Haim have exclusively revealed to NME that they turned down a guest spot on the Arctic Monkeys‘ forthcoming new album, ‘AM’.
In James Ford, Haim – who are also set to release an album next month – share a producer with Arctic Monkeys, and it was Ford who suggested that the three Californian sisters come into the studio and record backing vocals for the Monkeys’ fifth LP.
Speaking to NME, Ford said he played Haim the Monkeys song ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ whilst they were still recording, and suggested they lay down the track’s backing vocals. “They loved it. So me and the Arctics had the discussion, ‘Should we get some real girls in?”.
However, Haim had to turn the offer down, as they were too busy trying to complete their own album, ‘Days Are Gone’ – out September 30. “We tried to push things around to make it work,” bass player Este Haim told NME. “But when it came down to it, we had to finish our record… That would have been our biggest dream come true – to sing on an Arctic Monkeys record… It was one of the most painful calls to say no. Maybe the worst day of my life.”
Instead, the high pitched backing vocals were laid down by Jamie Cook, Nick O’Malley and Alex Turner of the band. Ford, who is also one half of Simian Mobile Disco, has recorded all of the Arctic Monkeys material since 2006, as well as The Last Shadow Puppets’ album and Alex Turner’s soundtrack to the film Submarine. He co-produced ‘AM’ album at LA’s Sage & Sound Studios with Ross Orton. It will be released on September 9.