Arctic Funkies

My music perception is heavily based on life moments when I first heard this or that piece. Later listening experiences might remind me about what I did or what I felt back then when I heard these tunes for the first time. Some bands have the power to touch very different strings, while others bring the same memories and feelings all the time.

I was introduced to this British band - Arctic Monkeys - for the first time quite many years ago by my friend. This is a cool guy with an interesting taste in music, but I always felt a hint of arrogance and loftiness around him. The same thing is about British folks themselves (even they admit it) - there is always some light hint of pride and prejudice from them or their creative products. Plus, a good handful of dark view on things in the world. Arctic Monkeys sounds exactly like that - listen to You Don't Wanna Know. I feel like I was invited to a very special closed club event, but was only granted a seat near the toilet and a pint of dark beer. No matter I like it or not, there is the only way to be there - standing on a side. I appreciate and like the vibes of music, but I cannot get rid of the feeling I'm not welcome.

There's a modern story that tells a lot about British culture. A long time ago England defined a law that describes a minimal volume of a beer mug to serve in pubs as one pint. Which is quite a lot, if you are not a lumberjack from the far north. Hard to try different kinds if beer. Most of the brewing companies were fine with that, except one - Brew Dog. These guys found a beer company to fight dull and boring beer in England. Their most famous beer is called Punk IPA, and another one - Dead Pony... you got the point - they are rule breakers and oppositioners in the beer world. Their beer is good, unusual, and expensive, they have put a dog as one of the company founders and they fought one pint mug law. I don't really remember how this ended... I guess they started to open their own bars without dumb rules and sell beer stocks as part of crowdfunding after the creation of 55% alcohol beer with a bottle inside a skin of a dead squirrel.

Still, with all that punk touch, they are very British and you can feel it from their products. Every time I see their beer in a shop - I doubt I deserve it. Same about Arctic Monkeys. They are kind of rule breakers, tradition shifters, and very traditional in the same time.

Arctic Monkeys promoted their songs over the internet, which was unbelievable back in 2002 in England. Wiki says they were the first in it (but we know Linkin Park did the same 2 years before them). Arctic Monkeys EP - Who the Fuck is Arctic Monkeys - was not allowed for radio rotation in England back then. You will be surprised - it's not because of the F... word, but because of the length of the album! (hello one pint mug). But musicians didn't give a f... about this. They already stepped over the world where radio rotation meant everything into the new reality - where online presence means more. Which probably makes them one of the most progressive British band.

But I was drawn too far away with facts. What about the music itself? To me, it is like walking back home in London on a rainy night after a pub. You are drunk, but not too drunk to feel happy. Just enough to not feel cold and wet under the rain outside. Streetlights throw glares in the puddles. Everything is closed and you walk alone. Spontaneous memories of childhood, dad's car, and old house appear before your inner vision. Darkness around. You enjoy it in some crooked way. Everything is quite awful, but amazing in the same time. You feel pride being there for whatever reason.

Music is adding up to the picture. The guitar sounds very traditional, little override brings heat, but the guitar stands apart. As if the guitarist just walked across the street and decided to stop by and play a bit with the drummer and singer. The whole essence of this music is the atmosphere of a dark London pub on a rainy evening when you stand outside and hear scraps of music. Oppressing feelings won't leave me when this music is on.

But something tells me this oppression is based on my history with that music and has nothing to do with the real musicians who are really brave and cool! There is only one way to find out!