NORMCORE

Alex Turner in the studio recording "Opening Night," a new Arctic Monkeys song for the War Child project, which will be released on a co-ed album on March 6, 2026.

aaronparsonsphotography: 20 years since the release of Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.

I remember going to the Plymouth Pavilions show in April 2006, when the band were touring the album. At the time I didn't realise what I was witnessing. It was an absolute belter of a show, but naive 18 year old me simply saw it as just another gig. Little did I know just how much of a start of something this was. It's actually hard to remember it that well, it went in a blink of an eye. Thrashy guitar heavy, ridiculous drum tempo and Al's blue jumper which I later attempted to replicate from Topman. I think Miles Kane's band The Little Flames supported too.

17 years later I took this shot when working with the band on tour in Ireland. What a mind blowing thing to tell that 18 year old me.

The evolution of this band is so unique, from that raw teenage pumping poetry in Plymouth, to the silky, sophisticated rock & roll in Dublin.

mdb1stac: Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not turns 20.

During the recording of the album, I outstayed my welcome as usual.

Akira Kurosawa

- High and Low

I'm not unemployed. I'm in an existential transition.