Matt Helders

Helders has said that he ended up playing drums as “that was the only thing left. When we started the band none of us played anything. We just put it together. They all had guitars and I bought a drum kit after a bit.”[4] However, Helders has mentioned the influence rap music has had on the band, saying “We were rap fans at school more than now … it still influences us in some ways; like for me, it’s the drummin’. The groove element, like foon-keh music.”[5] In addition, Helders cites seeing Queens of the Stone Age as the biggest influence on his development as a drummer, saying “the one thing that changed me the most was seeing Queens of the Stone Age live at a festival … as soon as they came off I was like – ‘Fuck, I need to start hitting harder.'”[6] Helders also explained the band’s insistence on singing in their native Sheffield accent, saying, “when you talk between the songs at a gig and you’re speakin’ English in our normal accent, it seems a bit strange when you burst into song like you’re from California or something … it looks a bit daft.”[5]

In a similar fashion to other members of the band, Helders has remained true to his hometown roots, suggesting that seeing places all over the world makes him more appreciative of Sheffield, which still provides the basis for the band’s lyrics. “And all around you, there’s still plenty of things to write about. Touring lets you see a lot of places that you realise you wouldn’t want to live in … and when you come home, it’s pretty easy to slip into your old ways, to all the places you’ve always gone.”[6] Helders also points out that despite the fame of the band, he can still avoid being mobbed in the street – “If we all go out together at night clubbing, it’s difficult, but alone you don’t get recognised much.”