Arctic Monkeys are currently in the middle of their biggest headline Australian tour to date, and after rocking audiences in New Zealand, Sydney, and Brisbane, the Sheffield rock four-piece checked into Triple J this morning for the station’s Like A Version segment.
Frontman Alex Turner (rocking his 50s greaser look) and thunderous drummer Matt Helders appeared on Triple J Breakfast with hosts Alex Turner and Matt Okine to perform an unplugged version of their massive hit ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ (landing at #4 in the Hottest 100 earlier this year) as well as a cover.
Their choice? A rendition of a tune by one of Australia’s biggest psych-rock exports: Tame Impala.
After mucking about with a phone app – as seen in the video below – Turner performed the Perth rockers’ signature Lonerism single ‘Feels Like We Only Go Backwards’, stripping back the kaleidoscopic layers of the original to a soulful acoustic version. With naught but his curvy Sheffield brogue and his trusty six-string, Turner’s delivery gifted the anxious lyrics of Kevin Parker’s original into something slyly confident while retaining the strident bittersweet melodies.
The Arctic Monkeys frontman described the choice of cover as a “bit of a cheap shot,” but confirmed that he and his bandmates are big fans. No surprise given that they’re currently being supported around the country by Tame Impala’s sister band Pond; “they’re from under the same umbrella,” remarked Turner.
The Arctic Monkeys hit Melbourne tonight, then roll into Adelaide and Perth before heading off overseas once more to continue their world tour in support of latest album AM, a huge hit with Australian fans, voted by Triple J Listeners as the Best Album of 2013 while three of its cuts ended up on the Hottest 100.
In related news, Pond and their Perth brethren have a swag of new material on the horizon. Including the new Pond album Man It Feels Like Space Again, the solo debut of member Jay Watson under his Gum alias, another solo project from drummer Shiny Joe Ryan, another LP from frontman Nicholas Allbrook’s side-project, including an album he made with four-fifths of The Horrors, plus the re-release of a rare album by Tame/Pond precursors Mink Mussel Creek as Kevin Parker works on new studio material.
Arctic Monkeys Australian Tour 2014
Fri 9 May – Melbourne | Rod Laver Arena (All Ages)
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Sat 10 May – Adelaide | AEC Theatre (All Ages)
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Tue 13 May – Perth | Perth Arena (All Ages)
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
