The Arctic Monkeys have become the latest musicians to question whether performers taking part in Live Earth on Saturday are suitable climate change activists. "It's a bit patronising for us 21 year olds to try to start to change the world," said drummer Matt Helders, explaining why the group is not on the bill at any of the charity concerts.
"Especially when we're using enough power for 10 houses just for (stage) lighting. It'd be a bit hypocritical."
When parts of the band's hometown of Sheffield were flooded at the end of last month after a deluge of rain, Helders added, "Someone asked us to give a quote about what was happening in Sheffield and it's like 'who cares what we think about what's happening'? There's more important people who can have an opinion. Why does it make us have an opinion because we're in a band?"
Live Earth takes place Saturday in seven cities -- Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hamburg, London, Johannesburg and New York -- and organisers hope for a television audience of two billion.
