After a few performances, they began to record
demosA demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for musicians to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
and
burnOptical disc authoring, including DVD and Blu-ray Disc authoring , is the process of assembling source material—video, audio or other data—into the proper logical volume format to then be recorded onto an optical disc .-Process:To burn an optical disc, one usually first creates an...
them onto CDs to give away at gigs. With a limited number of CDs available, fans began to
ripRipping is the process of copying audio or video content to a hard disk, typically from removable media or media streams such as an Ipod. The word is used to refer to all forms of media...
the music back onto their computers and share it amongst themselves. The group did not mind, saying "we never made those demos to make money or anything. We were giving them away free anyway — that was a better way for people to hear them. And it made the gigs better, because people knew the words and came and sang along." They themselves took no responsibility for their music, admitting that they did not even know how to get their songs onto the
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. When asked about the popularity of the band's
MySpaceMySpace is a social networking website. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, USA, where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media, which is owned by News Corporation. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United...
site in an interview with
Prefix Magazine, the band said that they were unaware what it was, and that the site had originally been created by their fans. "[When we went number one in England] we were on the news and radio about how MySpace has helped us. But that's just the perfect example of someone who doesn't know what the fuck they're talking about. We actually had no idea what it was."
They began to grow in popularity across the north of England, receiving attention from
BBC RadioBBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927...
and the British tabloid press. A local amateur photographer, Mark Bull, filmed the band's performances and made the
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
to "
Fake Tales of San Francisco"Fake Tales of San Francisco" is a song by Arctic Monkeys originally released on the band's first EP Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys in May 2005...
", releasing it on his website, alongside the contents of
Beneath the BoardwalkBeneath the Boardwalk was the name given to an unofficial collection of recorded tracks by Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys. Its name is a reference to a club the band often played at, "The Boardwalk"...
— a collection of the band's songs which he named after a local music venue. In May 2005, Arctic Monkeys released their first single,
Five Minutes with Arctic MonkeysFive Minutes with Arctic Monkeys is the debut single by Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys. Released on 30 May 2005, it featured a re-recording of fan favourite "Fake Tales of San Francisco" and new song and B-side "From the Ritz to the Rubble". It was a limited release by Bang Bang Recordings - a label...
, featuring the songs "Fake Tales of San Francisco" and "From the Ritz to the Rubble". This release was limited to 500 CDs and 1000 7" records, but was also available to download from the
iTunes Music StoreThe iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple Inc. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, it was as of April 2008 the number-one music vendor in the United States. As of January 2009, the store has sold 6 billion songs, accounting for 70% of...
. Soon after, the band played at the Carling Stage of the
Reading and Leeds FestivalsThe Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in the United Kingdom and are run by Festival Republic . The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill...
, reserved for less known or unsigned bands. Their appearance was hyped by much of the music press and the band was watched by an unusually large crowd. The critically-acclaimed performance included spontaneous singalongs of tracks that were only available as demos on the Internet.
Record deals
The band refused to change their songs to suit the industry and resisted signing to a record label — "Before the hysteria started, the labels would say, 'I like you, but I'm not sure about this bit, and that song could do with this changing...' We never listened." Their cynicism towards the industry was such that record company scouts were refused guaranteed guest list entry for their gigs, a move described by
MTV AustraliaMTV Australia is the Australian version of MTV , a channel specialising in music and youth culture programming. It is operated by MTV Networks Australia and New Zealand owned by MTV Networks and primarily features imported shows as well as locally produced programming.-MTV on the Nine Network:The...
as "We've got this far without them — why should we let them in?". The success of the strategy was illustrated with a series of sell-out gigs across the UK.
Eventually, they signed to Domino in June 2005. The band said they were attracted to the "
DIYDo it yourself is a term used to describe the creation, alteration or reparation of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
ethic" of Domino owner Laurence Bell, who ran the label from his flat and only signed bands that he liked personally. The UK's
Daily Star reported that this was followed in October by a £1 million publishing deal with
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
and a £725,000 contract with
Epic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. The label was founded in 1953 as a jazz label, and was eventually expanded to several genres of music. The label manages several imprints as well.-History:...
for the United States. Arctic Monkeys denied this on their website, dubbing the newspaper "The Daily Stir". However, Domino have licensed the Australian and New Zealand publishing rights to EMI and the Japanese rights to independent label Hostess.
Initial releases
Their first single with Domino, "
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" is the second single released by Sheffield band the Arctic Monkeys after being signed on Domino Records....
", was released on 17 October 2005 and went straight to #1 on the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
, beating
SugababesSugababes are an English all-female pop trio based in London, currently consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen.The group were formed in 1998 by original members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan...
and
Robbie WilliamsRobert Peter Williams, better known as Robbie Williams is a BRIT Award-winning English British singer-songwriter. His career started in 1989, at the age of 15, as a dancer and singer with the pop band Take That. He left the band in 1995 to launch his solo career...
. Four months later, they made their first appearance on the cover of
NMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition. The magazine's commercial heyday was during the 1970s when it...
. Their second single, "When the Sun Goes Down" (previously titled "Scummy"), released on 16 January 2006, also went straight to #1 on the UK Singles Chart, selling 38,922 copies and taking over that position from
Shayne WardShayne Thomas Ward is an English pop singer, who was discovered on the second series of UK television talent contest The X Factor...
. The band's success without marketing or advertising led some to suggest that it could signal a change in how new bands achieve recognition.
They finished recording their debut album,
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm NotWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is the debut album by English band Arctic Monkeys, released on 23 January 2006. The album became the UK's fastest selling debut album, shifting over 360,000 copies in its first week, and remains the fastest selling debut album by a band...
, at Chapel Studios in
LincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. It also borders Northamptonshire for just 19 metres, England's shortest county boundary...
in September 2005. Its name was taken from the 1960 film
Saturday Night and Sunday MorningSaturday Night and Sunday Morning is a 1960 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Alan Sillitoe. Sillitoe wrote the screenplay adaptation and the film was directed by Karel Reisz.-Synopsis:...
. Although early versions of many tracks were already freely available to download from the band's pre-label demo CDs, it was widely expected to be one of the biggest releases of 2006 with thousands of copies pre-ordered. In January 2006, Domino announced the album's release would be brought forward one week to 23 January, citing "high demand". While the same thing was done with the release of
Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand is the debut album by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, released in early 2004. It entered the United Kingdom album charts at number three in February 2004 and contains three UK top ten singles: "Take Me Out", "This Fire" and "The Dark of the Matinée"...
, there has been continued speculation that the move was the result of the album's leak and the impact of
file sharingFile sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multi-media , documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented in a variety of storage, transmission, and distribution models...
- a controversial suggestion given the part file-sharing played in establishing the band's fanbase.
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not became the fastest selling debut album in UK chart history, selling 363,735 copies in the first week. This smashed the previous record of 306,631 copies held by
Popstars by
Hear’SayHear’Say were a British manufactured pop group created in February 2001 from the winners of Popstars, an ITV reality TV show based on a New Zealand show of the same name. They enjoyed huge success with their debut single, "Pure and Simple", helped by the publicity surrounding the ITV programme,...
, and sold more copies on its first day alone — 118,501 — than the rest of the Top 20 albums combined.
The record was released a month later in the U.S. and entered at #24 on the
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
album chart after it sold 34,000 units in its first week, making it the second fastest selling for a debut
indie rockIndie rock is a genre of rock music that originated in the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1980s. The term is often used to describe the means of production and distribution of independent underground music, as well as the style of music that was first associated with this means of...
album in America. However, U.S. sales for the first year did not match those of the first week in the UK for the album. US critics were more reserved about the band than their UK counterparts, and appeared unwilling to be drawn into the possibility of "yet another example of the UK's press over-hyping new bands". However, the band's June 2006 tour of North America received critical acclaim at each stop — the hype surrounding them "proven to exist for good reason". Meanwhile, the UK's
NMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition. The magazine's commercial heyday was during the 1970s when it...
magazine declared the band's debut album the "5th greatest British album of all time". They also equalled the record of
The StrokesThe Strokes is an American rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. They rose to fame in the early 2000s as leaders in the garage rock revival. The band's members are Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr...
and
OasisOasis were an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul Arthurs , Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
at the 2006
NME AwardsThe NME Awards are an annual music awards show, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine.-History:...
, winning three fan-voted awards for Best British Band, Best New Band and Best Track for "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor".
Nicholson departure; Mercury Prize
Arctic Monkeys wasted no time in recording new material, and released a five-track
EPAn extended play is a vinyl record, CD, or music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as an LP. Usually, a CD single has around 10–28 minutes of music, an EP has up to 36 minutes, and an album generally has 30–80 minutes. Mini-LPs generally contain 20–30...
on 24 April 2006, entitled
Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? is the second EP by Sheffield indie rock band Arctic Monkeys, first released on 24 April 2006...
, and was seen by critics as a swipe back at the snowballing hype surrounding the band. Due to its length, the EP was ineligible to chart as a UK single or album. Furthermore, the record's graphic language has resulted in significantly less radio airplay than previous records, although this was not a reported concern according to an insider — "since they made their name on the Internet... they don't care if they don't get radio play".
Soon after the release of the EP in the UK, the band announced that Andy Nicholson would not take part in the band's forthcoming
North America tourArctic Monkeys are a four-piece indie rock band from Sheffield, England. Since signing for Domino Records in 2005, the band have gained popularity in many parts of the world, and have gradually progressed to playing larger venues...
due to fatigue from "an intensive period of touring". On returning to the UK, Nicholson confirmed that he would leave Arctic Monkeys and start his own project. He also said that he couldn't deal with the band's fame and the success over the previous six months. In a statement on their official website, the band said: "We are sad to tell everyone that Andy is no longer with the band", also confirmed that Nick O'Malley — former bassist with
The DodgemsElephant Keys are a four piece Rock and Roll band from Sheffield consisting of Phil Goodwin , Tommy Goodwin , Chris Murray and Mike Breeze ....
who had drafted in as temporary bassist for the tour — would continue as bassist for the rest of their summer tour schedule. Shortly after, Nick O'Malley was confirmed as the formal replacement for Nicholson.
Arctic Monkeys' first release without Nicholson, the single "
Leave Before the Lights Come On"Leave Before the Lights Come On" is a song by Sheffield-based indie rock band Arctic Monkeys and was released on 14 August 2006 as the band's third single in the United Kingdom...
", came on 14 August 2006. Turner said that the song was one of the last songs he wrote before their rise to fame, and suggested that "it feels very much like it could be on the album". Peaking at #4 in the UK, the single became the band's first failure to reach #1. The band was re-united at the
Leeds FestivalThe Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in the United Kingdom and are run by Festival Republic . The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill...
when Nicholson met up with his former band mates and his replacement bassist, O'Malley. Only the original band members, minus Nicholson, were present at the award ceremony when
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm NotWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is the debut album by English band Arctic Monkeys, released on 23 January 2006. The album became the UK's fastest selling debut album, shifting over 360,000 copies in its first week, and remains the fastest selling debut album by a band...
won the
2006 Mercury PrizeThe Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
two weeks later.
Favourite Worst Nightmare
The band's second album,
Favourite Worst NightmareFavourite Worst Nightmare is the second studio album by Sheffield indie rock band Arctic Monkeys that was first released in Japan on 18 April 2007 before being released around the world. Recorded in East London's Miloco Studios with producers James Ford and Mike Crossey, the album was preceded by...
, was released on 23 April 2007, a week after the release of accompanying single "
Brianstorm"Brianstorm" is a song by Sheffield-based indie rock band Arctic Monkeys and is the opening track on their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare. The song was released as the first single from that album on 2 April 2007, debuting at #11 in the UK Singles Chart via downloads alone...
". Turner described the songs as "very different from last time", adding that the sound of some tracks are "a bit full-on - a bit like "From the Ritz to the Rubble", "The View from the Afternoon", that sort of thing." A secret gig played at Sheffield's Leadmill on 10 February 2007, debuted seven new songs (six from
Favourite Worst Nightmare and one other). Early reviews of the release were positive, and described it as "very, very fast and very, very loud."
Meanwhile, the band continued to pick up awards from around the world, namely the 'Best New Artist in the United States' at the
PLUG Independent Music AwardsThe PLUG Independent Music Awards, or just PLUG Awards, began in 2001 as a "cartel" of music lovers ranging from DJs and managers to indie retailers and fans....
, the "Album of the Year" awards in Japan, Ireland and the US, awards for "Best Album" and "Best Music DVD" at the 2007 NME Awards. They ended the year by clinching the "Best British Band" and "Best British Album" at the
2008 BRIT AwardsThe 2008 BRIT Awards was the 28th edition of the biggest annual music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 20 February 2008 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London...
. For the second year in a row, the band were nominated for the annual
Mercury PrizeThe Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
, although they failed to match their feat of 2006 after the award went to
KlaxonsKlaxons are an indie rock band, based in London. Following the release of numerous 7-inch vinyls on different independent record labels, as well as the success of previous singles "Magick" and "Golden Skans", the band released their debut album, Myths of the Near Future on 29 January 2007. The...
'
Myths of the Near Future Myths of the Near Future is the Mercury Prize-winning debut album by English band Klaxons. It was released on 29 January 2007 through Polydor Records. Myths of the Near Future contains re-recorded versions of "Gravity's Rainbow", "Atlantis to Interzone" and "Four Horsemen of 2012", along with the...
.
On 29 April 2007, the day
Favourite Worst Nightmare charted at #1 in the
UK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
, all 12 tracks from the album charted in the Top 200 of the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
, ranging from "
Brianstorm"Brianstorm" is a song by Sheffield-based indie rock band Arctic Monkeys and is the opening track on their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare. The song was released as the first single from that album on 2 April 2007, debuting at #11 in the UK Singles Chart via downloads alone...
" at #7, to "If You Were There, Beware" at #189. On 27 April 2007 they had a total of 18 tracks in the Top 200. "Fluorescent Adolescent" and "505" charted in the Top 75, at #60 and #74 respectively.
The third single from
Favourite Worst Nightmare, "
Teddy Picker"Teddy Picker" is a song by Arctic Monkeys and the third single from their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare. It was released on 3 December 2007 in the United Kingdom. The song entered the UK singles chart at number 20...
", was released on 3 December 2007. It charted at #20 and remained only one week in the top 40 staying in this position, making it the lowest charting single for the band so far. Prior to this release the band released an extremely limited number of 250
vinylA vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group , −CH=CH2. These are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
under the pseudonym
Death Ramps"The Death Ramps" is a song by Arctic Monkeys under the pseudonym Death Ramps. The tracks on the record are both b-sides from the Arctic Monkeys single "Teddy Picker" from their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare. The vinyl was limited to just 250 copies.Domino said the following about Death...
containing two of the
b-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
s from the "
Teddy Picker"Teddy Picker" is a song by Arctic Monkeys and the third single from their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare. It was released on 3 December 2007 in the United Kingdom. The song entered the UK singles chart at number 20...
" single.
Humbug
The band began to write and record demos for the third album in January 2008, Turner said they had recorded six songs they had already been playing on tour. In July, Cook said he did not yet know what musical direction it would take. It was announced in August that Josh Homme would produce a number of tracks, which would be recorded at the
Rancho De La LunaRancho De La Luna is a recording studio in El Cajon, California that was founded in 1993 by Fred Drake and David Catching. Since Drake's untimely death in 2002 to cancer, it has doubled as Catching's home, and he has been known to cook for bands and allow them to stay at the house for weeks at a...
in
Joshua Tree, CaliforniaJoshua Tree is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 4,207 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Joshua Tree is located at ....
. The band premiered new material from the unreleased album during their January 2009 tour of New Zealand, playing small venues in
WellingtonWellington is the capital of New Zealand, at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington urban area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and is New Zealand's third most populous urban area with residents. There are ...
and
AucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with a population approaching 1.4 million residents, percent of the country's population. Demographic trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than the rest...
ahead of the Big Day Out festival. Their first show in more than a year was on 13 January 2009 at Wellington Town Hall.
The band recorded a total of 24 songs; 12 in the Rancho De La Luna recording sessions with Josh Homme and 12 in the New York sessions with
James Ford-Biography:Ford was a founding member of the group Simian and currently a member of their spin-off duo Simian Mobile Disco. He produced the Mercury Prize–winning album, Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future and three UK number one albums by Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets.He has worked with...
. It was later revealed by Matt Helders in a video diary that the album would consist of 14 tracks and that Alex Turner would stay in New York to oversee the mixing of the material. However, the claim that there were 14 tracks was proved wrong, as the tracklisting, revealed on 1 June 2009, listed only 10.
In a preview article on ClashMusic.com, writer Simon Harper claimed that the band had "completely defied any expectations or presumptions to explore the depths they can reach when stepping foot outside their accepted styles", and that "Turner is his usual eloquent self, but has definitely graduated into an incomparable writer whose themes twist and turn through stories and allegories so potent and profound it actually leaves one breathless". On the same site, Alex Turner revealed that the band had listened to
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
and
CreamCream were a 1960s British blues-rock band and supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker. Their sound was characterised by a hybrid of blues, hard rock and psychedelic rock...
while writing the new album. It was revealed via a bulletin on the band's MySpace page that the title of the album will be
Humbug. As announced on the Arctic Monkeys website the first single will be "
Crying Lightning"Crying Lightning" is the first single from Arctic Monkeys' third album Humbug. It was first played on Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 on 6 July 2009 and was then made available on iTunes to download the following day. Physical copies of the single were made available on 17 August, one week before...
". It was released on 6 July, digitally through iTunes and also got its first radio premiere on the same day. On 12 July 2009, the single "
Crying Lightning"Crying Lightning" is the first single from Arctic Monkeys' third album Humbug. It was first played on Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 on 6 July 2009 and was then made available on iTunes to download the following day. Physical copies of the single were made available on 17 August, one week before...
" debuted at number 12 in the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
and number 1 on the UK Indie Chart.
A web transmission showcasing
Humbug aired at 9pm on 30 July on the official Arctic Monkeys website. It contained 5 songs in total which were: "Pretty Visitors", "Crying Lightning", "Potion Approaching", "
Red Right Hand"Red Right Hand" is a 1994 song and single from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The title comes from a line in the epic poem Paradise Lost by John Milton.It first appeared on the album Let Love In, where it ran at 6:10...
" and "Secret Door".
In August 2009 it was announced that Arctic Monkeys are to release a vinyl version of their new single "Crying Lightning" exclusively through
OxfamOxfam International is a confederation of 14 organisations working with over 3,000 partners in more than 70 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice....
shops, with proceeds going to the charity. The 7-inch release also came with a code to enable download of a free
MP3MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression. It is a common audio format for consumer audio storage, as well as a de facto standard of digital audio compression for the transfer and playback of music on...
version.
In October 2009, the band announced that "
Cornerstone"Cornerstone" is the second single from Arctic Monkeys' third album Humbug. The release date of the single will be November 16, 2009. Like the previous single the vinyl will be made available in Oxfam shops.-Music video:...
" would be the second single from
Humbug. It is set to be released on 16 November, with the video being premiered on 15 October at 11.55pm on
Channel 4Channel 4 is a UK public-service television broadcaster which began working on November 2, 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station owned now and operated by the Channel Four Television...
. The band will once again team up with Oxfam for the release of the single.
Criticism and controversy
The band have received criticism based around the media circus that has both surrounded and contributed to their rise. Critics described them as one in a long line of largely overhyped "
NMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition. The magazine's commercial heyday was during the 1970s when it...
bands", while the release of the EP
Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys just three months after their record-breaking debut album has been criticised by some, who have seen it as "
money-grabbingGreed in psychology is an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth.-Theology:...
" and "cashing in on their success". The band countered that they regularly release new music not to make money, but to avoid the "boredom" of "spending three years touring on one album".
The cover sleeve of
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, showing Chris McClure, a friend of the band, smoking a cigarette, was criticised by the head of the
NHSThe National Health Service is the name commonly used to refer to the publicly-funded health care services in Great Britain. In England the name National Health Service is used without further qualification whereas the services in Scotland and Wales are known as NHS Scotland and NHS Wales...
in Scotland for "reinforcing the idea that smoking is OK". The image on the CD itself is a shot of an ashtray full of cigarettes. The band's product manager denied the accusation, and suggested the opposite — "You can see from the image smoking is not doing him the world of good".
The band was part of a chaotic and much-criticized 2008 Brit Awards ceremony; while accepting their Brit Award for Best British Album in 2008, the band made jokes about being from the
BRIT SchoolThe BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology is an independent technology school partly funded by the BRIT awards located in The Crescent, Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England...
in
CroydonCroydon is a major commercial centre in Greater London and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. It is south of Charing Cross, and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
. Students who attend the school are offered the chance to be in the audience; the Brit Awards heavily support the school. The band grew up in
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
and didn't actually attend the school. Rather, they were mocking previous winners of the night
AdeleAdele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele , is an English singer. Adele has described her musical style as "heartbroken soul." She is the first recipient of the BRIT Awards Critics' Choice, which was given to artists who, at the time, had yet to release an album.Adele debuted at...
and
Kate NashKate Marie Nash is an English singer and songwriter based in London. She had a UK #2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks.-Early life:...
, who had thanked the crowd and the school in their acceptance speech, having graduated from the school themselves. The speech was cut short by
ITVITV is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK...
.
Former
Depeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic band who formed in 1980, in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
keyboardist
Alan WilderAlan Charles Wilder is a British musician, formerly of Depeche Mode. His current musical project is called Recoil, started as a side project to Depeche Mode, but when he left the latter in 1995, it evolved into Wilder's primary project...
, describing the current state of the music industry in an article for
Side-Line magazineSide-Line is an online music magazine specialising in electronic music, and electro-goth/industrial in particular. It was founded in 1989 as a print publication, and had a circulation of 6,000 in Europe and America...
, used the Arctic Monkeys as an example in his criticism of the use of dynamic range compression in modern recording techniques, calling the song "
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" is the second single released by Sheffield band the Arctic Monkeys after being signed on Domino Records....
", "a bombardment of the most unsubtle, one-dimensional noise."
Television appearances
In November 2005, the group made their first UK television appearances, performing on
PopworldPopworld is a British television programme that was broadcast on Channel 4, offering pop news, trivia, gossip, interviews and music videos, as well as musical performances from the most recent top artists....
(15 October),
E4 Music and
Later... with Jools Holland (28 October). After these appearances, however, the band refused to play on other TV shows for a few months. They repeatedly turned down offers to play on the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
's chart show,
Top of the PopsTop of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. It was traditionally shown every Thursday evening on BBC1, before being moved to Fridays in 1996, and then moved to Sundays on BBC...
, as well as
ITVITV is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK...
's
CD:UKCD:UK was a British music television programme. Originally run in conjunction with SMTV Live, the programme was first aired on ITV on 29 August 1998 to rival the BBC's Live & Kicking and was the replacement for The Chart Show, which had been airing on the network for nine years.In contrast to its...
.
The band's refusal to attend the
2006 BRIT AwardsThe 2006 BRIT Awards were the 26th edition of the biggest annual pop music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 15 February 2006 in Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London. It attracted 4.70 million viewers, one of the lowest viewed...
was originally seen as another snub to television, although a statement explained that it was in fact due to their prior commitments on the
NME Awards TourThe NME Tours consist of a variety of tours organised by British music industry publication NME. Throughout the year, NME sponsors numerous tours of the United Kingdom by various up-and-coming and established bands in a variety of formats...
. In their recorded acceptance speech for Best British Breakthrough Act, the band gained a "mystery fifth member" who did all the talking. Known for being camera-shy, it turned out that the band had recruited
We Are ScientistsWe Are Scientists is an American band, formed in 2000, featuring Keith Murray , Chris Cain , Max Hart , and previously Michael Tapper . In their own words, the band creates "rock music of the thoughtful, sometimes epic, often loud, vaguely danceable, implicitly humanist variety"...
frontman
Keith MurrayKeith Austin Murray is lead vocalist/guitarist of the indie rock band We Are Scientists, with Chris Cain .-Biography:He was nominated for World's Sexiest Vegetarian 2007, losing out to Davey Havok of AFI....
, a friend of the band, to accept the award for them, to "confuse the audience".
Despite their hostility to appearances on UK television, the band made their biggest TV appearance when they appeared on
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
on 11 March 2006 to kick off their sold-out U.S. tour. The performance included the songs "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and "A Certain Romance", and saw the word "
ASBOAn Anti-Social Behaviour Order or ASBO in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland is a civil order made against a person who has been shown to have engaged in anti-social behaviour. Breaking an ASBO can render up to five years imprisonment. In the UK, there has been criticism that an ASBO...
" printed on the
bass drumA bass drum is a relatively large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The bass drums are of variable sizes and are used in several musical genres . Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished: the large orchestral bass drum, the smaller kick' drum, and the...
. However, just before the
guitar soloGuitar solos are a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, rock, metal and jazz styles such as swing and jazz...
of "A Certain Romance", Turner castigated a yawning audience member, and Cook tossed his guitar at an
amplifierGenerally, an amplifier or simply amp, is any device that changes, usually increases, the amplitude of a signal. The relationship of the input to the output of an amplifier—usually expressed as a function of the input frequency—is called the transfer function of the amplifier, and the magnitude of...
at the end of the song.
In February 2007, the band did not attend the
2007 BRIT AwardsThe 2007 BRIT Awards was the 27th edition of the biggest annual pop music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 14 February 2007 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London...
ceremony, due to recording of the
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
to their new single "
Brianstorm"Brianstorm" is a song by Sheffield-based indie rock band Arctic Monkeys and is the opening track on their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare. The song was released as the first single from that album on 2 April 2007, debuting at #11 in the UK Singles Chart via downloads alone...
" the same day. Although reported as a second "snub" to the ceremony, Helders told BBC 6Music ""We're filming the video that day, so we're not going to be anywhere near it. We haven't snubbed it, we're just busy boys getting ready to go on tour again." Winning "Best British Band" and "Best British Album", the band instead sent videoed acceptance speeches dressed up as characters from the
Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical / fantasy film directed mainly by Victor Fleming from a script by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, Edgar Allan Woolf, and others and based on the 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum...
and The Village People. The band has also appeared on several late night talk shows such as
Late Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC from 1993 to 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and stand-up comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 a.m....
,
Late Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and bandleader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra,...
,
Jimmy Kimmel Live! and
Later with Jools HollandLater with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running without a break since 1992 and is a part of BBC2's late-night line-up, usually around 11PM...
.
In February 2008 they attended the
2008 BRIT AwardsThe 2008 BRIT Awards was the 28th edition of the biggest annual music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 20 February 2008 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London...
ceremony, where they won Best British Album for
Favourite Worst Nightmare and Best British Group. They were also nominated for Best British Live Act, but lost to
Take ThatTake That are a BRIT Award-winning English pop band consisting of members Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Mark Owen. Barlow is the group's main songwriter. All of them perform primarily on vocals though each have some instrumental talent/song-writing capability. The band achieved major...
.
Musical Influences
The influence of classic British bands such as
The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
,
The ClashThe Clash were an English rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk rock. Along with punk, they experimented with reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap and rockabilly...
,
The SmithsThe Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
,
The Stone RosesThe Stone Roses were an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1984. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, and
OasisOasis were an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul Arthurs , Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
have shaped the foundations for the Arctic Monkeys as a group, however their desire to progress with their sound and Alex Turner's eclectic taste and love for 60's music has provided the group with many different influences to each album.
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm NotWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is the debut album by English band Arctic Monkeys, released on 23 January 2006. The album became the UK's fastest selling debut album, shifting over 360,000 copies in its first week, and remains the fastest selling debut album by a band...
was touted as a typical British-indie record, being influenced, as many other similar bands of the time were, by
The StrokesThe Strokes is an American rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. They rose to fame in the early 2000s as leaders in the garage rock revival. The band's members are Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr...
' debut album
Is This ItIs This It is the debut album by the American alternative rock band The Strokes, released in 2001. The Strokes were the first band to break into the mainstream as part of the turn-of-the-millennium garage rock trend...
, and the short-lived but influential
The LibertinesThe Libertines were an English rock band. Formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty , the band also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
.
Alex TurnerAlex Turner may refer to:*Alex Turner , Virginian slave, who escaped at the beginning of the American Civil War and fought in the Union army*Alex Turner , film director...
's lyrical style was also compared to
MorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known primarily as Morrissey, is a British singer-songwriter. After a short stint in the punk rock band The Nosebleeds in the late 1970s, he rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths...
,
Jarvis CockerJarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and former frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s.-Biography:...
and
Elvis CostelloElvis Costello is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s, and later became associated with the punk rock and New Wave musical genres...
.
On the follow-up
Favourite Worst NightmareFavourite Worst Nightmare is the second studio album by Sheffield indie rock band Arctic Monkeys that was first released in Japan on 18 April 2007 before being released around the world. Recorded in East London's Miloco Studios with producers James Ford and Mike Crossey, the album was preceded by...
, the band sought to create a darker and more haunting sound, with the use of guitar effects, organs, and the influence of new bass player
Nick O'MalleyNicholas O'Malley , is the bass guitarist of Sheffield-based band Arctic Monkeys.- Biography :O'Malley was drafted in as a temporary replacement for bassist Andy Nicholson when the latter announced he would not make the band's North America tour in May 2006...
being heard on moodier songs such as "Do Me A Favour" and "505". The influence of
Queens of the Stone AgeQueens of the Stone Age is an American Grammy Award-nominated rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. Originally formed under the name Gamma Ray by guitarist Josh Homme, following the breakup of his previous band, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age developed a style of...
could be heard on "If You Were There, Beware" and "Brianstorm".
Matt HeldersMatthew Helders , is the drummer for the band Arctic Monkeys and Mongrel. He is the most comprehensive backing vocalist, appearing in the tracks "You Probably Couldn't See For the Lights But You Were Looking Straight at Me" "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", "Teddy Picker", "Who The Fuck Are...
has said that the band were all massive QOTSA fans from an early stage of the group's formation, and taught themselves to play QOTSA's
Songs for the DeafSongs for the Deaf is the third studio album by American hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age. Released in 2002, the album features Foo Fighters and Nirvana member Dave Grohl as a guest drummer. Like their other albums, Songs for the Deaf has a large number of guest musicians, a signature of the...
album as teenagers.
The band also attempted to push their "heavier" sound into many of the b-sides for the
Favourite Worst NightmareFavourite Worst Nightmare is the second studio album by Sheffield indie rock band Arctic Monkeys that was first released in Japan on 18 April 2007 before being released around the world. Recorded in East London's Miloco Studios with producers James Ford and Mike Crossey, the album was preceded by...
singles.
In August 2008 the band announced that the recording sessions for their third album would be overseen by Josh Homme of
Queens of the Stone AgeQueens of the Stone Age is an American Grammy Award-nominated rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. Originally formed under the name Gamma Ray by guitarist Josh Homme, following the breakup of his previous band, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age developed a style of...
, in his Joshua Tree Ranch in the Mojave Desert. The band admitted to being influenced by listening to
CreamCream were a 1960s British blues-rock band and supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker. Their sound was characterised by a hybrid of blues, hard rock and psychedelic rock...
and
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
records while away, possibly influenced by Homme. In early reviews of
HumbugHumbug is the third album by the British alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys. Like their last release, Favourite Worst Nightmare , Humbug was released first in Japan, on 19 August 2009, followed by Australia, Brazil, Ireland and Germany, on 21 August 2009. It was then released in the UK on 24...
, journalists have noted similarities to
The DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. They are considered a controversial and influential band, due mostly to Morrison's cryptic lyrics and unpredictable...
, as well as Queens of the Stone Age and
Nick CaveNicholas Edward Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and musical styles...
, whose song "
Red Right Hand"Red Right Hand" is a 1994 song and single from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The title comes from a line in the epic poem Paradise Lost by John Milton.It first appeared on the album Let Love In, where it ran at 6:10...
" the band covered as a tribute to their Australian audience during their January 2009 tour of Australia .
Lyrics
The lyrics of Arctic Monkeys' singles often feature
social realismSocial Realism, also known as Socio-Realism, is an artistic movement, expressed in the visual and other realist arts, which depicts social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through unvarnished pictures of life's struggles; often depicting working class activities as heroic...
as typified by "A Certain Romance", which comments on
chavChav , charve or scally , ned , is a derogatory term applied to certain young people in the United Kingdom. The stereotypical chav is an aggressive teenager or young adult who often engages in anti-social behaviour, such as street drinking, drug abuse and rowdy behaviour...
and indie culture; and observations of
working classWorking class is a term used in academic sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe, depending on context and speaker, those employed in lower tier jobs as measured by skill, education, and compensation....
life, as typified by "When the Sun Goes Down", described as a "witty, poignant song about
prostitutionProstitution is the act or practice of engaging in sex acts for hire. In most cultures, prostitution is viewed by many as a deviant profession, either illegal or socially discouraged...
in the
NeepsendSheffield Neepsend was a short-lived Parliamentary constituency in the City of Sheffield, England. The constituency was created in 1950 and abolished in 1955, presumably due to its low number of electors - never exceeding 50,000...
district of
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
". Based on their lyrical style, Arctic Monkeys have been compared to acts such as the British
rapperRapping is the rhythmic spoken delivery of rhymes, wordplay, and poetry. Rapping is a primary ingredient in hip hop music, but the phenomenon predates hip hop culture by centuries. Rapping can be delivered over a beat or without accompaniment...
Mike Skinner of
The StreetsMichael Geoffery Skinner , more commonly known by his stage name The Streets, is a rapper from Birmingham, England.-Early life and beginnings:...
and earlier artists such as
MorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known primarily as Morrissey, is a British singer-songwriter. After a short stint in the punk rock band The Nosebleeds in the late 1970s, he rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths...
and
Jarvis CockerJarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and former frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s.-Biography:...
, both known for their combination of observational lyrics and humour.
Turner sings in a strong
Yorkshire accentThe Yorkshire dialect refers to the varieties of English used in the Northern England historic county of Yorkshire. Those varieties are often referred to as Broad Yorkshire or Tyke. The dialect has roots in older languages such as Old English and Old Norse; it should not be confused with modern...
, typified by the contraction of "something" to "summat" (IPA: /sumʌt/) (as
summit or like
summut), use of "dun't" (IPA: /dʌnt/) (like
dunt) instead of
don't for "doesn't", use of "were" instead of "was", the use of "ent" instead of isn't, the replacement of "anything" and "nothing" with "owt" and "nowt," use of "reight" instead of "right" (meaning
very), and the use of Yorkshire colloquialisms such as "mardy" for "grumpy, difficult, unpredictable, spoiled" and "got the face on" for "in a bad mood". Their songs also include frequent references to
popular culturePopular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture...
both common and obscure;
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not includes references to
Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young "star-cross'd lovers" whose untimely deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet and Macbeth, is...
, "
Roxanne"Roxanne" is a hit song by the rock band The Police, first released in 1978 as a single and on their album Outlandos d'Amour. It was written about a prostitute in Paris.-Credits:*Sting - fretless bass, lead vocals, backing vocals...
" by
The PoliceThe Police were an English rock trio, from London, England, formed originally in 1977. The trio consisted of Gordon Sumner, CBE , widely known by his stage name of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
and
Frank SpencerFrank Spencer may refer to one of the following real or fictional persons*Frank Spencer , a ballroom dancer, partner and husband of Peggy Spencer, famous for the BBC's Come Dancing program...
, from
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'EmSome Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em was a BBC situation comedy, written by Raymond Allen and starring Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice....
, leading one journalist to describe the band as having a "
campCamp is an aesthetic sensibility wherein something is appealing because of its bad taste and ironic value. When the usage appeared, in 1909, it denoted: ostentatious, exaggerated, affected, theatrical, and effeminate behaviour, and, by the middle of the 1970s, the definition comprised: banality,...
retro-futuristRetro-futurism, retrofuturism, retro-future or retrofuture, terms combining "retro" and "futurism" or "future", can refer to two distinct concepts: A style of design and art or an ideology....
fascination" for 1980s popular culture.
Arctic Monkeys have twice referred to
Duran DuranDuran Duran are an English rock band from Birmingham, United Kingdom. They were one of the most successful of the 1980s bands and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States. Since the 1980s they have placed 14 in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and 21 in the...
in their lyrics. The first is in "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" ("Your name isn't Rio, but I don't care for sand" - a reference to the song/video "
Rio"Rio" is the seventh single by Duran Duran, released on November 1, 1982.The song was the fourth and final single lifted from the band's album Rio, and was edited for its release...
"), and the second appears in the song "
Teddy Picker"Teddy Picker" is a song by Arctic Monkeys and the third single from their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare. It was released on 3 December 2007 in the United Kingdom. The song entered the UK singles chart at number 20...
" ("Save it for the morning after" - a steal from the song "
Save A Prayer"Save a Prayer" is the sixth single by Duran Duran, released on 9 August, 1982.The soft, seductive ballad was the third single from the band's second album Rio...
").
Live appearances
At
concertA concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. The music may be performed by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band. Informal names for a concert include "show" and "gig"...
s, the band are known for their sing-along nature, and fan participation. However, their shows have sometimes been criticised by reviewers. For example,
NME compared their performance at the 2006 Reading Festival unfavourably to that of
MuseMuse are a multi award-winning British alternative rock band that formed in Teignmouth, Devon in 1994. Since its inception, the band has comprised vocalist, guitarist and pianist Matthew Bellamy; bassist and backing vocalist Christopher Wolstenholme; and drummer Dominic Howard...
, who followed immediately after, using a multitude of
fireworksA firework is a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
and lighting effects, claiming that "in contrast to Muse's all-flashing, all-smoke-spewing, all-fire-raining slot, Arctic Monkeys simply stroll on without even the common courtesy of shoving up a
backdropTheatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how large or how small, whether or not the item was custom-made or is, in fact, the genuine item, appropriated...
", adding that band were too "self-conscious" and failed to be "the rock stars they've actually earned the right to be".
Arctic Monkeys headlined the
Glastonbury FestivalThe Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or Glasto, is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. The festival is best known for its contemporary music, but also features dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and...
on 22 June 2007, the highlights of which were aired on BBC2. During their headline act, the band performed with
Dizzee RascalDylan Kwabena Mills , better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a British rapper, songwriter and record producer of Ghanaian and Nigerian descent. His music is a blend of garage MCing, conventional rap, grime, ragga, and electronic music, with extremely eclectic samples and more exotic styles...
and covered
Shirley BasseyDame Shirley Veronica Bassey DBE is a singer who found fame in the late 1950s and has continued a successful career since then worldwide. She is also well-known for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger , Diamonds Are Forever , and Moonraker...
's "
Diamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever is the soundtrack for the 7th James Bond film of the same name."Diamonds Are Forever", the title song, was the second James Bond theme to be performed by Shirley Bassey, after Goldfinger in 1964. Producer Harry Saltzman hated the song and it only made the film due to...
". The band also played a large gig at
DublinDublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
's
Malahide CastleMalahide Castle, parts of which date to the 12th century, lies, with over of remaining estate parkland , close to the village of Malahide, nine miles north of Dublin in Ireland.-History:...
on 16 June 2007, with a second date added the following day. The band was also slated to play the
Austin City Limits Music FestivalThe Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day music festival in Austin, Texas's Zilker Park. The Festival brings together more than 130 bands on eight stages, including rock, country, folk, indie, Americana, hip-hop, reggae, and bluegrass, and attracts a crowd of more then 65,000...
in September 2007.
The band played two shows at
Cardiff International ArenaThe Cardiff International Arena is an exhibition centre and events facility located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales, in the United Kingdom. The arena contains a number of function areas, the largest being the Main Arena. The CIA has hosted many national and international events, such as...
on 19 June and 20 June 2007 supported by local friends of the band,
Reverend and the MakersReverend and The Makers are an Indie rock band based in Sheffield, England and signed to Wall of Sound. The band is fronted by Jon McClure, nicknamed "The Reverend".-History:...
. They also played two London gigs at
Alexandra PalaceSet in Alexandra Park, Alexandra Palace was built in an area spanning Wood Green and Muswell Hill, North London, England, in 1873 as a public centre of recreation, education and entertainment and as North London's counterpart to the Crystal Palace in South London.-Overview:The Great Hall and West...
on the 8 and 9 December 2007.
Arctic Monkeys were the headline act for 2009's Reading Festival (
watch the BBC broadcast),
Leeds FestivalLeeds Festival may refer to:*Reading and Leeds Festivals , a rock music festival in Leeds , West Yorkshire, England*Leeds Festival , classical music festival in Leeds...
, and they informed fans that free tickets were included within two copies of their new single Crying Lightning. They were also the headline act on the first night of 2009's Exit festival in
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
. It has been announced that they will perform at
Osheaga FestivalThe Osheaga Music and Arts Festival is a two-day rock festival in Montreal, Quebec, that is held annually at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène every summer. The 2006 festival attracted a crowd of around 25,000 people. The second edition was held on September 8 and 9, 2007...
, as part of a line-up which includes
Beastie BoysBeastie Boys is an American hip hop group from New York City. The group comprises Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz...
and
ColdplayColdplay are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1998. The group comprises Chris Martin , Jonny Buckland , Guy Berryman , and Will Champion .Coldplay's early material was compared to acts such as Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, U2, and Travis...
.
In politics
The popularity of the Arctic Monkeys in the UK has led to politicians and journalists referring to the band in speeches and texts. In May 2006, then-
Chancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called The Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
Gordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party. Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007, after the resignation of Tony Blair and three days after becoming leader of the governing Labour Party...
stated in an interview with
New Woman magazine that he listened to them every day, claiming "[they] really wake you up in the morning", although in a later interview he was unable to name any of their songs. This has later been reported as a misquote. Subsequent interviews Brown has clarified that he said he didn't actually like them. He says he simply stated they would certainly wake you up in the morning. He went on to reference this in his speech at the 2006 Labour Party Conference about the risk of
global warmingGlobal warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C during the last century...
, joking that he was "more interested in the future of the
Arctic CircleThe Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. In , it is the parallel of latitude that runs approximately 66° 33′ 39″ north of the Equator. The region north of this circle is known as the Arctic, and the zone just to the south is called the Northern...
than the future of the Arctic Monkeys". [Then]
Liberal DemocratThe Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems or just Liberals, are a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by a merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party; the two parties had been in alliance for seven years, from shortly after the formation of...
leader
Menzies CampbellSir Walter Menzies Campbell CBE PC QC is a British politician, advocate and retired sprinter. He is Member of Parliament for North East Fife and was Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007....
also referred to the band at the 2006
Liberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems or just Liberals, are a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by a merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party; the two parties had been in alliance for seven years, from shortly after the formation of...
party conferenceThe terms party conference , political convention , and party congress usually refer to a general meeting of a political party. The conference is attended by certain delegates who represent the party membership...
, mistakenly claiming that they had sold more records than
The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
, a comment which led to much derision from the media.
Helders and O'Malley have also expressed doubts about the
Live EarthLive Earth is an annual event developed to combat climate change.-Background:The plans for the first Live Earth concerts were announced at a media event in Los Angeles on 15 February 2007 by Al Gore, Kevin Wall and other celebrities...
concerts in 2007. They stated that it would be "patronising" given their age and that people should pay more attention to experts than to musicians about
climate changeClimate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average...
. They also stated that it would leave them open to accusations of hypocrisy owing to the amount of energy they used in concerts.
Studio albums
- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is the debut album by English band Arctic Monkeys, released on 23 January 2006. The album became the UK's fastest selling debut album, shifting over 360,000 copies in its first week, and remains the fastest selling debut album by a band...
(2006)
- Favourite Worst Nightmare
Favourite Worst Nightmare is the second studio album by Sheffield indie rock band Arctic Monkeys that was first released in Japan on 18 April 2007 before being released around the world. Recorded in East London's Miloco Studios with producers James Ford and Mike Crossey, the album was preceded by...
(2007)
- Humbug
Humbug is the third album by the British alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys. Like their last release, Favourite Worst Nightmare , Humbug was released first in Japan, on 19 August 2009, followed by Australia, Brazil, Ireland and Germany, on 21 August 2009. It was then released in the UK on 24...
(2009)
Awards
Since the release of their debut album
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm NotWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is the debut album by English band Arctic Monkeys, released on 23 January 2006. The album became the UK's fastest selling debut album, shifting over 360,000 copies in its first week, and remains the fastest selling debut album by a band...
in 2006, Arctic Monkeys have received 24 awards from 38 nominations. Significant awards have been the
Mercury PrizeThe Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
in 2006, an Ivor Novello Award in 2007 and both Best British Album and Best British Group at the
BRIT AwardsThe Brit Awards, often simply called The Brits and stylized as The BRIT Awards, are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British" or "Britannia", but has subsequently become a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
in 2008. They have also won eleven
NME AwardsThe NME Awards are an annual music awards show, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine.-History:...
and three
Q AwardsThe Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicized music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event.Perhaps the most...
and received two nominations in the 49th Grammy Awards.
External links