In the mid-2000s, the northern British indie scene was buzzing so much that NME coined the term 'New Yorkshire' to describe it, lumping together bands like Arctic Monkeys, the Long Blondes, Milburn and Kaiser Chiefs. However, the tag overlooked a significant split in Sheffield between artier, often student-led bands and more traditional local indie outfits.
The Long Blondes, formed in 2003, proudly rejected the earnest, male-dominated indie norm. Bassist Kathryn 'Reenie' Hollis admitted they were 'both insecure and arrogant', while drummer Mark Turvey said they aimed to be 'pretentious, trashy, feminine and pop'. This deliberate provocation was seen as arrogance by some, including members of Milburn, a young band from the north of the city. Joe Carnall of Milburn recalled being suspicious of arty bands: 'We were just angry young lads, so everything was shit.'
Milburn, formed in 2001, quickly built a huge following, selling out the 500-capacity Boardwalk. Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders remembered seeing Milburn as teenagers and thinking: 'We didn’t think it was a thing that people did where we were from.' The Arctic Monkeys themselves were childhood friends from High Green, north Sheffield, who started the band out of boredom. 'Instead of deciding which house to go and egg that night, we were like, why don’t we start a band?' Helders recalled.
