Omnibus Press, the world’s leading publishers of music books and biographies have announced a new fully comprehensive biography of the Arctic Monkeys, scheduled for release in May 2013.
The book will be the latest in Omnibus’ long line of best-selling and critically acclaimed rock ‘roll literature which includes titles on Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Oasis and the Smiths.
The announcement has also been reported on by publishing news sites such as BookTrade and The Bookseller, as well as Arctic Monkeys fan sites and tumblrs.
Author, music journalist and DJ Ben Osborne will pen the new book, which will be released to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the band’s debut gig in the summer of 2003.
One of the biggest success stories of the last decade, the Arctic Monkeys stormed the charts in 2005 with their breakthrough hit I Bet That You Looks Good On The Dancefloor, becoming an example for bands of how to make the jump from MySpace stars to real world artists.
From their native Sheffield to worldwide fame, the book will cover how the band’s innovative fans used the internet to propel them to the very top, examining the role played by the group’s management team and label.
It will be the definitive guide to Alex Turner and co’s journey as the first UK band to become a global hit in the internet age and is set to be a must-have for fans and a must-read for anyone interested in the history and future of the music industry.
Featuring original research and interviews, the biography will follow the Arctic Monkeys’ from hip-hop loving schoolboys, through the hard slog of being an unsigned, gigging band and to their incredible rise online and off.
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Suburban schoolmates who grew to headline the biggest show on earth
David Barraclough, Commissioning Editor at Omnibus Press had this to say about the upcoming book:
“When the idea of an Arctic Monkeys book was first suggested I was amazed to discover that there had been no biography of the band published since 2006. For such an endlessly fascinating group, this seems inexplicable. And within minutes of reading Ben Osborne’s proposal, I knew he was the ideal person to write the book.”
As a writer and journalist, musician and DJ Ben Osborne has written extensively about for the Music Business Bible, Music Week, The Guardian, The Times, The Independent on Sunday and i-D, along with various blogs and DJ Magazine. As well as presenting his own long-running shows for Xfm, NME Radio and Totallyradio, Ben is also the author of the acclaimed history of clubbing, The A-Z of Club Culture, and is the founder of Noise of Art.
Speaking about his latest Arctic Monkeys project, Ben said:
“I’m very grateful to Omnibus Press for giving me the opportunity to write in depth about the Arctic Monkeys. Their story is a classic tale of British rock ‘n’ roll – a tale of suburban schoolmates who, amongst other things, grew to headline the biggest show on earth of 2012: The Olympics’ opening ceremony.
“In an era where the singles chart has been dominated by manufactured pop acts, it is a mark of their ability and connection with fans, that they’re one of the few current guitar acts that’s managed to penetrate both albums and singles charts. It is a story that is contentious, but one that saw the internet propel a band to stardom for the first time – helping them break records with the fastest selling debut LP. Arctic Monkeys are the next chapter in a British songwriting history that goes back to The Kinks and The Beatles.”
You can follow Ben Osborne and Omnibus Press on Twitter at @djbensoborne and @OmnibusPress respectively.