Arctic Monkeys think being childhood friends has kept them together.

The British quartet – Matt Helders, Jamie Cook, Nick O’Malley and Alex Turner – have been pals since growing up in Sheffield, North England, and think their solid bond has stopped them succumbing to the pressures of fame.

Alex said: “Our friendship definitely has something to do with it [staying together]. We grew up pretty much on the same street. So we’d hung around with each other a long time before we were a band and that helps you bypass a lot of those pitfalls.”

However, the ‘Mardy Bum’ hitmakers admit they occasionally row, but think their arguments are normal.

Alex said: “You’re bound to argue, but I think we get around a lot of that stuff. It’s maybe something about where we’re from. We’re all pretty laid back.

“Everyone gets aggravated but there aren’t too many tantrums.”

Nick added: “Even if you ran a shop with your brother, you’d have fights. It’s that natural sibling rivalry thing.”