Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
The year was 2006. Internet was new, and so is MySpace. Two years prior, came an amateur band from Sheffield with a silly name playing The Strokes and giving away CDs of their demo recordings in each gigs they did, and they went viral on MySpace. Soon the name “Arctic Monkeys” is talked about everywhere and there’s rumours and gossips about their career. Have they signed with a label? Are they going to release an album? And then the answer came along…
Anticipation has a habit to set you up for disappointment (in evening entertainment but…)
This is the opening line of “The View From The Afternoon”, the first song in the debut album “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”. The first line of the first song of the first album in Arctic Monkeys’ professional career. The exact line that paves the way for their brilliant music career. I may not be the only one to notice, but personally, this line has became a manifesto, symbolizing their attitude in facing expectations and staying true to themselves. It’s their way of taking piss of the public expectations. And the crazy part is that they were not wrong for it. WPSIATWIN went on to become the Fastest Selling Debut Album in the UK, a record which holds up to this date.
This album may not be my version the best album of all time, nor it is Arctic Monkeys’ best album in my personal rank. However, this record is indeed the one that makes the most mark on me and influences how I define crafting and growth. It talks beyond nightlife, adolescence, doing lines, and a certain romance in its lyrics. This album preceded an incredible music career spanning almost two decades, six albums, tens of awards and world tours later. Arctic Monkeys are now known for their everchanging sound and daring experiments with albums such as Humbug and Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino being divisive even among their biggest fans. They have never settled, even after reaching commercial success in AM (2013).
So, as it turns out, the titular phrase is more than just an obnoxious statement. Whatever people say I am, that’s what I’m not was their way of pushing back against expectations—a prayer almost. And years later, through ups and downs, it has become the manifesto of their career. They’ve lived it, making it their mindset and guiding their growth in their musical career. It has also explained their attitude of accepting changes and expectations. As Alex Turner himself said about "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor"—a track in the album; “Here's a song from 2004. When we wrote this song, it meant to us... very little. Tonight, it means even less”.
Personally, the phrase caught my attention ever since I first listened to Arctic Monkeys and when I started diving into their discography. It resonates with me in a lot of ways. Now, I am taking it as my personal slogan in my work, creativity, and personal growth. It’s a prayer, a wish, and a mindset has guided me and I hope that it will continue to be. As I keep pushing on, I’m still working on a lot of things, and in each of them, I am striving to stay true to myself and be authentic, as well as resisting the urge to please everyone unimportant. For what’s to come, here’s Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.
