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InterviewsYou are in: South Yorkshire > Entertainment > Music > Interviews > Hey, hey it's the Monkeys!  The Arctic Monkeys line-up Hey, hey it's the Monkeys!The Arctic Monkeys have taken music scene by storm, even before releasing their debut album. BBC South Yorkshire caught up with the download superstars on their way up back in 2005. :: 2005Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys have gone from strength to strength over the last couple of years and are now labeled the first superstars of the download generation. We caught up with lead singer/ guitarist Alex Turner [AT] and guitarist Jamie Cook [JK] back in 2005 before they'd completely taken off... So how did you guys get started?AT - It was 2002, we all got guitars for Christmas and started playing in my garage that summer, rehearsed there and in a warehouse for a bit for about a year. We did our first gig in June 2003 and we played a few gigs in and around Sheffield for a bit then started doing gigs outside of Sheffield, recording demos while all this was going on. We got to the point where we could pack in us jobs we were doing 'cause we had enough interest to know we'd go somewhere with it for a bit. We did us first proper tour in June 2005 which sold out, we did our second tour in August 05 which ended at Reading and Leeds Festivals and this one [third mini-tour to Europe, Japan and the United States] is like our third proper tour and it's a sellout. So that's a brief history for ya!
What have been the highlights so far for you?JK - Reading and Leeds were good, when we headlined at the Leadmill, that was good. We'd played before, but when we headlined we sold it out which were good. AT - Yeah, 'cause that's where we used to go and watch bands and stuff, that was good but recording the album, finishing that and listening back was sound! When did you finish recording?AT - Just before this tour [October 2005], we start mixing it next week. We recorded as we'd recorded stuff before, live. But there is the odd tambourine there [laughs] to try and make it more of a record, but we did it pretty much live. It's out in January 2006. We were in the countryside, Lincolnshire, cut off from civilisation, the chef at the studios calls the place Darwin's waiting room [laughs]... there's no-one for miles around. The interest from the public and the media is immense...JK - We went back home in the car just now, we dropped us mate off and it came on Radio 2. On 'way back just before our mate got in the car it were on Radio 1, and when he got in the car he goes 'I've just seen you on MTV'... it's too much though man, it's a bit daft.  Alex getting ready to rock The Plug Has the popularity freaked you out?JK - Yeah, some things do. I don't normally get recognised so I'm alright, I don't mind it that way, I don't want it ever to get really big. AT - It's a bit difficult sometimes. JK - It's when you're trying to watch other bands, I mean I know people aren't being rude but sometimes you just wanna go home [laughs]. AT - You don't want to be rude... it's nice in a way. It's like when we're trying to watch Milburn, but people are gonna talk to ya I suppose. It's nowt to moan about really. People say Sheffield is the most happening place in the country for new bands - what do you think?JK - There are bands like Harrisons, Milburn... we used to go and watch Milburn when we were 15 and that, but the bands started out at the same time, like Bromheads Jacket. We started doing alright for ourselves and a lot of focus came onto this 'scene'. But there are loads of good bands, and people want to create a scene, and it's not like the London scene. AT - It's good how we all know each other as well, it's not like I'm mates with Tom from Milburn, I'm just mates with Tom.  Jamie is happy he's not recognised too often JK - And I used to play football with him for Red Rose [laughs]. AT - People do ask me if I see the other Sheffield bands and I do, but it's like, I see my mates and they happen to play as well too. So are you at home in Sheffield very often?AT - We haven't been back very often 'cause of the tour, but we're new to this, we've not been doing it very long. JK - I was looking at next year's schedule the other day and we've only got about three weeks off... a lot of it is just touring. last updated: 21/05/2008 at 11:44 Have Your SayAre you a big fan of the band? Tell us what you think of them. Emma! Joe rosenfield amy james terri, long island, new york MICHELLE BARBER victoria kay billie joe MEXBOROUGH D. Riley elisa Janet fred Claire Morgan-New Orleans, USA Livvi- T-H-E hugest AM fan ever!! ( in thew whole Soph clara Celia Julien Gobinet chelsea Christina maddie TEAM_COOKIE omer artic monkeys rox ck Elham Rachel *Nia* JOrDi sam meadowcroft Ben paul beahan Hemming Veronic daisy Lejla JuLie Shawn James Joanne raj Hayley *ArCtIcMoNkEySMaNiAc* margot Marlen from germany sophie greer alex turner Ashley and Beth talia t.a.w. Nicole-The BIGGEST Arctic Monkeys Fan Eva!! Bob Sofie pete doherty is talented the arctic monnkeys are n lisa alba 19 Amy Jacko dena500 Alessandra natalie 14 *Beanie_WeekendRockStar* Sarah and Sophie Lauren emma 14 emma 14 Matt ana neve 14 clare TF anna:) Emma articmonkey's lover nicky ash n vinnie em meganx roxy girl Farrah Amy Bisset David McLean emma bubblinbonanza Joss paul griffin Maggie May lucie Craigeth Johannsson Libby .x.Kelz.x. sammie Mickey T Miah Austin Honest Joe ..becca.. sarah burns meg Katie jane mya Jaja Jack Daltrey vikki Sky CRAIG WADSWORTH Kate Daveron Fred esteban Louise stacey mitchell - sheffield james pegg Amber natalie Stine Siff-- Denmark Stine Siff Gina B jess Anthony Foord samantha - southend samantha - southend Amy Todd JAMES WESSON Luci & Stef stirmo Marcus - Sheffield maeve shelly and kirsty fran jen hannah sammy Goret Hannah Anne-marie robinson Monkey Nuts Az From Doncaster sammi jess katie Anthony, Hartlepool Brad Danny - barnsley Danny april mand Rich Rawson harry cavanagh Vicky Lucy, Stirling Paul ANDY H. BARNSLEY Adam Chabby McCheekychops lizzy and robyn Scott beci n jami John Frazier Cincinnati Ohio USA Joe simon Natalie lucas india Lynne Clark rachel jack Jess Biggs Dino emma n becky Heather moi Davo- lindsey izzy Jack Dave - Sheffield sam Lee Wayne, Oldham Laddy Lad mike oxslong vikki vee Hannah Spencer DAZ Rosie Ellie furby Chrissie - living in Holland Sproutfish dean Jo Ricky Neeham Andy Thornley - New Jersey USA Duncan max charlotte wright Sheepy Bob anna bridget byrne Sean Leach Nibs Paul Bang b-b-bango! josh gibbo x katie radish x TJ Gareth Paola Lea & Chan lou,franki n' viki n' hlly! gabby Darren Heather sue..pink panther club..ibiza newman Asja Herzo lauren socha!!! nat Maria baker Geordiecarl Katie * Arctic Monkeys fan * Halan Harry abigail Stella Fi Craig Fairclough EMILY ! Gasky flo King Ken Batista kerry james c+j rock_on Matt Hannah alex chloe Tashaaa George Emma Lee "choo choo" Traynor rachel Fasil Eniyew ETHIOPIA Clarckys G Ma Joe Antcliff Wellington Domino SASHA CHRIS AND SEAN tom from leigh xmandyx Alex emily strong anth mrs alex turner Matt jonny w c t SaRaH lottie stephanie j Whit Lora jonney leanne w Keith Rogers matshaw Rory McIntyre catherine arthur Louise P padders You are in: South Yorkshire > Entertainment > Music > Interviews > Hey, hey it's the Monkeys!   External Links
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