Arctic Monkeys: How a bunch of lads from High Green, Sheffield, changed the music industry forever

On the evening of June 13 2003, Tony Blair was Prime Minister, Evanescence were at number one in the charts, and a group of around 40 punters in Sheffield were, unwittingly, about to witness the first ever gig by a band which would go on to redefine indie music forever.

Arctic Monkeys would later go on to release one of the best-selling debut albums in British history, play countless sold-out arenas, and win seven BRIT awards.

Although that night at The Grapes Pub on Trippet Lane has gone down in music history, it isn’t said to have been anything special.

Frontman Alex Turner claims to have taken the gig “to get to the end of the night and pull the bird that I fancied,” and by the sounds of it, certainly was not expecting it to launch a stratospheric music career for the young lads from Sheffield.

Sheffield roots

All five members of the Arctic Monkeys come from High Green, and in textbook style, met and formed the band while they were all attending Stocksbridge High School.

They started out by rehearsing at Yellow Arch Studios in Neepsend, which has also produced albums by a diverse range of artists including Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker, and Kylie Minogue.

The band recorded demos at 2fly studios, gigging around Sheffield all the while.

These demos were then passed out at the gigs they played - a move that would prove instrumental to their success.

The rise of the internet

The formation of The Arctic Monkeys coincided with the growing popularity of early social media - MySpace in particular.

This made them one of the first ever bands to come to the attention of the public via the internet rather than through traditional promotion, a model which changed the industry forever.

The CDs that the band handed out at gigs were burned by fans, and an online following quickly grew. This first set of demos was titled Beneath the Boardwalk, a name inspired by the now-closed Boardwalk nightclub in Sheffield.

The Arctic Monkeys’ online following meant that by the time they were signed by Domino records in June 2005 - two years after their first gig - they were already immensely popular, especially in their home town.

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

Following on from the online buzz, the Arctic Monkeys’ first album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, released in 2006, became the fastest-selling debut album in UK chart history.

Part of the band’s popularity stemmed from their unique and down-to-earth lyrics and style.

While frontman Alex Turner was often compared to Sheffield-born Jarvis Cocker, he wasn’t singing about politics, but the minutiae of ordinary life - getting kicked out of clubs, fancying girls, and going to rubbish parties.

This formula carried the band from success to success, and in the years since Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, they’ve released five further albums, been nominated for five Grammy Awards, and won the Mercury Prize.

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The legacy of the Arctic Monkeys

The Arctic Monkeys’ sound has inspired hundreds of copy-cat bands and young hopefuls practicing in basements since their formation.

Today, it’s difficult to go to an indie club night across the north without hearing one of their catchy tracks.

Although in recent years some fans have complained of a departure from their original style, the band remain proud of their roots, with Alex Turner frequently opening gigs saying: “We’re Arctic Monkeys and we’re from High Green, Sheffield!”