Do Arctic Monkeys Do Drugs?

Written by Jeff Campbell in Alternative Rock Last Updated November 17, 2022

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If you are a fan of Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys, you can’t help but notice his elaborate stage persona and melodramatic behavior, which many say is because of drugs. But do Arctic Monkeys do drugs?

Here is what I found:

Arctic Monkeys did use drugs in the past, but lead singer Alex Turner claims to be sober now. But there are many fans who think that the band’s outrageous behavior can be influenced by drugs. 

Turner’s critics were even more convinced that he had been on drugs after hearing his infamous Brits speech in 2014. However, speaking to Rolling Stone, he said that he wasn’t.

But have Arctic Monkeys ever written any song while they were drunk or on drugs? Let’s find out!

Does Alex Turner use drugs?

Alex Turner may have used drugs in the past, but as claimed by Turner himself, he is sober now. He is on his way to a healthier lifestyle.

I have traveled with a lot of bands, and from what I know is that it’s a common assumption among the audience that rock stars and drugs go hand in hand. But it may not be true for all.

Many musicians do get involved in drugs at some point, including Turner. There was a point Alex was said to have used cocaine and other drugs.

He once told a magazine that he wrote the track “One Point Perspective” using the snippets of his conversations he heard while being on drugs. There is no doubt that the musician may have lived an adventurous life taking drugs sometimes. But for now, he has come a long way from drugs.

His music helps him stay strong. He seems perfectly sober in a few performances in the past few years.

Is Alex Turner drunk all the time?

Alex Turner was a heavy drinker when he is touring. But he was not drunk all the time. The vocalist also stated once that he is a changed man now.

The rumor may have also risen from the fact that Alex frequently talks about drinking and alcohol in his songs. For example, look at the title of these tracks:

  • Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?
  • Potion Approaching

Tracks like these make critics believe that Arctic Monkeys is a “boring mix of alcohol and lust” that may be a reflection of Turner’s incessant drinking habits. However, that is not the case.

Turner talked to BBC Radio in 2018, where he shared his memories of the AM debut and gave insight into how he and his band changed.

According to the same interview, this change was a slow and gradual one. It’s difficult to talk about it… Certain things are unforgettable.

He believes music is his ultimate strength. It keeps him immortal, not drinking.

Is Arctic Monkeys psychedelic rock?

Arctic Monkeys’ discography states that the band belongs to a number of genres, including psychedelic rock, indie rock, garage rock, alternative rock, Britpop, and post-punk revival.

I am sure many people don’t know what exactly psychedelic rock means. In terms of sound, psychedelic rock includes trippy studio effects like reverb, distortion, phasing, and reversed sound. There are many ways to achieve that, and autotune is one of them.

But I wasn’t sure if the Arctic Monkeys had ever used autotune.

So, I decided to talk about it in a recent article. Click the link to know if the Arctic Monkeys have ever used autotune. And if they did, which of their songs makes significant use of it?

Overall, Arctic Monkeys are one of the bands that have evolved differently in different eras. For example, they experimented with garage rock and indie rock sounds on their first two albums, whereas their album “Humbug” was more like desert rock or stoner rock.

And today, they are essentially a “British indie rock” group. And the psychedelic genre was among various genres that the group morphed into later. So, it’s hard to put an accurate or exact label on them.

What are Alex Turner’s lyrics about?

Alex Turner’s lyrics romanticize the past and lament the so-called present. They also mirror his real-life experiences and a desire to return to the old, incredible world.

Let’s look at Turner’s journey into some of his greatest lyrics:

  • Waste No Time: Perhaps the song is about a married woman who is trying to convince him to sleep with her. And he has been in that situation a lot. So, he talks about a married girl who pretended to be drunk and forced herself on him.
  • The Essence of Youth: Capturing youth has always been a cultural tradition in music and literature. Turner has recently kept the tradition alive by incorporating its essence into all of its guises in this particular track.
  • Star Treatment: The song reflects Turner’s desire to return to the good old days. He says, “I just wanted to be one of the strokes.” He also added, “I felt like it was right where it ought to be because of how it makes me think.”
  • American Sports: The track takes a dark turn into a dystopian future where he and his bandmates are lounge acts at the lunar location.

Are any members of Arctic Monkeys sober?

As per media reports, there are a few members of the Arctic Monkeys who are sober now, including Turner himself and former bandmate Andy Nicholson.

Nicholson left the band in 2006 after the release of their acclaimed album “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.”

This is what Nicholson told a magazine: 

“You’d have dark thoughts in dark times. Your mind is such a delicate machine that it can make things seem huge when they’re not. I’m recently learning that just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true, but you definitely start to make things bigger than they actually are and worse than they need to be.”

Nicholson also added to the statement saying, “getting sober was perhaps the hardest thing” in his life. He struggled internally and did not view himself as a hero for deciding to turn around his life.

As of 2018, Nicholson has been sober and has already achieved major milestones in life.

But other members like Matt Helders, Jamie Cook, and Nick O’Malley, it’s not certain whether they are sober or not.

Arctic Monkeys: The Past, Present and Future | Apple Music

Conclusion

Arctic Monkeys are one of the greatest rock and roll English bands of all time. Since their debut in 2002, Arctic Monkeys have been one of the lucky UK bands to enjoy success.

They were heralded as one of the major groups to come to the public’s attention through the internet. A lot of comments suggest that they represent the possibility of a change in the way brands now promote and market music.

The group began touring, massively drawing millions of fans.

But along with the fan community, they drew criticism.

Sometimes for their lifestyle and sometimes for their drug usage. And to some point, these reports were true. Arctic Monkeys did use drugs during their early phase. But they slowly came out of it.

In fact, there are a few members of the group who have completely given up drugs and alcohol and are now living a sober life.

Photo which requires attribution under CC2.0

Arctic Monkeys @ the Wiltern by Neon Tommy was cropped, edited, and had a text overlay added.

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