Only a few weeks ago at the BRIT awards at the O2 Arena in London, Arctic Monkeys received both gongs for Best British Band and Album Of The Year for the third time in their career, an achievement matched by no other group in BRITs history. However, this achievement was overshadowed by the rallying rock’n’roll cry delivered by Alex Turner, before leaving the stage to the flippant comment of “invoice me for the microphone”
This was the moment that defined the BRITS of 2014, within minutes of the ceremony coming to an end the world took to social media to commend or lambaste Turner for words that completely lacked any sign of magnanimosity, yet were delivered with a delicious arrogance and poetic genius.
Was it a joke, was it the nervous ramblings of a pissed rock star or was it in fact a perfectly calculated moment of inspiration? Whatever it was, it’s clear that Turner’s words polarised a nation.
But was it a step too far? Did Turner just end up looking like the “penis head” viciously posted by viewers on Twitter, Facebook and music forums across the world?
https://twitter.com/wefail/statuses/436263692251185153
No, no he didn’t. OF COURSE he came across as rude , as cocky and perhaps even a bit disrespectful but for God’s sake, we’re talking about the lead singer of Britain’s (and perhaps the world’s) greatest rock and roll band at this moment in time. If anything, it makes a pleasant change to see someone with balls, not afraid to publicly avoid mentioning “everyone who helped us get here” purely because he knows no one gives a fuck. The public has got so used to seeing nice indie lads going up and getting awards , talking bollocks then shuffling off again (I’m looking at you Bastille). What’s even worse worse is that it’s these bands that produce God awful music.
Image reproduced with kind permission from http://www.inmusicfestival.com/
What Turner embodies is what a rock and roll star used to be, arrogant, stylish and unconventional but with tunes to back it up. It’s undeniable that Arctic Monkeys are right on top of their game right now so Turner is well within his rights to be arrogant. For as long as they continue to deliver albums like their last release ‘AM’, an album which defied critics, won rave reviews and showed yet another side to Turner’s song writing brilliance, they can have no worries about coming across a bit cocky.
It’s true what Turner said, rock and roll WILL never die, but it seems for the time being at least, it’s him who is giving it the kiss of life.
the lone indie rider 