Alex Turner (musician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alex Turner | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Alexander David Turner | |
| Born | January 6, 1986 (age 21) | |
| Origin |  Sheffield, England |
|
| Genre(s) | Indie rock Post-punk revival |
|
| Occupation(s) | Musician | |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar Vocals |
|
| Label(s) | Domino Records | |
| Associated acts |
Arctic Monkeys | |
| Notable instrument(s) | ||
| Fender Stratocaster | ||
Alex Turner (born 6 January 1986 [1]) is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Sheffield indie rock band the Arctic Monkeys.
Contents |
[edit] First guitar
Along with neighbour Jamie Cook, Turner received his first guitar as a Christmas present in 2001.[2] According to Turner, Oasis gave him the desire to play the guitar,[3], while the antics of Craig Nicholls - lead singer of Australian rock band The Vines - left him thinking "That's what being a singer is all about".[4] Turner suggests that his performances attempt to replicate those of Nicholls, saying "When we play, I'll do what Craig Nicholls does, be all spaced out." [5]
[edit] Forming the band
- See also: Arctic Monkeys members
Along with Andy Nicholson and Matt Helders, Turner attended at Stocksbridge High School [6], and formed Arctic Monkeys in 2003. Turner used to work at the bar in local concert venues, and stated "it really annoyed me when bands would come on and say 'We've got CDs at the back for sale - three pounds each'... you'd think 'Fuck off, who do you think you are?'" [7]. On this basis, Arctic Monkeys gave away free demo CDs at their gigs, which eventually led their rise to stardom.
Turner has always been the band's main songwriter, and his sharp and cutting observations of inner city England have drawn comparisons to The Streets' frontman Mike Skinner. [7] However, Turner has admitted that during the early days of the band "nobody wanted to admit they wrote [the lyrics] so we kept trying other singers so they'd do it for us." Despite enjoying songwriting, Turner shyed away from acknowledgement because he "didn't want to have piss took out of [him]!"[7] Describing the manner in which he constructs his lyrics, Turner says
"I'll think about something and I'll be writing, penning something down and I'll keep building on that. The best stuff comes when I’ve got a melody and a rhythm so I know how many syllables each line is going to have and then build it up from there, and make it a whole thing, and try and pay attention to every aspect."[1]
[edit] Private life
Turner has maintained a very private life, and shunned media publicity when declared the Coolest Man On The Planet by NME magazine in December 2005. He has distanced himself from the celebrity lifestyle, he and the band are often spotted around Sheffield, supporting local bands, returning to clubs such as 'The Leadmill' and watching their football team Sheffield Wednesday. Like the other members, he rarely comments on his personal relationships, though a photo of him kissing his ex-girlfriend (Johanna) was published in an issue of The Rolling Stone. Blender magazine have described him as "the least talkative member of the group, chewing over his answers for so long that he ends up doubting his own words" [8]. He was known to play a Fender Stratocaster, the colour of which is Arctic White, any relation between the band name and Turner's guitar colour is as of yet unconfirmed. However, more recently, he has been playing a black Fender Stratocaster. [9].
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Lovely Lad", The Boston Phoenix, 2006-06-10. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
- ^ "Brits go bananas", Hour.ca, 16 March 2006.
- ^ "The Things They Say 4081", contactmusic.com, 2007-02-18. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
- ^ http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1723555,00.html
- ^ http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1723555,00.html
- ^ "Arctic donkey", The Sun, Retrieved 9 June 2006.
- ^ a b c "Artist Profile - Arctic Monkeys", EMI, Retrieved 7 June 2006.
- ^ "The Lads Are Alright", Blender, May 2006.
- ^ "Who the fuck are Arctic Monkeys?", Daily Vanguard, 2 June 2006.
[edit] External links
| Arctic Monkeys |
| Alex Turner – Jamie Cook – Matthew Helders – Nick O'Malley |
| Andy Nicholson – Glyn Jones |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not – Favourite Worst Nightmare |
| EPs: Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys – Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys |
| Compilations: Beneath the Boardwalk |
| Singles: "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" – "When the Sun Goes Down" – "Leave Before the Lights Come On" – "Fake Tales of San Francisco" – "Brianstorm" |
| Related articles |
| Arctic Monkeys tour history – Scummy Man – Domino Records |
