Real Exchanges #5: Arctic Monkeys

So this is a very different kind of episode than our usual interviews (even for Real Exchanges). It’s majorly important to me that this podcast is never about promotion or glorifying one act in particular, but this felt like the right kind of circumstance. Arctic Monkeys are a band I’ve loved for well over a decade now, and today they’re releasing their seventh album, The Car.

The singles off The Car have showcased my favourite thing about the band: their constant desire to evolve in strange and innovative ways. Throughout their career they’ve made musical choices that most acts would shy away from, causing them to become a band that’s impossible to pigeonhole in the process. To discuss what makes them so special, I invited back my friends and colleagues to the podcast; Will Oliver and Aysia Marotta. I’ve seen/photographed Arctic Monkeys numerous times with these two by my side, and we’ve had a ridiculous amount of text conversations about different songs, albums, hell, even outfit styles of this band. Again, we try not to go too hard on the fanboying in this series but once in a while, you have to let your fanboy flag fly.

In celebration of this episode being out, I’ve crafted a playlist that features my favourite songs by the band. It’s called Arctic Monkeys at their very best and you can hear it over at Spotify.

Remember to check out and follow today’s guests on Instagram: Aysia Marotta (here) and Will Oliver (here). Also, be sure to check out Will’s blog (named after a Monkeys lyric); We All Want Someone to Shout For.