Arctic Monkeys diss 'annoying' Kaiser Chiefs

Arctic Monkeys have sensationally hit out at Kaiser Chiefs.

The Number One chart stars claim that their status at the forefront of UK pop is leading to comparisons – and frontman Alex Turner isn’t happy.

And says he’ll quit if their career goes the same way next year.

Talking to Irish magazine Brat, Turner said: “I think if we’re next year’s Kaiser Chiefs, we’ll quit. I don’t like being associated with them. I don’t think they had the same following as us last year. I suppose they’ve sold a lot of records, but I don’t like them. They’re a bit annoying.

“On gig posters people have put – ‘Arctic Monkeys here on this date, just think the Kaiser Chiefs and you’re nearly there’. That’s just thick isn’t it? It winds me up.”

But Alex has a good idea who he does want to be compared to: “I like to think I walk the tightrope between Mike Skinner and Jarvis Cocker.”

The band have also revealed that they're not feeling the pressure of having to follow-up their chart-topping debut.

“I imagine there is pressure, but we haven’t taken that step yet,” Turner told XFM.

"I think people understand that every single doesn’t have to go to Number One, and I think it’s good that ‘un went in at Number One, just to lead off ready for everything else.”


He added: "We kinda didn’t do anything to help make it get to number one, if anything we went the other way. We didn’t put loads of different formats out or anything, we just released it. It’s great for music and that, but nah, we never think, ‘We’ve got to top that with another Number One’. We just want to try and make the record as good and interesting as it can be."

The band are finishing their debut album, which will be out in January. It will be preceded by a single, 'Sun Goes Down (Scummy)'.

For more on Arctic Monkeys, see this week's exclusive interview in NME, dated October 29, on sale now.