Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say They Are... That's What They're Not

Book excerpt: Coming ten years after the group's first appearance, Whatever People Say They Are...That's What They're Not is the first comprehensive biography of Arctic Monkeys, the greatest British group of the internet age. This is the story of a talented group of hip-hop loving school friends from Sheffield, who entered the music scene just in time to become the first band to be propelled to stardom by online community groups. They qualified as the fastest-selling British group ever, with all four of their albums going straight to Number One. Ben Osborne’s biography charts the band’s early years in the suburbs and their fast-track success as Arctic Monkeys. He identifies the sometimes overlooked people, who helped shape the band’s music and career.