3 Arctic Monkeys-Suck it and See The lads from Sheffield on their new album ‘We want to get better, rather than get bigger’ Over the last ten years, the Arctic makes a hasty departure from the In photographs, Alex Turner’s pale Talking alone to Turner, I suggest more thoughtful, tender – and part “but there’s always been a hint of Monkeys have gone from ‘the lads provincial roar of such albums as skin and huge brown eyes, peering he is hounded by an early lyric of the reason may be that he fell romance to the lyrics.” from Sheffield’ to global super- ‘Favourite worst nightmare’, which up under mussed hair, can make from “Fake Tales of San Fran- in love. There are songs on Suck With the new album release, stars. Their latest album Suck it featured Alex’s pitch-perfect lyri- him look almost Bambi-ish. In cisco”: “You’re not from New York It and See where he sounds in Turner says he’s not nervous at all. and See has sparked up major cal reportage of local girls, mates, person; leather jacket and skinny City, you’re from Rotherham.” awe of one woman, others where “I get nervous about gigs some- controversy in the world of music, cabs and getting drunk. There is jeans, he’s “indie-handsome”, as Like Pete Townshend’s “I hope I he sounds in awe of all women. times, but not with records – I with fans claiming that the new somewhat of a Lennon attribute to can be confirmed by the many die before I get old,” it’s become Certainly, there seems a differ- always get excited. With every sounds are not like their originals, Alex Turner these days and the lyr- fan-blogs devoted to discussing a stick to beat him with in every ence between the sentiments of record we’ve done, the moment and that the new album seems like ics are changing, which some fans his gorgeousness. My favourite interview, with the implication “Love is a Laserquest” (“I’m sure we’ve finished it, we’ve been re- a sort of practical joke. Here, they have uproared against. being: “What do you love most that he is now the person he was that you’re still breaking hearts ally proud. We just want people to candidly talk about fame, politics ‘It’s a new chapter for us really. about Alex?”. criticising. with the efficiency that only youth hear it – to share it.” and falling in love. I mean we aren’t lads anymore. While the Monkeys have recently “No,” Turner corrects. “I’m now can harness”), or the title track The band have clearly grown a It used to be that writing about “made friends” with their first the person those people were (“Your kiss, it could put creases in The Arctic Monkeys’ new album, reputation over the years, for be- riding in a cab back home after a album, for a time they couldn’t pretending to be.” He grins. “That the rain”), and a song from their Suck It and See, is out now. ing difficult, uncommunicative, in a night on the lash would be accept- face their earlier stuff. In particular, suddenly felt very crass coming first album, such as “Still Take You sense ‘mardy bums’. Though Alex able, but we’re growing up now’. Turner felt that Favourite Worst out of my mouth. That lyric was Home” (“I’m having a job talking www.itunes.apple.com/us/album/ Turner describes this as ‘a defence There is an overall sense that the Nightmare was too much of a just for a small circle of people, to to you”). In that track, the window suck-it-and-see/id434497770 mechanism that sort of kicks in. band want to mature, but is that rush-job. make them laugh. It didn’t occur on the male teenage brain is funny Like, when the first album blew what the fans want? The Monkeys “It’s fine, just not that considered. to me that it would end up striking rather than offensive, but there’s up, we shut a lot of people out just headlined Glastonbury back in Though I’m really glad we did it a chord with a larger circle.” no doubting the song is more to keep some sort of control’. He 2007, and despite being active – otherwise I might still be sitting Clearly Turner doesn’t appreci- about testosterone than emotion. states ‘I guess it’s like a form of with the band for around ten years, around trying to write ‘Hallelujah’,” ate people nosing into his private Would Turner agree that when he self-protection. It’s quite unusual they are still young guys, with their he says, with a slight roll of his life, which is fair enough. However, was first writing about girls, there to have all these people asking all whole lives ahead of them. eyes. “After that, we all thought we there is no denying his lyrics have was a lot more sexual aggres- kinds of questions, because as a ‘We want to get better, rather needed to move on. To break with changed – in places, become sion? “I suppose so,” he says, band, we don’t really like to be the than get bigger. It’s not about the our past” he says. “If only to prove centre of attention. But that’s just popularity, or the money, it’s all that it weren’t all about those 12 how we are.’ about the music, and about how songs about the chip shop.” He Suck it and see is unlike the we entertain people, and make our shakes his head, as if it’s a recur- Suck it and See - Out Now previous three albums in that it fans happy’. ring nightmare. 4 .