Andy Nicholson taps up former Arctic Monkeys bandmate Matt Helders for new lockdown EP
Andy Nicholson, the former Arctic Monkeys bassist, has tapped up his old bandmate Matt Helders for a new lockdown EP.
Nicholson (aka Goldteeth) is currently putting together a project entitled ‘Alone Together’, which will see him remotely collaborate with a variety of artists “of any skill level”.
Taking to social media earlier this month, Nicholson asked any musician who wanted to be a part of the project to get in touch. “Let’s make some music,” he wrote on Instagram. “This is a call for all musicians of any skill level willing to collaborate.”
Since his call to action, Nicholson has been keeping people up to date on the status of the project via a series of video updates. In the latest clip he talked about the project’s title, the samples used on it and the collaborative spirit behind the EP.
Towards the end of the clip, he mentioned that Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders has sent over some drums for one of the tracks.
“I’m trying to get everyone involved. I’m trying to get all my friends involved. I’m trying to get people I don’t know involved,” he explained. “[Matt] Elders has sent some drums in; I’m playing bass on that song.”
Watch the clip below:
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Speaking to NME in 2019, Nicholson, who left Arctic Monkeys in 2006 after the release of their acclaimed debut album ‘Whatever People Say I Am, discussed his relationship with his former band.
“When they’re back in Sheffield we go out for some food or if I happen to be in the same country as them then we try to meet up when we can and text,” he said. “It’s one of those things when you grow up; they’re busy doing their thing and I’m busy doing mine. It’s usually Christmases and birthdays when we exchange texts but we see each other when we can.”
Asked whether he’d ever work with the band or any of the individual members, he said: “Of course, if anyone was to ask. I’d love to work with anybody. Just sharing musical ideas and getting from point A to point B is very exciting, especially when you skip to point C. I’d make music with any of them. If they rang me or texted then I definitely would.”
Meanwhile, Matt Helders has revealed that Arctic Monkeys are in the “early stages of trying to write a [new] record”.
Speaking on Instagram Live earlier this week (January 13), the drummer explained that the Sheffield band had been “faced with the obvious obstacles” while working on the follow-up to ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’.