July 10, 2006 15:01

Arctic Monkeys reveal reason behind bassist's departure

Alex Turner spills the beans

Photo Gallery: Arctic Monkeys
Photo: Ed Miles

Arctic Monkeys have finally spoken out about ex-bass player Andy Nicholson's departure.

The band found themselves one short for an American tour earlier this year when Nicholson pulled out, to be replaced by Nick O’ Malley. He was sacked when the band returned from the US.

Speaking backstage at the Oxegen festival to Gonzo’s Zane Lowe in Ireland at the weekend, frontman Alex Turner put it down to touring – but revealed the band are all still good pals with him.

He said: "I sent him a message yesterday actually, telling him to have a good one and that.

"To start with we were in Lisbon at the end of the European thing and he decided he didn’t want to come to America. And that was cool, and then, I don’t know, I guess we found ourselves in this situation by the end of the American tour."

And Turner admitted he did sympathise with his friend’s predicament.

He added: "I mean, a lot happens, it’s not just like three weeks in a normal thing, it’s three weeks with your head all over the place. I mean, it’s a difficult thing to explain, I don’t think anyone will really understand this except us three and Andy."

The band return to the UK to play the Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds festivals in August. The same month they also release a new single, ‘Leave Before The Lights Come On’.