I first met the Arctic Monkeys on the last bus home. We were 16. We’d go to the same gigs in Sheffield, then see each other on the number 77 – so we became friends. When they went on their first tour, I was their guitar tech: I couldn’t tune a guitar to save my life, but I think they wanted someone who was part of the gang.
I was studying sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University when I got a call from Andy Nicholson, the bassist. They were working on their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and wanted pictures of a guy on a night out for the artwork. There was no suggestion it was for the cover. Andy asked if I’d do it, and I said why not? I’m not sure why me. I never asked. I think they just wanted someone normal.
I went to Liverpool with a couple of pals. The band weren’t there; they were on tour. We met the photographer and assistants in a bar at 2pm. I said: “What do you want us to do?” They said: “Go out and get drunk – come back after midnight.” They gave us a wad of cash, literally hundreds of pounds. We were young and made the most of it. When I arrived back it was gone 2am. There was a venue below the bar and we did the pictures there, just me sat on a stool. They gave me more whisky and I threw up half way through. Everything was blurry.
The band loved the results. When I saw them three weeks later they’d already decided to use one on the cover. I was pleased but I don’t think I grasped how massive it was going to be. It was only on the day the album was released, in January 2006, I thought: “Shit, what have I let myself in for?”
That Monday, my phone never stopped. It was bonkers; like being dipped into fame. Everyone in the world wanted to know who I was. I worked part-time in a pub and I got a call from the landlord to say there were 15 reporters there looking for me; another five were outside my mum’s house. The TV channel E4 asked me to present slots. The Daily Star offered me £10,000 to let a photographer follow me on a night out. They said they’d bring along a couple of models. When you’re 19, it’s not easy to refuse, but I didn’t want to sell the band out. I refused everything apart from interviews with Soccer AM and BBC News.
It made student life surreal. I’d go to house parties and my face would be in the bedrooms. Strangers would ask me to do the cigarette pose. Clubs would call and offer free drinks all night if I just went down. I think that album cover is the reason I only got a 2:2 degree.
The best was when I went to see Noel Gallagher at The Lowry. I used to work there so I went backstage. Noel did a double take. He said: “I’ve got you hanging in my house!” I said: “I’ve got you in mine!”
It wasn’t all good. I was at a gig once and this guy kept putting his cig in my face. And some people said we were promoting smoking, but I didn’t worry myself about that.
These days, I work with adults with learning difficulties and people recognise me less. I get the odd person saying they know me from somewhere but I shrug it off. I don’t tell people. I’m a creative person – I’ve been in bands and I’m writing a sitcom – and I don’t want to be remembered as just a guy on an album cover. I still see the band. Me and Alex [Turner] went to the football recently.
Would I do it again? Absolutely. The only thing I might change is the money. I got paid £750 for that night. I should have asked for 10p of every album sale.
• Interview: Colin Drury. Are you in a notable photograph? Email thatsme@theguardian.com
