"Don't believe the hype."
That's what Arctic Monkeys lead singer and guitarist Alex Turner says to his audience in a homemade video for the group's first single, "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor." If he's hoping to squelch the unprecedented buzz surrounding his alt-rock indie band, he's too late. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has already called Arctic Monkeys "the greatest band in the world." Mick Jagger lists them as a current fave. Music critics are declaring 2006 the year of the Monkeys.
"In terms of sheer impact ... we haven't seen anything quite like this since The Beatles," observed a spokesman for music retailer HMV.
How to Build a World-Famous Rock Band From Scratch
After virtual anonymity, Arctic Monkeys shot their way to the top of the U.K. singles charts in October 2005, selling almost 40,000 copies of "Dancefloor." Last month, follow-up single "When the Sun Goes Down" garnered identical results. And when the album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not hit stores in England on Jan. 23, it promptly became the fastest-selling debut in U.K. chart history, moving 363,735 units in one week—big numbers even by U.S. standards. The four boyish-looking Brits recently walked away with three NME awards, including Best British Band.
Now, Arctic Monkeys are set to invade the U.S.
Just how the band ended up on such a remarkable journey is one of the purest signs of our iPod times. In 2002, Turner met eventual drummer Matthew Helders at Barnsley College. Both had little musical experience (or proficiency), but after receiving instruments at Christmas, they decided to form a band. The pair recruited lead guitarist Jamie Cook and bassist Andy Nicholson, and they played their first gig in June 2003. By late 2004 they had recorded a demo, but rather than shopping it around to record labels, they offered it for free on the Internet. BBC Radio 1 discovered the songs and heightened interest by spinning them. An EP followed, which was passed around on several peer-to-peer networks and quickly expanded an already solid—and extremely loyal—fan base. Using online chat rooms and forums, the band continued to garner interest while honing their set with sold-out live shows across the U.K. They finally decided to sign with Domino Records, a tiny indie label that epitomizes the grassroots approach (it's run out of the owner's apartment).
Skip the Beauty, Go for the Grit
So what exactly is all the fuss about? Whatever People Say presents modern Brit-rock in untainted fashion in the same way Franz Ferdinand and The Strokes have recently done. With a sound as raw and gray as a rainy Sheffield morning, the Arctic Monkeys sing about club fights, red-light districts and underage drinking. Not necessarily the kind of subject matter you'd expect from guys who still live with their parents.
On "When the Sun Goes Down" a "scummy man" hires a scantily clad prostitute who still works the streets despite the cold weather ("She must be f---ing freezing ... [but] it doesn't stop in the winter," Turner sings). Later, he adds that the hookers are "all infected but he'll be alright/'Cause he's a scumbag." Nice, huh?
Trippy tune "A Certain Romance" describes "kids who like to scrap with pool cues in their hands" and a man who acts like a "d--khead" after "he's had a couple of cans." As the singer leaves a bar on "Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secure," he describes street fights between drunks and couples downing hard liquor. And on "Riot Van" a group of hot-headed youngsters cop attitudes against suspicious policemen.
Forget lyrical depictions of lush landscapes and romantic poetry. If the Arctic Monkeys excel at one thing so far, it's setting a gritty mood typical of their upbringing. It's urban in a Yorkshire way. It's colloquial. It's also unrefined to a fault. To show the guys' level of class, after fans requested a certain song at a recent concert in their hometown, Turner responded with, "Is that all you like us for? F--- off. ... We can't remember how to play it."
Take Us or Leave Us
The frontman chalks up all the grit and grime to their desire to remain true to themselves rather than "selling out" to industry standards. "When you want success and you get obsessive, you mold yourself to be whatever they want you to be," Turner explains. "I think because we weren't obsessive about it, we've got a bit more b--locks."
They've also got enough sense to realize that bands built solely on hype don't last long. "It's flattering for people to say we're the next big thing," Turner says. "It's nice to hear. But you don't want it to go so far that it's not about the music, that it's about people being told to like it. I don't want people to like us for the wrong reasons."
OK, then how about not liking them for the right reasons?
