Arctic Monkeys
This month Martin Cooper nips up the M1 to check out the tight and punchy sound of Sheffield’s indie darlings, those Arctic Monkeys.
The Arctic Monkeys formed in 2002 in Sheffield, UK comprising Alex Turner on lead vocals, guitar and piano, Jamie Cook on guitar and piano, Nick O’Malley on bass and drummer Matt Helders. Their album, titled Whatever You Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, is the fastest selling debut album in UK chart history. Among other accolades the band have won seven Brit awards, including Best British Group three times, and also been nominated for three Grammy Awards. Their debut also won the Mercury Prize in 2006 and they have headlined Glastonbury on two occasions.
They were also one of the first bands to come to people’s attention via the Internet – their initial demo CD was given away at gigs and promptly file shared online by fans. This served to bring them swiftly to the attention of more and more people, at a time when the landscape of how music was marketed and distributed was beginning to change.
The band began to grow in popularity in England and they started to gain the attention of the BBC and other media outlets. They played the unsigned stage at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2005, and were signed to Domino Records later that year. Their debut single I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor went straight to number 1 in the UK and the debut album, which followed in 2006, also went to number 1. Several other chart-topping albums and high-profile live performances, including playing at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London have seen the band enjoy continued success around the world.
Their style is a blend of influences from the Indie, Garage and Hip-Hop genres, but played with ultra-tight precision. A key ingredient of the band’s sound is Alex Turner’s rapidly delivered lyrics, often with a heavy Sheffield accent. Turner has also said that his lyrics are inspired by John Lennon.
Our track is full of the staccato chords and phrases that Turner and Jamie Cook often deliver, and is in the key of E minor (E-F#-GA-B-C-D). It blends rock and funk elements, never strays from E minor and the parts are quite easy to play. In general the rhythm parts are built around A and E shape barre chords, with some two-note part chords on occasion. Be punchy, tight and aggressive.
NEXT MONTH Martin introduces the Welsh rock sounds of the Manic Street Preachers