music

April 29, 2026

‘We were stubborn teenagers. We didn’t want to be famous’: the inside story of Arctic Monkeys’ frenzied early years

In this extract from a new book on Sheffield’s musical history, Monkeys drummer Matt Helders and the cream of the city’s indie scene look back on the febrile mid-00s – from brilliant tunes to ‘brainless violence’

‘We were stubborn teenagers. We didn’t want to be famous’: the inside story of Arctic Monkeys’ frenzied early years

TL;DR

  • An extract from a new book on Sheffield's musical history is presented.
  • Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders and other indie scene members are featured.
  • The mid-2000s in Sheffield are described as a period of brilliant tunes and "brainless violence".
  • The focus is on the frenzied early years of the Arctic Monkeys.

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