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Post by Fuggle on Feb 4, 2006 13:52:38 GMT -5
Harry Potter: 'I Was The First Arctic Monkeys Fan' Shut it Potter...By: Scott ColothanHarry Potter himself Daniel Ratcliffe claims that he was the first Arctic Monkeys fan to rave on about them. He thinks that just because he saw them at the Reading Festival last summer, he caught them before everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Erm, no they were already fookin’ massive then Daniel and the tent was packed to the rafters. The richest teenager in Britain blathered: "Everybody is jumping on the Arctic Monkeys bandwagon but I was the first to rave about them. "I saw them at the Reading Festival last year and whenever somebody asked me in an interview who my favourite band was, I always said the Arctics. "Everyone said: 'Oh you're so cool, who are they?' No one had seemed to have heard of them. "Now everyone is claiming they knew all along. All my friends are saying, 'We've got the album' and they are pretending to be cool but this wasn't the story six months ago. As the Daily Record reports, he continued: “It gets really annoying when you think you've found a band that's yours. "That's really personal and amazing and now everybody is claiming them as their own. I'm Arctic Monkeys fan 001." Surely that’s the Daily Star’s Joe Mott?
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 4, 2006 13:56:33 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys Fans Snub Maximo Park... Again! Leaving the venue...
By: Scott Colothan
Once again hundreds of Arctic Monkeys fans gave Maximo Park the cold shoulder during their joint tour last night (February 2).
The show was rammed to capacity when the Monkeys played their set at Liverpool University, but up to half the audience got up and left once they’d finished.
It left Paul Smith and co. playing their blinding set to a partially emptied room.
Frantic Arctic Monkeys fans had been paying up to £100 outside the venue to see their heroes, but many had no time for the headliners.
The snubbing of Maximo Park has been a running trend of the tour starting on the opening night in Dublin.
Amongst the celebs spotted in the crowd was Man City footballer Joey Barton who knew every word to the Arctic Monkeys.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 4, 2006 13:58:02 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys: ‘When The Sun Goes Down’
This second single from the Sheffield-based band of the minute is far superior to previous chart topper ‘I bet you look good on the dance floor’, both musically and lyrically. A tale of girls of the night, ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ is fuelled by intelligent lyrics, punchy guitar riffs and finished expertly with a fantastically catchy sing-a-long chorus. They are overhyped, they’re not the ‘saviours of British rock music’, but they are superb. Another clear number 1 single. 5/5 - JM
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 4, 2006 14:01:42 GMT -5
Monkeys album recorded locally
THE fastest selling debut album of all time was recorded in Lincolnshire. Chapel Studios in South Thoresby was where the four lads from Sheffield, the Arctic Monkeys, recorded the album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. The recording studio, where the band spent three weeks last summer, is named on the album's sleeve notes. After being released on January 23 on the Domino label, the album sold 363,000 copies in just six days. Jonny Bradshaw, Arctic Monkeys product manager at Domino, said: "The band loved it at Chapel Studios and they loved working with the producer Jim Abbiss." He added: "Lincolnshire is a beautiful part of the world." According to MusicWeek, the music industries trade paper, the album sold more copies in a week than any other album in history. Mark Merrifield, owner of record shop Off The Beaten Tracks in Aswell Street, Louth, said: "I've sold 60 copies already; it's my biggest selling debut in the shop. "It's a similar demand to when U2 released their album last Christmas." Mark added: "Teenagers in the town have been talking about it since last summer. "The album is lively and entertaining and for a band so young it's really good music." The quartet, who are all aged 19 or 20, have been working hard for the past three years on the Yorkshire live music circuit before getting signed with the independent label Domino, also home to last year's big find Franz Ferdinand. Their debut album includes 13 tracks, two of their singles I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor and When The Sun Goes Down both went straight into the charts at number one.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 4, 2006 14:05:06 GMT -5
Monkeys fans laugh off freeze
Dave Mark
THEY'RE the Yorkshire band who have taken Britain by storm and promise world domination before they turn 21. And yesterday, their fans showed they would happily wait until Hull freezes over for tickets to see them. At the head of the 250-strong queue of fans hoping to see the Arctic Monkeys at the Hull Arena was 61-year-old Geoff Gill, who happily braved sub-zero conditions overnight to be the first through the door when tickets went on sale yesterday. He said: "They're going to be the big thing of this year. I'm a music lover. I like all kinds of music and it's worth getting a bit cold to be a part of something like this. It should be an excellent concert. They've got a real good future ahead of them." He was joined by a large gang of male teenagers, who relied on a large bottle of vodka and a tent to keep warm during their 24-hour queueing session. Arena manager Sharon Bingham said: "It was a surprise to see a rather older chap at the front of the queue but he's actually helping us out because the younger ones who might get a bit over-excited are being more respectful because he's got there first and is clearly the most committed of fans. "I don't think I can remember seeing scenes like this before. the queue is just so huge, which is wonderful, especially considering the weather." The Sheffield band went straight to number one with their first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, at the weekend. It sold more than 360,000 copies its the first week of release, more than the rest of the top 20 put together. Tickets for the gig, part of a 12-date tour across the country, went on sale at Hull Arena at 6pm. All tickets at the 3,750-capacity venue were expected to be sold within hours.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 6, 2006 13:20:51 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys billed as first superstars of iPod era 06.02.06British rock band Arctic Monkeys performing on stage. Picture / Reuters They hold the British record for fastest-selling debut album, have been labelled the next Oasis and are hailed as the first superstars of the iPod age. Yet the real proving ground for the Arctic Monkeys, the young quartet who have made it big through the marketing of their music over the internet, is the stage. Judging by the reaction at the start of their sell-out tour, the rockers who sing about the seedy side of life are living up to the hype. The combination of cheeky lyrics about prostitution, drunkenness and run-ins with the police, all delivered with a distinctive Sheffield twang, and the role web-savvy fans played in promoting the band, sets the Arctic Monkeys apart. The publicity-shy Monkeys became famous almost by accident. The four musicians, aged 19 and 20, handed out free CDs of their music at early gigs in 2004, which were in turn downloaded on to the internet by fans and sent out across the cybersphere. They were as surprised as anyone when, at concerts at that time, crowds began singing back the words as they performed. Their success suggests that the internet is changing not only the way the world listens to music, via iPods and other download devices, but also the way bands break into the mainstream and market themselves. "I think the bands are probably in a stronger position, as they are not so desperate for the record company to magic up the audience," said Laurence Bell, head of Domino Records which signed the Arctic Monkeys. "It's about so much more than technology or whatever people think it was," said lead singer Alex Turner, emphasising the music instead.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 6, 2006 13:25:27 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys Retain Album Chart Top Spot No surprise there then!... by Daniel Melia on 2/5/2006The Arctic Monkeys have retained their top spot in the album charts and so have the Notorious BIG and P Diddy in the singles chart. It is the second week the Sheffield bands record breaking debut ‘Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not’ has topped the chart. Meanwhile it was a good week for The Ordinary Boys as their single ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ rose six places to number 3 and the bands second album ‘Brassbound’ leapt eleven places to number 11. Celebrity Bog Brother star Pete Burns saw the re-issue of his Dead Or Alive classic ‘You Spin Me Round’ enter the singles charts at number 5. Mogwai’s ‘Friend of the Night’, the first single from the Scots new album ‘Mr Beast’, entered the chart at number 38.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 6, 2006 13:30:12 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys/ Maximo Park, Liverpool UniversityFeb 4 2006 Review by Tony Kenwright, Daily Post Arctic Monkeys/ Maximo Park NME Shockwaves Tour Liverpool UniversityHOW is it that children with spots who live at home with their mums are ruling the rock world? Take four lads from Sheffield who were in buggies and babygrows back when Bros were first questioning fame's timescale. Take a fondness for Pulp and John Cooper-Clarke. Take a Faustian pact with the Devil on an M62 turn-off (I'm speculating about this bit), then add about 15 tons of talent. Hey, hey they're The Monkeys. Arctic variety. Do you know the film where the kid on the terraces gets to play for his favourite club (Nil-nil. The last minute...he scores the goal)? Well here's 19 year old Alex Turner, who should be in the audience worshipping the bands, going for the clichéd ending. Tottering behind his white Stratocaster he pretends not to understand it. "This is madness," he repeats as the audience pour forth their adoration. Bemused he holds out the microphone as they sing their acapella version of the band's latest single. Something incredibly special is going on here. The audience know it; secretly the band know it too. Their performance screams confidence. Like The Beatles back from Hamburg a solid 18 months of touring and playing together has honed their music as tight as an E string. Their debut album has sold 500,000 in just ten days. The biggest selling debut ever, Now they're up on stage in Liverpool on the NME Tour. Fame precedes them but, for a change, hype is justified. Even though they probably need id to buy a shandy, The Arctic Monkeys are the real deal. Stunningly, thrillingly so. They're not even the headline act, but with tickets being touted at more than five times face-value, there's no doubting who we're here to see. Despite the newness of their album, thanks to pre-release downloads and band-sanctioned bootlegs, everyone here knows every line. What great lines too. Cynical, comic and wise beyond years, here are some of the best lyrics since Alison dumped Costello. Street poetry with a crazy, dumb beauty and an eye for the minor detail that major art needs. If you doubted that the Arctic Monkeys were kings of this particular jungle the considerable exodus at the end of their set is a case of walking doing the talking. Headliners Maximo Park are splendid. Bad hair, great personalities, perfectly crafted pop gems. Any other day, I'd be bubbling. Right now I'm sorry that The Arctics had to leave the stage. I don't care what the Chinese say. They're wrong. This is the Year Of The Monkey.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 6, 2006 20:00:40 GMT -5
Fagging heck: Arctic Monkeys project "wrong image"Scottish children, beware: buying the new album by the Arctic Monkeys is a risk to your health. Well, so says one Dr Laurence Gruer of NHS Trust Scotland. Basically, Dr Gruer is a wee bit upset by the album's cover - a picture of a mate with a fag in his mouth. To you or I, there's little wrong with that, but to a doctor, well... "Although the band is from Sheffield, thousands of youngsters in Scotland will buy it because it is good music. It is the fastest-selling album in British history, but it gives out the wrong image. With a blatant image of a guy smoking, it will be seen by many as a cool thing to do." Dr Gruer said the above to the Glasgow Herald. The band's manager, Johnny Bradshaw, disagreed though: "You can see from the image smoking is not doing him the world of good. We have not had any complaints from supermarkets or places where the album has been stocked." In REAL LIFE TRUTH news: smoking does make you die. Like, for real. Stay in school, kids.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 6, 2006 20:07:51 GMT -5
Daniel Radcliffe Claims Arctic Monkeys As His Ownby Eve Jenkin February 6 2006Daniel Radcliffe as Harry PotterThere’s a little spark within all of us that flares up when our favourite obscure band is embraced by the masses, and none would agree with that statement more so than Daniel “Harry Potter” Radcliffe. Telling his tale of woe to The Daily Record, Radcliffe exclaimed "Everybody is jumping on the Arctic Monkeys bandwagon but I was the first to rave about them. "I saw them at the Reading Festival last year and whenever somebody asked me in an interview who my favourite band was, I always said the Arctics.” Many would argue that the Arctic Monkeys already had an established following when Radcliffe saw them for the first time, but if that’s the case then he doesn’t seem aware of it. “It gets really annoying when you think you've found a band that's yours,” he said. “That's really personal and amazing and now everybody is claiming them as their own. I'm Arctic Monkeys fan 001.” Mr. Radcliffe is currently the richest teen in the UK, with a personal fortune exceeding £23 million.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 8, 2006 8:36:00 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys riding highLast Modified: 7 Feb 2006 Source: ITNThey have been hailed as the new Oasis and the first superstars of the iPod generation. Now the Arctic Monkeys are showing that they have the substance to match the hype. The Indie sensations showed what they do best when they played to a heaving crowd of 400 delighted fans in Leeds on Monday night. This weekend may have seen their single When the Sun Goes Down drop even further down the chart from last week's number two to number eight but they are unlikely to be too bothered. The Sheffield boys' debut album Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not smashed the UK record for the fastest selling debut album of all time after its release on January 23 and it is at number one for the second week.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 8, 2006 8:38:54 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys Slam Their Own Music! 'I Bet You Look..' is 'S**t'...
By: Scott Colothan
In a bizarre outburst Alex Turner has sensationally slammed the song that propelled Arctic Monkeys into nationwide notoriety.
The frontman has labeled ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ as “shit” and “crap” with “rubbish lyrics.”
He ranted: “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ is a bit shit. The words are rubbish.
“I scraped the bottom of the barrel. I’d hate to be just known for that song because it’s a bit crap.”
Continuing on about their lyrics, he added to The Mirror: “Even the songs that are more personal are done in that observational way, because it’s not as close to the bone.
“People can’t get at me and say: ‘Who’s that about then?’”
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 8, 2006 21:31:51 GMT -5
Hunt for bands to ape Arctic MonkeysChris OsuhSUCCESS: The Arctic Monkeys.MANCHESTER record label Fat Northerner Records has landed a £75,000 windfall to help local bands follow in the footsteps of chart-toppers the Arctic Monkeys. The online company, which boasts a roster of punk, rock and electronic bands, has been given the cash grant by the Arts Council for its `Custom Built' project. The Arctic Monkeys have had phenomenal success under the project which gained them a cult following on the Web. Fat Northerner will use the grant to help acts create a similar buzz. The label also plans to exploit the interactive software `di format' which lets users remix tunes and improvise on records as they listen. Company director Dan Thomas, 29, from Failsworth, said: "It's fantastic to have a relationship with the Arts Council because we are not the type of project they usually deal with. "The cash will help us help bands get what they deserve by using media that the major labels are not exploiting properly - a method which has worked out so well for the Arctic Monkeys." Christmas hit Fat Northerner was the first label to pick up on Nizlopi, who recorded the Christmas hit The JCB Song. The Arts Council's north west office has given more than £1m of lottery and government cash to arts projects and artists in the region this year. Spokesman Michael Eakin said: "The Custom Built project gives new bands just the opportunity they need to make it to the big time. The UK is a world leader in the music business and the north west plays a significant role. We believe the key to region's future prosperity lies with investment in the fast-growing creative industries sectors. "Our grants will make a positive contribution to communities, children and young people." * For more information about an Arts Council grant call 0845 300 6200 or visit www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding * Fat Northerner is seeking music from local bands. Visit www.fatnortherner.com for information.
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 11, 2006 11:06:32 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not(Domino/Outside)------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you pay any attention to the music scene, you already know what people say Arctic Monkeys are. People say they're the Next Big Thing. But if you believe the title of their debut CD, that's precisely what they are not. They might have a point -- but only because the word Next is in that title. On their native soil, these teenage Britrockers are already a Big Thing. In fact, they're the Biggest Thing to hit the U.K. scene since ... well, OK, since last month's Biggest Thing. But this time, there's something behind the hype: When Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not was released in England last month, it debuted at No. 1 and instantly became the fastest-selling debut in British history, moving more than 100,000 copies in its first day and over 350,000 in its first week. Will a similar wave of Monkeymania erupt when the disc makes its North American debut on Tuesday? Well, that's anybody's guess. But we can tell you this: If you're one of the thousands who are expected to shell out for a copy, you probably won't be disappointed. Not, that is, if you like your Britrock with attitude -- scrappy, savvy, brash, snarky attitude. Attitude, friends, is precisely what these cheeky Monkeys deliver throughout this immediately likable 13-track introduction. You can hear it in the clashing, gnashing chop of their guitars. You can hear it in their loose-limbed grooves and crash-bash beats. You can hear it in their nimble, melodic basslines. You can hear it in their gritty, heavily accented vocals. You can hear it in their kitchen-sink tales of nightclub hookups, closing-time taxicab rides, running from the cops with your mates and arguing about nothing with your girlfriend. You can hear it in pickup-line titles like I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor and You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights But You Were Staring Straight at Me. You can hear it in lyrics like, "What do you know / You know nothing / But I'll still take you home" and "Anticipation has the habit to set you up for disappointment." Oh, and that second quote? They're the first words on the album. See what we mean? Attitude. Thankfully, the Monkeys aren't writing cheques their butts can't cash. Despite being barely out of high school and relatively inexperienced at this whole playing-an-instrument thing, these guys have more than enough musical skills to pay the bills. Their bio claims their sound is influenced by The Smiths, The Clash and The Jam, all of which are easy to spot. Here and there, we can also hear The White Stripes in the vocalist's sing-songy, Fell-In-Love-With-a-Girl delivery and the whole shaggy garage-rock vibe. Thing is, when you put it all together in this 40-minute firecracker, it becomes something more than the sum of all those parts. It becomes something that exists on its own. It becomes the sound of perhaps the best teenage garage-band in the world. Whatever else people say about them, that is precisely what Arctic Monkeys are. And right now, that's all they really need to be. Track Listing: 1. View From The Afternoon, The 2. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor 3. Fake Tales Of San Francisco 4. Dancing Shoes 5. You Probably Couldn't See The Lights But You Were Looking Straight At Me 6. Still Take You Home 7. Riot Van 8. Red Light Indicates The Doors Are Secure 9. Mardy Bum 10. Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But... 11. When The Sun Goes Down 12. From The Ritz To The Rubble
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Post by Fuggle on Feb 11, 2006 11:08:42 GMT -5
Arctic Monkeys: Hotter than its Name
By Taiowa Waner, Business Manager
The title of coolest band does not belong to The Strokes, as many people woud have you think. It belongs to Britain’s hottest new band, the Arctic Monkeys. Although another British band, The Subways, threaten to take that title from them.
England’s Artic Monkeys have quickly gone from an obscure indie act to one of the most talked about bands in recent memory.
In October, the Artic Monkeys hit No. 1 in the U.K. charts. This was the first such occurrence since the Spice Girls hit No. 1 in the mid-90s.
The Arctic Monkeys can thank their chart position to their extremely catchy first single “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor.” The song sounds similar to The Hive’s catchy guitar rock and Franz Ferdinand’s dance rock. The single helped get them instant recognition from British music magazines and eventually the American magazines as well.
They have a good understanding that they do not have to change rock n’ roll to be great, they just need to make great music. And make great music is all they have done.
Their debut album “Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I Am Not” contains 13 fast paced guitar-driven tracks which seem to become catchier as they progress.
“I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” is a fast-paced tale of two people, caught in a gridlock of watching one another in despair. “I wish you’d stop ignoring me, because it’s sending me to despair/ Without a sound, yeah, you’re calling me, and I don’t think it’s very fair.”
The song “Mardy Bum” deals with the issue of remembering good times and loss. “Now then Mardy Bum /I see your frown /And it’s like looking down the barrel of a gun /And it goes off /And out come all these words /Oh there’s a very pleasant side to you.”
The first minute sounds as if it was borrowed from Franz Ferdinand’s first album but they do a good job of changing the sound to their own style.
Any fan of The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand and the Hives will definitely enjoy the Arctic Monkey’s all around catchy songs. Well written lyrics and good instrumental pieces make their album the measuring stick for rock n’ roll records in 2006, especially since The Stroke’s third album will most likely not please their fan base.
Although their album “Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I Am Not” will be unlikely to change the rock n’ roll it will not disappoint listeners. Four and a quarter out of five stars.
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