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How Alex Turner’s driving instructor influenced Arctic Monkeys’ Mardy Bum…
23 January 2026, 13:27 | Updated: 23 January 2026, 16:52
Alex Turner told John Kennedy in our In our archive track by track how the much-loved Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not track was influenced by The Smiths, who were recommended to him by his driving instructor.
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John Kennedy turns back the clock to January 2006, when he was joined by Alex Turner and Matt Helders to talk through Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not in full! Listen on Global Player here.
Arctic Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not turns 20 today.
The Sheffield band's debut record, which was released on 23rd January 2006, became a critical and commercial success overnight, scoring the band a UK number one and a Mercury Prize-winning album.
There's not much that isn't known about the seminal outing, but a look back at the words of the young band themselves as it was first released can still provide us with some absolute gems when it comes to the lore behind its most beloved tracks.
Mardy Bum - is one such track that captured music fans from all over the country, with its Northern slang immediately reflecting the band's Yorkshire roots and rooting them firmly on British soil, while tackling a universal and relatable theme.
Mardy Bum
Speaking to John Kennedy in special track-by-track for the album back in 2006, Turner revealed that the song was inspired by The Smiths, who he was introduced to while he was taking driving lessons.
"My driving instructor got me into The Smiths," revealed a 20-year-old Turner. "He never played them when I was driving because I couldn't concentrate on two things at once, but he lent us a couple of records.
"I tried to get into them before, but it's one of them that takes a bit of work, almost."
"I think that's where I am at now. I'm in the process," added drummer Matt Helders of his own journey of discovering the Manchester band.
Turner went on: "He lent me Hatful Of Hollow and The Smiths (self-titled debut). That sort of transformed me. I thought. Oh yeah, this is really, really smart. I think I've listened to them quite a lot since the album was written... you can tell the influence a bit more."
Read more:
- How Chris McClure ended up appearing on the cover of Arctic Monkeys' debut album
- Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not: The stories behind each song
The archive X-Posure Album Playback isn't just special because it captures Turner and Helders at such a young age, but sees them talk about the game-changing album before it went on become the fastest selling debut album ever in British music history.
In the sit down, the duo also discuss the genesis of the Monkeys, the writing of their earliest songs and how their first outing is essentially a concept album about nights out in Sheffield.
Along the way, they touch upon the album's name, the cover art, the "crap" lyrics of I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, their favourite song title on the record, and how the guy who rented them their practice room gave them the title for When The Sun Goes Down.
Listen to Arctic Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not X-Posure Album Playback below:
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not | X-Posure Album Playback
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