When Cream featured the top albums from our first 50 issues 1997-2010 it was no surprise to find Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ (2006) sharing space with the stellar works of Muse, Kings Of Leon, Franz Ferdinand and Snow Patrol. It wasn’t just the pulsating raw sound of killer trackers like ‘I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor’- the very release of the album itself was controversial: record company execs told singer Alex Turner not to release it online (he did – it became a best seller anyway). Even the cover art showing a friend of the band inhaling a cigarette was heavily criticised by the National Health Service, which inadvertently drew more publicity and, despite the controversy, boosted album sales. These days, Arctic Monkeys have four albums under their belts, and while fans and critics alike have noticed them considerably mature, the cheekiness has not been lost. Doing most of the interviews for the band and assuming the pivotal role of their new sound, accomplished drummer and back-up vocalist Matt Helders reveals why he is very much the driving force behind the outfit. Interview by Patrick Lewis

 

Your fast-playing, unpredictable beats and groove patterns means you’ve been widely heralded as a world-class drummer. There are parallels with Coldplay’s drummer Will Champion who sings on many of their tracks and also with Vampire Weekend’s Chris Tomson who, like you, didn’t play the drums until he joined the band. Are you a fan of their music?

None of us in the band really played instruments until we met. We all started from scratch and I think all of us add something. It wouldn’t work if one us weren’t there. I like Vampire Weekend. Coldplay? They’re good at what they do but it’s not my cup of tea. John Bonham and Mitch Mitchell were inspirational to me. My favourite drummers of all time? I saw Buddy Rich when I was young. He wasn’t just a drummer, he was an entertainer. I’m influenced by many drummers even though I don’t really sound like anything like them. I like watching Joey from Queens Of The Stone Age. He’s loads of fun to watch, and powerful and all that. As for my own songs? I like Pretty Visitors off Humbug. It’s impressive and looks good but it’s difficult to play. Brianstorming is another one.  If we haven’t played for a few weeks that one tends to be a challenge.  

 

It doesn’t seem like you’ll be changing drummers then, like so many other bands do.

I’m pretty confident my position is safe.

 

Have you seen YouTube sensation drummer Christian Allen [an American teenager who calls himself Ghost Soldier, posts clips of himself expertly playing over artists such as Arctic Monkeys]? Will you get him on stage to play drums when you tour the US like Foals did?

There are lots of covers and people drumming along to our songs. I think I have seen him. I think he’s a redhead. It’s definitely a possibility if he played with us on stage. Actually, maybe he’ll replace me!

 

Your third and fourth albums have taken a different direction from the first two albums. Arctic Monkeys have been accused of becoming mature but losing their angst and fire. Is that true?

We’re different ages from when we made that first album. We were 19 then; we’re 26 now. We haven’t lost the cheekiness or the humour which is still there on Suck It And See. We’ve always had integrity which is why we’ve stuck together so well and been so good at it. Although we’ve had lots of opportunities to make bad decisions; there are lots of regrets.

 

Such as…

titles. Album titles. I would change the name of Suck It And See to Black Treacle, one of the songs off the album. And those regrets include artwork choices.

 

Like the smoker on the cover of Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not?

No, that’s one of my favourites.

 

Even the best musicians make mistakes. Stuart Copeland, in his book Strange Things Happen talked about the problems of drumming with The Police again after such a long hiatus but he was able to conceal his mistakes. Do you make mistakes when you’re playing with the band?

It’s easier when you’re drumming than playing guitar because you can hide it better and even people who really know your music won’t recognise it but with guitar if you hit the wrong note everyone knows it. It can really put you off when you make a mistake and sometimes you feel bad for rest of the show. I once lost a stick which was really bad but you just have to be able to laugh it off. There was a festival in Switzerland where we couldn’t get our equipment, we had to hire it and that made us all a bit temperamental.

 

Oasis heavily endorsed Kasabian as a band that while they were heavily influenced by Noel, Liam and Co, they still had their own distinct sound. Has there been an Arctic Monkeys inspired band you can plug?

I’ve seen Beadyeye a lot [Liam Gallagher’ splinter group] and I’ve heard Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds quite a bit. They’re both really good. I love Oasis. They’ll always impress me. We grew up listening to them. They can do no wrong for us. There hasn’t been a band yet to have an overall sound like us but you can hear our influence in a lot of groups around today.

 

What else are you listening to coming out of England today?

Two bands from Sheffield that are really good and worth keeping an eye on are the Wet Nuns and Drenge. Good bluesy rock. Miles Kane is also really good.

 

After playing so many stadiums and festivals around the world, what stands out as your own personal best performances?

Glastonbury in 2007. There was lots of energy and all of us were in a really good mood. Playing at the Hollywood Bowl was also incredible. It was just our attitude. We were all relaxed and there was no pressure. The one in Melbourne we did last time was an amazing show. Every time we play in Australia, the crowd, it’s always buzzing. I think we play well together because going back to that question earlier, we all learned instruments at the same time.

 

So aside from performing, what are you really looking forward to doing in Australia?

Surfing. I’ve never done it and I’m keen to try it. I think that’s going to be my next big thing that I’ll be into. I love the beaches in Australia. Byron Bay is my favourite.

 

Patrick Lewis
 
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