Watch Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner Defend Rock & Roll at BRIT Awards

The BRIT Awards — the UK equivalent of the Grammys — were held Wednesday and Arctic Monkeys were one of the night’s big winners, picking up statues for Best British Group and British Album of the Year. When the group came up to the podium to accept the award for the latter for last year’s AM, frontman Alex Turner delivered an impassioned defense of rock & roll.  

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Here’s the full transcript:

“Thank you. That rock & roll, eh? That rock & roll, it just won’t go away. It might hibernate from time to time and sink back into the swamp. I think the cyclical nature of the universe in which it exists demands it adheres to some of its rules. But it’s always waiting there, just around the corner, ready to make its way back through the sludge and smash through the glass ceiling, looking better than ever. Yeah, that rock & roll, it seems like it’s fading away sometimes, but it will never die. And there’s nothing you can do about it. Thank you very much for this. I do truly appreciate it. Don’t take that the wrong way and invoice me for the microphone if you need to.”

The group were hardly the only winners at the awards. One Direction won for Best Video and Global Success, while Bastille picked up British Breakthrough Act.

BRIT Awards’ Winners List

British Male Solo Artist – David Bowie

British Female Solo Artist – Ellie Goulding

British Group – Arctic Monkeys

British Breakthrough Act – Bastille

British Single – “Waiting All Night” by Rudimental ft. Ella Eyre

British Album Of The Year – AM by Arctic Monkeys

Best Video – One Direction

International Male Solo Artist – Bruno Mars

International Female Solo Artist – Lorde

International Group – Daft Punk

Global Success – One Direction

Critics’ Choice – Sam Smith

British Producer Of The Year – Flood & Alan Moulder